By Rev. Emi Brand, Staff Chaplain at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, a part of Orlando Health, Florida

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” – Proverbs 4:18

“There is a great, big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.”– Walt Disney, The Carousel of Progress

At Disney World, I rarely need to wait in line for one of my favorite rides. Tucked away in the corner of Tomorrowland sits one of the oldest rides in the Magic Kingdom. It’s called the Carousel of Progress. The ride is a hidden gem that usually is forgotten and neglected by most park visitors (much like the Hall of Presidents). But to me, there is something soul-soothing in Walt’s 20-plus-minute ride through recent history. I find comfort in viewing the minor changes to our daily lives that culminate in radical change.

Faith is remarkably similar. A little mustard seed here and another one there and before you know it, you have a field full of faith. I plant seeds for others, but I also plant seeds in my own heart. Faith comforts me when it seems like nothing else can. After a grueling shift, when my body physically shakes against the waves of vicarious trauma that threaten to pull me under, discouraging thoughts tickle at the edge of my mind. Did God really call me to pediatric chaplaincy? Is it really okay that I am “a woman doing a man’s work”?

Even with a well-lit path, I stumble and question. But faith (and the grace of God) is what keeps me moving forward. I learned early in ministry the importance of keeping a “happy journal.” Mine is soft pink and has a picture of a sloth hugging a llama. In it, I keep identified moments of joy and healing. This little journal acts as a testimony to the fingerprints of God. I turn to its pages when I am discouraged so that I can remember the ways in which I have personally seen God move. I see a glimmer of peace in the heart of a NICU mom who fears an upcoming procedure. I remember a Hindu father thanking me for teaching him how to pray. I hear the laughter of the little girl who is a walking miracle. I recall the vision of Jesus with his arms wrapped around a bereaved father.

I have learned to see the miracle of life, but also the miracle of death. I see the progress in my own heart, in my faith, in my understanding of who God is. As I journey on the path before me, my vision grows brighter and brighter.

When you feel discouraged, or you stumble on your own path, I leave you with these words from the Carousel of Progress: “There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.” Don’t give up, friend. God is by your side. May God give you the eyes to see.

PRAY, PRACTICE, PONDER

Have you ever kept a “happy journal”—a collection of your experiences of joy and healing? If you were to keep one, what would you write about today? As a spiritual practice, find a scrap of paper or write in your own journal a story of happiness you wish to carry with you. Notice the power of writing it down. What do you see that you may not have noticed before?