A Light in the Darkness (Thankful for So Much this Thursday)

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

What do you do when something happens that reminds you that you have no control, that terrifying things happen in our world everyday, that you can't protect your children or your loved ones from everything?

It seems that more and more we are reminded we are living in a fallen world. A world where bombs go off in our streets, people take the lives of innocent children, explosions devastate a quiet farming town and foreign leaders threaten war. I rarely watch the news because one, I don't want to expose my little ones to that fear and two, I don't want to expose myself to the constant negativity. However, I can't bury my head in the sand and pretend that terrible things don't happen all around, especially with things like those that have occurred recently.

So what do we do when faced with the sometimes scary reality of the world we live in today?  For me, I pray. I pray for restoration of our fallen world, I pray for protection over my loved ones, I pray for comfort and peace for those who've experienced unspeakable pain, I pray for courage, and I pray that God will be my strength when the tough times come.

I also remind myself to be thankful. When I watch my little ones sleeping peacefully, I thank God that they are safe in their beds. I thank God as I smell the scent of baby shampoo in the soft wisps of hair as my little girl snuggles in my lap. I thank Him as I watch the concentration on my son's face as we sit side by side working through his homework. I thank God for each new day that I'm given when so many haven't.

Finally, I'm asking God to use me to be a light shining His love in the darkness.  Because there are bad things happening every day, but there are also good things and I am called to be a part of that good.  I have been called to tell a different story than what the world does; to tell a story of hope, redemption and love.  I am committing to choose joy and hope even in the dark times, and in doing so, I will seek out ways to bring joy and hope to others.