'...AND THERE WAS LIGHT'

CHRIS RANKIN,—QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS

I TOOK THIS PICTURE during an overnight Capture-the-Flag trip in the woods of Harrison, Maine. I was a chaperone for the 24-hour game and was assigned to referee through the night. As dawn broke, I sat against a tree and witnessed the morning sunlight creeping through the canopy, slowly penetrating the forest. That moment instilled a sense of peace and safety. I thought of a line from Mary Baker Eddy's poem "Love": "'Let there be light, and there was light.'" To me the light appeared so very commanding and dominant, much like how truth obliterates a lie. I was instantly inspired by its warming presence.

For anyone who has spent the night in a forest virtually alone, with no shelter and no use of a flashlight, the experience can be quite intimidating. But at that moment, I felt God's presence more strongly than I think I ever have. It was as if He was speaking to me, "I am here." What a way to start the day!

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