George Pantophlet
The year 2011 is quickly coming to an end and so are the experiences that we have gone through. Both good and bad but I hope we have learnt from them. I hope that those of us who have woken up this morning are living in hope that we will have a better future. There are so many definitions for the word hope such as: "to desire with expectation of obtainment, to expect with confidence", desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment and I can go on. Whatever you hope to attain or obtain in the future don’t give up, someone said that you can live 40 days without food, 1 week without water but not one single day without hope. I say to you hope in God, have faith in God. In his word 3 John 1:2 it says, "Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your souls prospers." This means you must take care of the whole man. As we all hope to start the year 2012 keep in mind that we are either in a storm going into a storm or coming out of a storm. But as long as we have that hope that things will get better we will be able to endure and then overcome. All of us live on planet earth so whatever one does it affects the other. No matter the distance. I want to say to us as leaders of this country we are the ones to give the people hope for a better tomorrow. This is why God allowed us to be in authority. We have to take them from hopelessness to hope. And this can only be done with his divine guidance. In Jeremiah 29:11 It says "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and hope". People must know that as leaders, we put them first in every decision making. We must give them hope in the future as this will encourage them to be patient and live everyday with great expectations. On behalf of my family and I we say to you look towards the future with joy and great expectation and may the year 2012 be prosperous for you and family. God Bless the people of this beautiful country called St. Maarten.