Shining Brighter in a World of Darkness
by Darlene L. Turner
Have you ever stood outside on a pitch-black night out in the countryside? You know, the type of darkness where you can’t see your hand in front of your face. Your senses become more alert and every sound feels menacing. You take uncertain baby steps to move forward, and then…
Someone turns on a flashlight and everything changes.
Oh, the darkness is still there lurking, but it no longer has control.
That’s what light does.
While writing Coordinates of Death, I thought about darkness—not only the physical darkness surrounding Aurora Hunt and Kordell Greene as they fight to survive a deadly game in the Canadian wilderness, but also the darkness we face in our everyday lives. Maybe not that literal darkness but emotional ones.
Fear. Loss. Discouragement. Anger. Uncertainty. Abandonment. Betrayal.
The list could go on and on. Sometimes in life it feels like the shadows are closing in.
But they don’t win.
I wrote this in the acknowledgements of Coordinates of Death:
“Let’s keep shining God’s light in the darkness—this little light of ours isn’t meant to be hidden.” Do you remember that childhood song. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine?
Simple words with a powerful truth.
Because the world desperately needs beacons. Exactly what is a beacon? I like the verb definition from Merriam-Webster: “to furnish with a signal or a source of light or inspiration.”
Friends, a beacon doesn’t eliminate the storm. It shines through it. It provides a signal or source of light. A lighthouse doesn’t calm raging waves or silence howling winds. It stands firm and sends light piercing through the darkness, showing others the way.
Isn’t that what God calls us to do?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world.”
Not you might be or you could be the light of the world.
You are.
Wow. That means wherever God places us or whatever circumstances we go through, we have an opportunity to shine His light. Is that difficult at times? Of course, but here’s the thing. We can’t be strong beacons if we allow fear, busyness, betrayal, disappointment, or the pressures of this world to dim our light.
My prayer as I write each book has always been that God will use my words for His glory. My mission as an author is to speak Jesus and always shine His light.
That’s the cry of my heart.
Maybe your beacon isn’t writing books. Perhaps it’s encouraging a struggling friend. Praying with someone who has lost hope. Showing compassion when it isn’t returned. Forgiving when it’s difficult. Standing firm in your faith when the world tells you to compromise.
Every small act can send a beam of light into someone’s darkness.
And here’s the cool part.
Light spreads.
Remember candlelight services at Christmas when we light one single candle? Then another. And another…until they’re all lit. What happens? An explosion of light fills the darkened room. I love that.
Imagine what would take place if we all became stronger beacons. The darkness might surround us as the storms rage. The mountains may seem impossible to climb. But God’s light?
It still shines.
So, friends, let’s stand firm, love boldly, show compassion, and point others toward Jesus.
And become stronger beacons in a world of darkness.
This little light of ours?
Let’s shine it brightly.
When a crime scene in Sweetwood Falls, Yukon, confirms the return of the Shadow Box Killer, Corporal Aurora Hunt is forced into a deadly game in the frozen Canadian wilderness to save the murderer’s next victim. To survive the brutal terrain, she must team up with Kordell Greene, a survivalist from her past with whom she shares unresolved history. As they follow cryptic clues through the icy environment, they realize the killer intimately knows their darkest secrets, drawing them deeper into a high-stakes game where a single mistake could be fatal.
Link: https://darlenelturner.com/coordinates-of-death/
Darlene L. Turner is a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her high-octane stories and riveting twists. Sparked by Nancy Drew, she’s turned her love of solving mysteries into her writing, believing readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. Dubbed “the plaid queen” for her love of everything plaid, Darlene resides with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.