This morning I poured a cup of coffee and headed for my office; it is a familiar ritual. I plop into my comfy office chair, wake up my computer, check messages and prepare for a new day. My eyes turn toward the office window just as the light of dawn begins to break through the darkness. Except for a light dust of snow, the landscape remains unchanged and the familiarity brings a sense of peace.

But what if there was no dawn today, or the next, or the next? Let me change the scenario.

This morning I poured a cup of coffee and headed to my child’s room; it’s a familiar ritual. I plop down on the comfy bed and say, “Time to wake up”. I lean down to give a butterfly kiss and my lips are met with coldness; a coldness that screams death. There will be no dawn today.

This morning I poured a cup of coffee and headed to the family room to watch the news. I plop down on the comfy couch and say, “Wonder what is going on in the world today?” The newscaster reports that a typhoon devastated cities in the Philippines. I cry out, “Dear God, my family lives there”. There will be no dawn today.

This morning I poured a cup of coffee in my hotel room while traveling on business. My cell phone rings. The caller informs me my son has died from an overdose of prescription drugs. There will be no dawn today.

This morning I poured a cup of coffee when I receive a call from my son “Mom, she is in labor. The baby will be here anytime”. Then, “Mom, not sure if our baby will make it. She has spinal bifida and her vocal cords are paralyzed”.  There will be no dawn today.

The landscape and familiarity of our life can change without notice.

What I present are real-life scenarios of individuals I know; their life’s forever altered or changed by a broken dawn.  It happens without notice and none of us are exempt from moments in life that extinguish the light of dawn.

There is hope.

God is fully aware when dawn seems to forsake us.  He hears our cries, understands our grief and stands ready to be a beacon of light whenever darkness consumes us. He is the Father of Mercy, Hope and Comfort. When grief and brokenness bring a total eclipse in our life, it is time to call upon the name of the Lord. He is always near.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalms 34:18)

You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light. (2 Samuel 22:29)