When Darkness Shrouds Bring the Light

 

"I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark." John 1:46 The Message

Text messages poured in interrupting my holiday errands. Overloading the grocery belt with baking supplies and Christmas feast items, I glanced at the first note. It read, "Are you and the grand babies okay?"

An odd question from a friend, I thought, so I answered, "Yes, why?" Her reply stopped me cold.

"School shooting in Newtown. Kindergartners dead."

Before I could respond, my phone interrupted the cashier's question, "Any coupons?" Another friend texted, "Have you seen the news? I can't believe it! We were just there. Met all these families."

It felt surreal standing amongst Christmas shoppers, joyful greetings, blipping cash registers and questions like, "Any coupons?" knowing only an hour west, Evil ran rampant and darkness shrouded this community my friends and I spent time with in September.

After days of weeping, holding my own children and grandchildren physically close, God reminds me of words He spoke to me just a four days prior to this tragedy.

Darkness always tries to push back the Light, but it cannot distinguish it. Light is always stronger, always brighter, always reveals the Truth. Darkness hides, runs, disappears in the Light. Keep shining My Light.

 

And God gives me this idea: Words Heal.

 

Writers know this truth, don't we? God heals us through words whether we write them ourselves, read His Word, or read others' words. Words bring healing  as we rummage through pain and allow God's Holy Spirit to minister through recording it all. Somehow seeing is believing and seeing our thoughts through the written word becomes very therapeutic.

 

So, I take this thought and share it with an author-friend and God directs our conversation this way: "What if local, CT authors rally and freely offer their time and writing talents in conjunction with the school guidance department and grief counselors and facilitate writers' workshops, teaching the children (all ages) to journal through their grief?"

 

Light pierces the Darkness during this conversation. We can see it - how we can bring Light back into this town shrouded in Darkness; how we can push back the Darkness and reveal Truth.

 

The idea grows: seven local children's and young adult authors and I are in preliminary conversations with the Newtown guidance department to move forward once they settle back into school.

 

Will you help us push back the Darkness and bring God's healing and Light to Newtown?

 

While we wait for the details to iron out, we are collecting journals and asking all who donate to inscribe words of encouragement and healing on the inside cover to the child/student recipient. They don't have to be expensive or fancy. If God moves you to participate, please mail the journals to:

 

Words Heal

c/o Knee High Academy

43 Hall Avenue, 3rd floor

Wallingford, CT 06492

 

To keep up with our progress with the Newtown school guidance department as God moves us forward, please join us on Facebook at Words Heal.

 

May God be glorified as we watch His Light push back the darkness and witness His healing through words.

 

Shining His Light,

 

Dawn