Sonya Claire Milam

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning…” — Lamentations 3:22-23 Just as promised. Just as expected. Even with many clouds in the way… Dawn comes. Some mornings, like today, the light doesn’t burst across the sky. Instead, it quietly peeks through, patiently sharing the stage with lingering clouds. And this morning, the moon—still hanging on. “God bless the moon, God bless me…” Smiled because I’ve felt like that moon. Holding on. Hardly noticeable. Barely letting go of the darkness. Trying to shine while waiting for the light. In much the same way, I bring my darkness to God. And just as promised… just as expected… just as He has always done… His light begins to peek through. Not always all at once. Not always without resistance. Sometimes His light arrives alongside the clouds. My clouds. The ones I’d rather not carry. The ones I’d rather hurry past. The ones I pray would disappear. Yet even these clouds are purposeful. Necessary. Unavoidable. I’ve learned I don’t have to wait for a cloudless sky before I begin walking toward the light. I simply keep walking expectantly toward dawn, receiving God’s light however it chooses to reveal itself. Sometimes it is only a sliver. Sometimes it is enough. Then, over time, the calm I longed for—and the peace so many prayed for alongside me—came Outta Nowhere. Just as promised. The sun slowly peeked through… and then burst forward with breathtaking grandeur. The clouds didn’t completely disappear. Some are still there. But they no longer define the sky. Those welcomed rays—both figurative and literal—have illuminated countless moments of love, hope, peace, and unexpected joy despite my darkness. Despite my grief. Despite my brokenness. Despite the clouds. God has used His light to reveal things I once overlooked: quiet mercies, faithful friends, unexpected strength, and glimpses of beauty I could never have seen from the darkness alone. The strength within me was never mine to manufacture. It has always come from God. There were seasons when He felt hidden. Silent. Distant. But He was never absent. He was waiting for me in the dawn. And just as promised… the sun came out again. Lord, thank You that Your promises are not dependent upon clear skies. Teach us to keep walking toward the light, even when the clouds linger. Help us trust that dawn is coming—not because we can see it, but because You have promised it. Amen.