Last Friday, during the wee hours of the morning, I (among thousands of others) lost power due to the heavy winds of a thunderstorm. The next day, there was absolutely no light at the end of the tunnel; we couldn’t even get an estimated time of restoration. I felt the proverbial light exit right out of me just like the actual light cut off in my home. “My weekend is ruined.” I told myself. Later that day, when I returned home from work, I heard the sound of children outside my window playing joyfully. “Why can’t that be me right now? Why can’t I just accept what I can’t change?” I asked God.

I couldn’t help but think this period of time without electricity was an unavoidable fast of sorts. We all know what happens during fasting; God speaks clearly. The reason I couldn’t relax is because I was depending on something other than God Himself for my own happiness, well being, joy.

“God help me to get what you intend for me from all of this.” I prayed the next day. “Help me to learn to be more adaptable, resilient, and most of all, less dependent on outside influences and more dependent on You, more dependent on Your power.“

Later that day, I left my house to get some things done because I knew that would make me feel better. As I pulled up to a gas station, I got out of my car to pump my gas, and I noticed something—lying on the ground beside the gas pump was a random medium sized rock, the only rock anywhere around. I decided to pick it up and carry it home with me because I felt God speak to me in that moment, and I wanted to remember it. “Focus on My fuel to sustain you; focus on My power.”

I took my rock home, gave it a wash, and decided to paint it black to represent the dark time I was going through. In the crevice, I painted sparkling golden white to represent God’s light—the true light. Whenever I look at this rock, I’ll remember what I went through, what I learned, and most importantly, I’ll remember the light that cannot be cut off.