sunsets of hope

I love sunsets. To me, they are one of God's most beautiful creations. As I was leaving my night class I caught the final few moments of the sunset tonight, it was breath-taking. I literally just stopped for a minute to watch it through the bare trees. Oranges, pinks, and grays...LOVED it! sometimes I think God paints them just for me. they are little glimmers of hope. I rushed to my car to drive into it and watch it set but by the time I started driving it was dark. 

Monday I got a text message from my precious friend Brooke. This summer her Pap passed away. He was an amazing man of God and I had the privilege of praying with him in his last months of life here on earth. That memory will always be precious to me. He sat and prayed for me and his whole family when he was the one that needed prayer the most. He was so selfless and giving. Nanny, Brooke's grandmother, is struggling with being alone. She had Pap by her side for so many years. I pray for her often but this weekend I decided to make her a card. I can't imagine what she is going through and felt like she needed some encouragement. I put the card in the mail on Saturday so she got the card Monday, the same day that she had to go the gravesite because Pap's tombstone was being delivered. I had no idea but God did. He has such perfect timing. I was amazed! It completely made my day =)
Monday night I planned to study for my two tests on Tuesday. That evening I got a text from one friend and a phone call from another. It had been almost a month since I had seen either one of them and I got to see both of them that night. We went to a campus ministry together which is always good but Monday a guest speaker spoke about brokenness. BROKENNESS. another sign of God's perfect timing. I'm in this stage of being broken. I was reminded that God often has to break us to use us. God, I'm ready to be used! I was really stressed on Monday and had several people remind me that they cared and were praying for me. They will never know how much I needed that. After the campus ministry, Barrie, Lindsey, Alyssa, and I went to 3 Flamingos for half priced yogurt. It was a much needed evening, so different that what I planned, but God's plans are always better.  
Today I had a fifteen page paper due, a quiz, and two tests. can we say STRESSED?! but guess what, I survived!! God is good and faithful. I got to celebrate Emily's last night of being a teenager with her tonight and enjoyed Chinese food with my family. Great end to a not so great day. I also bought Dave Barne's Christmas album and am starting to get in the Christmas spirit =) 

Sunsets are beautiful but they don't last long. The past few days in my life have had some beautiful moments, much more beautiful than the days before. But tonight I was reflecting on these recent blessings and I began to wonder if they would be like the sunset I saw tonight. Will they fade as quickly as they come? Maybe. And tonight I am ok with that because I got my glimmers of hope in a dark season. God provided those special moments to remind me of His love and His goodness. If I have to wait awhile before the next ones come that's ok because I know God is faithful and He will paint me another beautiful sunset.