Rise & Shine

There is something about watching the sunrise each morning that captures my heart and, some mornings, takes my breath away. Especially since losing Chance. There is something so powerful about going to bed at night, darkness all around, yet awakening at that beautiful moment, that beautiful peak between dark and light. The dark is still there, still present, yet the light is visibly there, too, touching the dark. It's that moment when dark and light intersect, and you know that in moments time, the light will overcome. Because it always does. Day after day after day no matter how dark the night, the light eventually breaks forth and wins.

July 4, 2015 will mark three months since Chance's birth. Three months. In ways it feels like just yesterday that I was holding him, and in other ways it feels like much more time has passed. And I think about this phenomenon. How three months can feel like three seconds and also three years. How the darkness and the light of the last three months have been weaving together this amazingly ornate picture of tears, and growth, and longing, and stretching, and beauty from ashes.

Because beauty really can come from ashes.

Because no matter how dark darkness feels there is always the promise of pure light on the other side.

Because the One who holds us in all our joy also holds us in all our sadness.

Because if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other even when we don't feel like it, and keep searching endlessly for the sunrise we will be so pleasantly surprised when we find it and realize that the light is winning.

Because the light always wins.

Then your light will break forth like dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your guard (Isaiah 58:8).

So keep searching, friends. Keep striving for the light. Keep striving for the light that does not burn out. Keep searching for the beauty that comes from the ashes of your story.

For the light keeps shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

Choose to let God's gift of a sunrise sink deep and inspire you.

Choose to rise and shine.