Whenever I see a rainbow, I am so encouraged.  For me, rainbows serve as a reminder of a promise and they give me hope to believe that good things are on the way for me.  Rainbows are so beautiful and come after the rain.  At some point, we will all face the rain.  Some of us may experience relationships which will fail.  Some of us will encounter problems at work or in our businesses.  Some of us will battle financial, emotional, physical, or mental sickness.

When in our low season, we will need someone to walk with us on this journey of life.  We will need someone to offer an encouraging word, make a phone call on our behalf, provide a listening ear, offer sound advice, or simply be there (whether tangible or intangible).

There was a season in my life when it appeared that everything that could possibly go wrong did.  I felt so alone and as if things would never get better.  I was so down and depressed that I cried every day.  God sent me a rainbow.  I had my mother, her best friend, and a family friend who were the rainbows in my cloud.  They were a shoulder to lean on, a voice of encouragement, and a cheerleader during the darkest hours of my life.  They gave me hope to keep fighting, assurance that I was a good person who simply encountered misfortune.   They told me I possessed much wisdom and  to continue to trust the voice which was inside of me.  I can’t imagine going through tough times without those individuals there to be the rainbow in my cloud.

In the years since, I have been the rainbow in someone else’s cloud.  I have shown up when others needed help.  I have been there to sit with others when they were alone.  I have provided references, ideas, strategies, and even jokes when others needed it.  There is no greater satisfaction or joy I have found than when I have had the opportunity to be the rainbow in someone else’s cloud.  I will never forget how happy I felt on the day that I sent all of “my rainbows” flowers to their jobs unexpectedly.  They were so happy and appreciative, but they had no idea how much I valued them and the good things I wanted out of life just for them.

Question for you:  Who is your rainbow?  Better yet, who considers you to be their rainbow? Go out and put a smile on someone’s face today.  Determine that you will not only show appreciation to your rainbow, but you will pay it forward and be the rainbow for someone else.