I love Washington – it is the most spectacular kind of beautiful. Not even my new home in sunny San Luis Obispo, CA can compare to the brilliance of being surrounded by colassal mountains and lush forests and vast oceans – all in one place.

The best part is; Washington’s beauty seems to be a little known secret. I’ve learned this meeting all my new California-native friends: no one expects a state that is known for dreary rainy weather to be so breath-taking.

With all that being said, you might be surprised to hear that I cannot wait to go back to California. Why?

There’s one thing about the Pacific Northwest that I have come to realize I didn’t miss one bit. During its winter months, daylight in my little corner of the US only lasts about 9 hours a day. And for early birds like me, that means, (brace yourselves) waking up in the PITCH FREAKING BLACK DARK.

…yikes.

Quite frankly I do not think there is anything worse. Waking up in the dark feels unnatural and uncomfortable, the day doesn’t seem to have arrived yet! The darkness seems to tell us to stay curled up in bed.

On the other hand, waking up in the light is wonderful and beautiful and refreshing. A wise woman named Princess Anna (shoutout to Frozen;) once said “the sky’s awake, so I’m awake!!” I feel you, girl!! Waking up to sunshine feels like a new start. It says, this is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad! The bible even tells us that Joy comes in the MORNING!! Does that not make you want to jump out of bed??

I would say waking up in the light could be compared to living life with God.

When we go through dark times in our stories, we tend to forget who Jesus is. Even though most of us don’t like to admit it, when we find ourselves in rough waters, we tend to fix our eyes on the storm and not on the cross. We tend to forget that he loves us at our darkest (Romans 5:8).

Our thoughts become so consumed by our storms that we stay knocked down harder & longer, just as the darkness wants. It is so much more difficult for us to wake up in darkness, when we’ve forgotten about whose hands our lives are in. When we try to get up in the dark, we are tired, worn, and the day (literally and figuratively) is unclear.

Facing obstacles and overcoming challenges is a completely different ball game when our eyes are fixed on Jesus and the abundant blessings we have through him. When we put our hope in Him, our light, bouncing back from a hard punch isn’t so bad. In fact, we might even see a deeper reason for a turn in our path.

I think people that go throughout their life seeking Jesus in everyday have a joy about them that others might not understand. They seem to get the most “life” out of every single day. They seem rich with joy and love and compassion and hardly budged by the little things that send some of us off our rockers.

The point? Wake up in the light. When something doesn’t go as the way you planned, don’t forget who is writing your story. The same wonderful and glorious God that created the stars and the ocean and beautiful mornings! Don’t try to fight God’s light pouring into your life and watch adversity be overcome by joy and your strength be renewed day by day. When we forget about our blessings and focus on all the negatives in our lives, we dig up in doubt what we’ve planted in faith.

Don’t forget, the darkness is just a canvas for His glory and grace!

Isaiah 40:31 says “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength- They will soar on wings like eagles – They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”