Years ago I attended a Bible study and there was a woman who believed in God, but struggled believing God. How was He personal? Why would He care? And why should see pursue a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus?

Week after week the facilitator and guests shared verses, testimonies, so many things to encourage her. She knew the “thou shall not” aspect of religion, and the Bible stories. She was desperate to see God up close and real in her life.

Then she went on vacation.

She was in Florida, I believe, on the beach with her family. She looked up in the sky and noticed a plane, a skywriter.

Interesting, she thought.

As she watched her grandkids frolic in the waves, every so often she’d glance up and check on the plane’s progress.

Jesus

That was the first word. Now she was more than curious.

Loves

Her heart beat faster. What was this message?

You.

And the plane’s grand finale was creating a heart around the message before leaving.

That woman knew right then and there Jesus was the real deal and worth surrendering her life to. She asked God to be specific in His love for her. To show that “this Jesus thing” was more than religion, it was a lifestyle she wouldn’t want to waste another second without being all in.

And He sent that plane, that message.

It changed her life.

I share that because I had a similar experience. January wasn’t a terrible month, but it was dreary. Northeast Ohio has been said to be one of the top cloud covered areas in the world. Think Seattle and London. When I moved here I was told that during WWII planes flew drills here because the skies most mimicked what they would be experiencing across the pond.

Although it hasn’t been snowy, it’s been super cloudy with constant drizzle or downpours. The ground has been mud and on top of fighting the mood, our new dog hates doing his business outside on a wet day.

Last week it all came to a head. I was physically tired, my husband and daughter had been sick all week. I was spiritually tired. With words like launch and shift in my prayer arsenal, I feel like I’m watching everyone else move forward and advance in life while I remain firmly stuck in the mud going no where. I was mentally tired. A few gray days I can take. January was full of cloud cover and bleh.

Then came the sign.

For me it was a billboard. I was driving and most likely lamenting that I was once again in a car taking care of a task instead of living out some kind of purpose. I glance at the billboard and it says:

Everything is going to get better.

Simple message, but it hit me hard. I felt like it was God’s encouragement to me. It might as well had my name addressed at the top, followed by a Love, God at the end. It felt that personal.

Today the sun is shining and my outlook is just as shiny although nothing in my world has changed. If I look around, I’d be in a horrible funk. Gas prices remain high. Eggs are over $6 a dozen. News headlines are wars and rumors of wars. Yet, I believe.

I believe everything is going to get better.

Because of Jesus, who loves me.

And you.

And my friend who went to the beach asking for a sign that God truly cared and was personal.

How about you? Ever see a sign, a literal sign, and know it was for you?