There is so much beauty on the other side of the storm

​ Yesterday, in my neck of the woods, we were graced with a beautiful rainbow. It was amazing to watch the whole event from beginning to end. At the start, we sat under a bright blue sky - illuminated by the sun. Soon, without warning, we watched the dark & stormy clouds forming in the distance. An accumulation of dark grays & purples swirled in the atmosphere to create their massive shape and presence. As they built up in strength & size, they began to take over the space above us. They rolled in overhead - pushing out all of the light & airy blue that was previously consuming the space​,​ and ​they ​replaced it with a heaviness, like a bully in the school yard.

Soon, as it always does, the levy broke. The clouds became so full that they could not hold back any longer and they rained down on us - releasing everything that had been building up within them over time. The interesting thing is, by this point we were driving to the store and as we moved through the storm, the sun hung low on the horizon ahead. It was like a lighthouse on the water. The rain was pouring down all around us, but the sun was glowing beyond the clouds, illuminating the road ahead, turning everything within its reach to gold. Despite all of the chaos that was happening around us. , the sun never left. It just stayed there like it was reminding us that while it was storming now, it won’t last forever.

As we got closer to our destination, we saw the rainbow; a double rainbow in fact. It was the most breathtaking rainbow I’ve ever seen. Its colors were so vivid and its presence could not be ignored. It broke through the rain and went straight to our hearts. It took up the entire sky with its perfect arch and magical luminosity; you could not look away from its breathtaking beauty. As we entered the parking lot, we saw crowds of people stopped in awe of its beauty. Everyone was at a complete stand still looking up to the sky with a wonderment radiating from them, like crowds of children seeing Santa ride off in his sleigh over head​ on Christmas eve​. It was amazing to see the effect this rainbow had on so many people.

As we all observed in amazement, it’s like a joy washed over everyone. Our spirits were being lifted up beyond our current world to a place filled with only bliss. People began to radiate that same glowing, beauty that the rainbow did and we all felt united in experiencing this miraculous gift, together. It is truly amazing what God can do. Yesterday he reminded us to believe in the magic of this world, to remember that there is so much beauty on the other side of the storm, and to know that he is using both the sun and the rain to create our miracle.

Life is what you make it

We've all heard, "life is what you make it," so what are you making of it? Is your day ruling you, or are you ruling your day? This week, be sure to make time for something that lifts your heart every day. If you aren't intentional about doing things that bring you joy every day, gravity will pull you down, & if you let it...keep you there. This does not have to be anything spectacular or extravagant, (in fact, if it is, it's probably just another dopamine rush, not real joy). Joy is about cultivating happiness in the little moments of your day, in slowing down to notice the miracles all around you.

I know it feels like you don't have time to stop and smell the roses, but you do. If you audit your day, there is so much time wasted on things that actually cause us more stress, more agitation & more anxiety - like screen time, for example (check out the research if you don't believe me). So why not swap out some of that scrolling for something that really makes you happy? This week, make time for joy. Stop for frozen yogurt, take a walk outside in nature, lay in the grass & look up at the sky to find shapes in the clouds...you deserve it.