Hope Against Hope

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you." (Psalm 42:1-2) "Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping..." (Romans 4:18-21)