{"id":2622,"date":"2021-08-16T05:30:16","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T11:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.melaniebnewman.com\/staging\/9944\/?p=2622"},"modified":"2021-08-13T16:47:53","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T22:47:53","slug":"courage-to-shine-your-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.melaniebnewman.com\/staging\/9944\/courage-to-shine-your-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Courage to Shine Your Light"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>During a recent time of turmoil I was tempted to give in to discouragement, but an insight while on my morning walk inspired me to take heart.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The sky was grey, and smoke-filled from fires in the surrounding states. The dreariness seemed to match my mood.<\/p>\n<p>What I saw before me though almost took my breath away.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I looked up to see a quarter-mile stretch of bright yellow, wild sunflowers growing along the ditch bank.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of, or maybe because of the dreary surroundings, those cheerful, sun-filled faces stood out in their brilliant majesty.<\/p>\n<p>They seemed to glow amidst the grey backdrop of the sky.<\/p>\n<p>I thought of the <b>challenges many of us are facing to stay positive in a time that seems anything but positive, <\/b>and\u00a0found myself likening the well known sunflower to us.<\/p>\n<p>Did you know that wild-sunflowers\u2026<\/p>\n<p>-represent strength and positivity.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>-can grow up to 10 feet tall.<\/p>\n<p>-are prairie plants and love wide open spaces.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>-are strengthened by the sunlight and wind coming from any direction.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>-that are planted along a house or wall, protected from the elements, are more easily knocked over by high winds.<\/p>\n<p>Can you see any similarities to ourselves?<\/p>\n<p>I thought of the times when we are faced with opposition and contentious voices, when it feels unsafe to speak up or share a differing view.<\/p>\n<p>Like the sunflowers that stand out against a darkened sky, so do people who stand for what is right and good.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Perhaps it\u2019s the very darkness of the surrounding environment that allows the light within us to shine even brighter and stronger.<\/b><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I invite you to use the example of the wild sunflower to fortify you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>T<\/strong><b>ake heart. Take courage, and brightly shine your light.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Much love,<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-462\" src=\"https:\/\/www.melaniebnewman.com\/staging\/9944\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/signature.png\" alt=\"Melanie Newman\" width=\"223\" height=\"73\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During a recent time of turmoil I was tempted to give in to discouragement, but an insight while on my morning walk inspired me to take heart. The sky was grey, and smoke-filled from fires in the surrounding states. The&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.melaniebnewman.com\/staging\/9944\/courage-to-shine-your-light\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,11,13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2622","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-emotional","8":"category-mental","9":"category-spiritual","10":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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