welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread reading titled puddles of sunshine was written by Dave branon
 it was a warm summer day man my four-year-old granddaughter Molly and I were taking a break from playing ball as we sat on the porch with our glasses of water Molly looked out at the yard and said look at the puddles of sunshine the sunlight was filtering through the thick foliage to create a pattern of light amid the Dark Shadows puddles of sunshine isn't this a beautiful image for finding hope in dark days in the midst of what can often be challenging times when good news seems in short supply instead of concentrating on the shadow we can focus on the light the light and has a name Jesus Matthew quoted Isaiah to describe the brightness that came into the world when Jesus arrived saying in Matthew chapter 4 the people living in darkness have seen a great light on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned
 the effects of sin are all around us as we live in the land of the shadow of death but shining through that shadow is Jesus the Grand and glorious light of the world the sunshine of Jesus is love and compassion breaks through the shadow and giving us puddles of sunshine to illuminate our day and brighten our hearts with hope
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 1 verses 1 through 5
 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God he was with God in the beginning through him all things were made without him nothing was made that has been made in him was life and that life was the light of all mankind the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness has not overcome it
 what Fray
 Jesus while we struggle through a world full of trouble and hurt and darkness we need your presence we need your uplifting love to take us out of the shadows and help us stand in the light of your magnificence
 thank you Lord It's in Jesus name we pray amen
 thanks for listening today I'm Steven and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries