The air is still, but before night’s deep shadows wane, Dawn sets the morning clouds aflame. Is this a glorious herald of the conquering sun poised to grace the day, or is it a harbinger of what might transpire later? My eyes focus on and relish the colors displayed as the cloak of darkness wraps securely around me. And for those few brief moments, I am alone in that “secret place” where my heart cries out to the Lord, and He whispers back.  Troubling thoughts of the world’s worsening conditions cannot push aside the sheer joy of such intimacy, and so I am moved with praise and thanksgiving to the only One who is in complete control of all things.

While the sun did indeed appear in all its glory, it was not for long, as the sky turned gray and the wind picked up. And yet, come what may, my faith remains rooted in the promises set forth in the Scriptures and in the Lord who made them!