During one of the hardest moments in my life, I remember crying out to God and asking for Him to take away the pain. I was feeling inadequate, unworthy, alone and desperate. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Some things you can never forget. The pain can instantly rush back and yet so can the promise. I remember crying out to God and asking Him how I was to handle this pain on my own.... I heard Him clearer than I had EVER.... He simply whispered you were never meant to.

I knew in that moment that He was with me and that no matter what my thoughts said, His word said I was the opposite of all those things. I held tightly to His promise....BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I was so accustomed to doing and saying and running that I wasn't good, very good at ALL at being still. I literally began to wear a reminder that said those very words around my finger and wish I could tell you that I didn't have to look at it often to remind myself.

Fast forward and I find myself with an opportunity to go on a missions trip with my youngest son (then 13) to the Amazon. I had felt so desperately that He needed to see God on a grander level. Well let me tell you, traveling 30+ hours by boat, after your flight and sleeping on a hammock in the middle of a river is a pretty great way to do that.

Only one problem, I knew I was supposed to, I was desperate to get Him there, but I honestly didn't know why. I was tired. I was weary. I was dried up and unsure that I had purpose to be there. But I obeyed. Sometimes the greatest blessing isn't in following your want to's but your KNOW to's. (if that makes any sense).

Once on the trip I got to see amazing things. But the best thing, the most important thing to me, was this moment pictured. God woke me up super early one morning (if you know me at all you know that is a miracle in itself). I couldn't get back to sleep. I was pondering the things I'd witnessed blossom in my son that week and was literally crying in thanks that I had been obedient (even when it was hard) and got to witness it. That's when I saw it.

The sky was beginning to lighten, the landscape that was once cascaded with stars was disappearing and silhouettes were taking shape. What seemed to be never ending darkness was now disappearing at the power of the sun.

It may have been an ordinary sunrise to most but to me it was a reminder of His constant promises. No matter how dark the night seems, the sun WILL rise, the atmosphere WILL change and his promises are new every morning.

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-Article written by Denette Schaer after a trip with Idlewild Baptist Church.