When saints were traveling west, there was 1 night counted terrible among the many bad- A night of destruction & hatred against the tired and sacrificing saints–they were assaulted, murdered, driven out at gunpoint, and chased in the middle of the freezing night, separated from their few belongings, and more tragically, their family.
Forced off course and into the FREEZING Missouri River to escape their potential death, thousands of Saints were stuck in mud, terrified, hungry, wet & freezing, but they knew that if they were to turn back, the mob would kill them.
Where was God in this? Where were their answered prayers of protection & safety?
Close to being consumed with doubt & pain & abandonment from God, a shooting star lit up the sky. And then another. And then another. In fact, there were so many shooting stars happening at the same time that it lit up the entire sky, endless meteors! Innumerable meteors shooting from every direction! Some reports estimated exceeding 100,000 per hour & others guessed 30 flashes per SECOND. It lasted the entire night.
It was so awe-inspiring that the intended mass slaughter planned was disassembled ‘cuz those in the mob themselves were captivated in their tracks. God, in His vastness, brought forth beauty amidst darkness to show that He was still there with them. That although He did not take away, He showed them that He was there. He was mindful. Aware. That they were not alone & their faith was not in vain.
I know we are in the middle of a new, unexpected, season that is kinda crazy— and though He doesn’t always take away the chaos & darkness– God, in His vastness, is bringing forth beauty amidst darkness to show us He is still here. I wonder what we will find if we take the time to look?
Amidst the darkness, amidst the hard, the confusing the unexpected, the longer than anticipated—and in a time like this, I hope that we don’t miss the “shooting stars” that He is sending our way to let us know He IS there and He is Aware. Conscious. And we are not alone. And to find the beauty amongst the darkness from His unchanging promise that He will not leave us comfortless. “I will also be your alight in the wilderness & I will prepare the way before you” xoxAL a snippet from her book, Wildly Optimistic, read more.
READ MORE FROM AL! BOOKS: Wildly Optimistic : Gaining New Perspective to Life’s Challenges More Than the Tattooed Mormon: HERE Cheers to Eternity: HERE. Scripture Study Journal: Rooted Fireside CD: Choosing God in Hard Times More products: journals, home decor, jewelry: HERE. Instagram: @alcarraway | Twitter: @alcarraway | Facebook