Thankful in the Dark

I've heard the story of Daniel in the lion's den approximately four thousand times, give or take. Flannel-graph versions, Sunday school coloring pages, VBS skits—I've seen it all. I could probably narrate it in my sleep. And yet, just this week, I was reading through Daniel 6 when six words leapt off the page and stopped me cold.

"...and gave thanks before his God." (Daniel 6:10)

Now, wait. Hold on just a minute. How did I miss that?

Let's back up and remember what was happening at that precise moment. The other presidents and princes, who were not fond of Daniel, had just convinced King Darius to sign an iron-clad, unbreakable law: pray to anyone other than the king for the next thirty days, and you get tossed to the lions. No exceptions. No appeals. No loopholes.

Daniel knew about the law. The very next verse tells us so:

Dana Rongione 12/01/2026 Dana Rongione 12/01/2026

Fresh Mercies in the Morning Snow

Have you noticed how some of the most profound spiritual truths are hidden in the most ordinary moments? Like watching snow fall for the umpteenth time and suddenly seeing something you've never seen before?

We've been experiencing unusual weather here in mid-Wales since the start of the year. Each night we've had a snowfall, not heavy or majorly significant, but enough to wake up to a lovely blanket of snow covering the ground. The days have been very cold yet sunny, so by the end of the day, much of the snow has melted, allowing us to see the muddy pastures and the wet asphalt of our driveway again. Then, overnight, another snowfall would come and leave a blanket of snow on the ground, only to be met that day by sunshine that would melt it. This process has repeated over and over again for several days now.

Dana Rongione 09/10/2025 Dana Rongione 09/10/2025

Holding Onto Hope During Life’s Drizzles

Oh, the weather in Wales can be as unpredictable as my fibromyalgia! For the month of October, we are dog-sitting for some friends, which means there are two dogs underfoot, two dogs to feed, two dogs to walk, and two doggie schedules to work around. Well, today, Jason is working at the Community Luncheon Club, which leaves me on dog duty for the day. I had resigned to the fact that I was not likely going to get much accomplished, but I was leery about how and when to do our daily walk. That brings me to the Welsh weather.

The entire morning has been drizzly, so I knew it would likely be a wet walk. Still, I was hopeful.

Dana Rongione 18/08/2025 Dana Rongione 18/08/2025

Empty, But Not Really

Have you ever had one of those days when it feels like everyone is out to get you? I call them "Joseph days." You know, those days when your own siblings seem to be plotting your demise, stripping away your beautiful coat, and tossing you into a pit with no escape plan. Just me? Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but I think we've all experienced our own version of Joseph's story.

Genesis 37 tells us that Joseph's brothers "took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it" (verse 24). I've always found that description fascinating. The Bible specifically notes the emptiness of the pit. It was void, barren, and desolate…except for Joseph and God.

I wonder what Joseph thought as he sat in that dark hole. Did he cry out? Did he pound against the earthen walls?

Dana Rongione 19/05/2025 Dana Rongione 19/05/2025

The Choice

I recently found myself engrossed in a science fiction show that left me pondering some profound spiritual truths. The plot revolved around a desperate rescue mission to save inhabitants of a planet facing imminent destruction from a solar anomaly. The rescuers had a small shuttle that could only accommodate half the population per trip, initially believing they had time for two runs.

As the story unfolded, it became clear they could only make one trip. The planet's leader faced an impossible choice: who would live and who would die? Her solution was a lottery system, a completely random selection. This decision baffled the artificial intelligence that was aiding in the rescue, who argued for choosing those deemed most valuable to society—the scientists, leaders, and others considered "important."

Watching this scenario play out, I couldn't help but marvel at how differently God approaches humanity's salvation

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Thankful in the Dark

Fresh Mercies in the Morning Snow

Holding Onto Hope During Life’s Drizzles

Empty, But Not Really

The Choice

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Dana Rongione