“I’ve seen too many stars to let the darkness overwhelm me.” Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr
We’ve all been through dark patches in our lives. When everything is dark around us, we need to look up to see the stars. Sometimes – who am I kidding, most of the time – looking up requires courageous faith.
If we take our eyes off the darkness and focus on the Light, the overwhelmingness of the power of darkness dissipates a notch or two… then more as our Heavenly Father strengthens our hearts with stars of His love, mercy and grace.
I know what it’s like to be terrified by dark circumstances that throttled me. But in the darkest nights, I said these verses over and over:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?… One thing I have desired, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:1&4)
By God’s grace the darkness did not overwhelm me. Instead the Bright Morning Star (one of my favorite names for Jesus) filled me with courageous grace to cope and hope.
May the Bright Morning Star fill the darkness in our lives with the Light of His love, mercy and grace this Lenten season – and every day of the year.
grace, peace & HOPE
Virginia : )
Photo Credit: A Rose Made of Galaxies NASA’s Hubble, 17 December 2010
Roses in the Rubble 
“Courageous grace to cope and hope ” — I like how you said that, Virginia! And really, if not for the darkness, we’d never see the stars.
That reminds me of an African saying, “our barn burned down, but now we can see the moon.” Figurative barns can be rebuilt, but when they’re gone here’s to looking for moonbeams of God’s grace. Blessings Debbie! ✨🌙✨
That’s looking on the positive side!
✨🌟✨🤗
Put me in mind of this quote as well:
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings: One Volume (p. 922). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.
Craig, that is one of my favorite quotes from Tolkien’s LOTT. I have read The Hobbit & LOTR once every year since 8th grade (= more than a few times now!) Last December revisiting Middle Earth the Frodo/Sam storyline in Mordor hit home. So much is dark in so many places these days, but the Light of God’s eternal love will not be snuffed out! Blessings to you! ✨🕊🌟🕊✨
Very moving blog … liked Debbie & Craig’s comments, too!
Thanks, Cin! Here’s to extra doses of grace to keep looking for the stars of Christ’s merciful love and peace when darkness frays the way… 🙏✨🌟✨🙏