I know I say it often – but – my favourite time of the day has to be the early morning – I simply love watching the dawn break.

However – at this time of the year – it’s still so very dark when I go to sit by my  window.

The first thing I normally do is to open the French window – to allow the sounds of the early morning in – to feel the freshness on my face.

There have been mornings recently when I have had a slight hesitation about opening up those doors – it’s SO dark! – a bit scary in a way – I really cannot see anything out there – the darkness is dense – but – all the senses that I experience in the early morning pull at my soul – if I don’t open that door – I will miss out on so much.

I also know that once I have faced that darkness – I will be able to witness it slowly lifting – allowing me to glimpse what the day before me holds.

Some days I cannot see the sunrise – clouds obscure it from my view – yet I know it still rises!

There are those misty days of Autumn – clothing the scene with an almost magical cloak – a wonderland of mystery.

There have also been so many wonderful sun rises that I have been so privileged to witness – brilliant colours lighting up the sky  before me – painting a canvas any artist would be proud of.

For me too – there is the wonder of the silence – often interspersed with birdsong – yet a silence that for me is like no other that I can experience later in the day.

The feel of the freshness of the day on my skin causes my soul to feel refreshed – as I sit – at this time of year wrapped up well – and expose myself to whatever the morning has for me.

So much I could have missed – if I hadn’t opened that door – if I had been afraid of the dark.

Yes – I could have maybe waited for the dawn – for the light to appear – missed some of the cold air – yet in doing so possibly missed out on so much that I have come to appreciate.

The darkness in our lives can be scary – we are so often afraid to open the door to it – allow it to wrap itself round us – not realising – or understanding – that it can bring so much more with it – opening up our souls – refreshing us – surprising us – maybe in ways we had never dreamt of – and reminding us – that dawn will soon be here – that if we wait – we can witness such wonder around us – and all fear of the darkness will disappear.

A song that we sing has these words in it – “Your Presence is an open door – so come now Lord – like never before”

These words speak so often to me – as I sit at that open door – as I welcome Him to come – and recognise that for every season of my life – His grace has always been enough – so I dare to face the dark – and wait for Him – at my open door.