Let His Light Shine
As I was preparing for this week's writing, I was reading about this Sunday being the Holy Trinity. I began thinking about God's role in my life and how the Holy Spirit has worked in me even when I didn't see it or wasn't aware of it. Eighteen years ago this week, the light was shining when our twins Peyton and Hayley were born in Peoria on June 7. We were excited, nervous, and terrified. It had only been 14 months since Mackenzie had passed, so emotions were high. With Mackenzie, we had a perfect pregnancy, not one single problem until the delivery.
On the flip side with the twins, we found out early on that Hayley had some health issues. While we knew she was going to have obstacles to overcome, we had no idea she would die from her illness. She died 3 days and 11 hours after her birth on June 10. It was tragic but such a gift. With Mackenzie, her complications came at delivery time and were completely unexpected with catastrophic consequences. We stayed positive even when the bi-weekly and weekly appointments didn't give us the best news. There was a plan. We had a purpose.
Fast forward to the twins’ birth and the subsequent days of finding out that Hayley's odds were not good, we made a plan to celebrate her life with our family. We invited all of them back to hold her, to take pictures, to sing to her and to love her. It was awesome. We had incredible nurses and doctors that helped us maneuver through the events at hand. We ended up having a really beautiful day with so many who loved us, and it ended with us holding our sweet girl until she passed. It was like something out of a movie. It was perfect if that makes any sense.
I'll admit that sometimes special occasions are bittersweet for me because I think about the what ifs. But not this week. This week I am grateful. I believe with all of my heart that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have always been present in my life; I just happen to be more aware of it and appreciative of it. Don't get bogged down in the dark. Let His light shine in your life.
