Having been raised in the “Steel City,”  the only red skies I knew growing up were filled with the red dust of the steel mills.  The first time I saw a real sunset was as an adult visiting the Jersey Shore. From that day on. I was hooked.  Any chance I got to see a sunset, I was there.


Recently, I returned from a trip to the Finger Lakes in upstate NY.  It was our last day and we had plans to visit one of the lakes so my granddaughters could go swimming.  Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and left us with a cloudy, windy day. We switched to Plan B which was also nice but we were still a little disappointed. 


Part of our plan involved some sight seeing and shopping at an Amish Market (and yes, we did buy some Whoopie pies).  

After that we went back to the farm where we were staying so the girls could visit the barn animals one more time.


The day before we were talking to another guest and they raved about the beautiful sunsets they had seen there.  I had hoped we would see one that last night, but as I said before, the weather didn't look promising. 


In order to get to the barn, we had to walk out to a gravel road beyond the trees and down the hill.  As we stepped out onto the road, I was happy to see the sun peeking through the clouds. I watched the sun turn that sliver of sky into shades or orange and pink and I was thankful for the view.


When we reached the bottom of the hill, my daughter and the girls went to the barn but I stood in the road admiring the sky before me one more time.


I walked over to the barn briefly but I'm not a fan of goats and chickens roaming loose, so when they decided to come visit me, I decided it was time for me to leave.


I took another route back to our room which involved walking through a grassy field.  I was half the way up when something told me to turn around.  What I saw made my mouth drop and I did an about face and almost ran back to the road (notice I said. ‘almost’ ran.”)


In the short time I had walked through the field, the sky had changed dramatically and had opened up to show the glory of its Creator. There in front of me were brilliant hues of pink, orange, red and purple.  They bounced off every cloud and filled the sky.  In all my years of sunsets, I had never witnessed one like this.  I stood taking pictures until it disappeared. As I walked back to my room, I asked God how that happened. I felt as if He did it for me just to see the delight on my face.


The following Sunday, I went to my church and the Pastor used this quote in his sermon.  “Red skies at night.  A sailor's delight.”  He said he had met a naval man traveling on the same airplane. They saw a beautiful sunset to which the man had mentioned the quote.


When I came home, the quote and the sunset kept coming back to me so I did a little research.  To sum it up, a red sky at night can signify that a storm has passed and is no longer a threat.  That spoke to me.  My life has been a series of storms.  Lately, a big one has been raging at hurricane proportions.   I have prayed, I have cried and have been full of fear for the outcome.  That sunset gave me peace.


God is a merciful God.  He reminded me, once again, that He was with me in the storm and even if I'm not seeing the red skies of night, it doesn't change the fact they are coming.  


Lord, right now the storm is raging.  I need You.  Help me to keep my eyes on You. You are with me and You always have been.  Guard my heart and help me keep my eyes on You.  Thank you for the beautiful red sky that gave me hope again. 

It's Not The End

By Eileen Glotfelty • May 23, 2026
Are you one of those people who like to read the end of the story before finishing the book? This morning I've been sitting here feeling overwhelmed by life. There are things that are out of my control and a lot of uncertainty. For someone who likes to have a plan, it's my worst nightmare. God's word says that He finishes what He starts and He will complete the good work in me (Philippians 1:6 NIV). I struggle with that when I can't see the finish line. God's word also says He's the Alpha and the Omega which means He is the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13 NIV). To me, that means that He sees it all. He knew where I would be on any given day. He knew my circumstances before I did, but unlike me, He's not worrying and overcome with anxiety because He sees the end. So, once again, I have a choice to make. I can sit here overwhelmed because I can't see the way out, or, I can trust the One who can. Will I choose hope or despair? This leads me to faith which is choosing to believe even though we can't see the outcome. I had to ask myself where I was putting my faith. Hope and faith work together. No amount of striving can earn them. Each one of us has access to them. All we have to do is ask the One who freely gives. Jesus, I know you've written my story and You know how it ends. Everything in this life is temporary. Even though I can't see the end, help me to rest in the fact that You do and I can trust You with my life.

The Lost Sheep

By Eileen Glotfelty • May 11, 2026
A few weeks ago I shared about my estranged child. Mother's Day came and went without a word. I spent the day wondering/hoping I would hear something. I didn't expect a phone call but maybe a text. I told myself not to have any expectations, but I still did. I was almost angry at myself for thinking maybe this year would be different. This morning I sat here talking to the Lord. He wants me to be honest with Him so I didn't try to hide the sorrow and the rejection. I told Him I was hurt and I had to forgive my child once again. He reminded me that I had three other children who hadn't forgotten me and made me feel loved and honored, so why was the rejection of one so painful? It was then I remembered the story of the lost sheep. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's about a shepherd who has a flock of a hundred sheep. One of them goes astray and the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go find it. It was a gentle reminder that He will never give up on my child and He loves Him more than I could imagine. In the same way, God will never give up on any of us. No matter how much we run or push Him away, He will never leave us. I needed that encouragement, maybe you do too.

The Prodigal

By Eileen Glotfelty • April 19, 2026
For those of you who have a prodigal child, you're not alone. What I mean by prodigal is a child who has turned their back on you and put up walls of defense. It came as a surprise, a shock actually. I should've seen it coming but after years of butting heads, I truly thought we were in a better place. The revelation came in a letter where thoughts and feelings were shared. I felt my spirit being crushed as I read it and my heart broke. I know I wasn't the perfect mother. I had struggles and behaviors that had followed me since childhood. I had resolved never to treat my children the way I was treated, but how many of us know that sadly it still happens, but in a different way. When you have a prodigal, it's not about forgiveness and reconciliation, it's about the pain they feel we've inflicted and they can't let go of it. I keep hoping that some day, things will change but there's no guarantee as it takes two surrendered hearts that are open to be healed. It's been four years now since I received that letter. I have grieved in a way I never have before and there were times I didn't think I would make it through. It's a different kind of grief because you know it can change but it's out of your control. It's been a process and I've experienced rejection, abandonment, guilt and shame but it brought me to a place where I knew it was going to keep me in a prison of pain if I didn't surrender it to God so He could heal my heart. The Bible has a story about a prodigal son. Even though the son went his own way and abandoned his father, his father never gave up hope. When the son had an “aha” moment and realized how foolish he had been, he humbled himself and returned home. This is my favorite of the story: “So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV” This is how God greets everyone who returns to Him, no matter what they've done. I pray I would react the same way with my son. If you have a prodigal, my heart goes out to you, but just know that God sees you and your child. He is working behind the scenes as He is a God of redemption and reconciliation. He will heal your broken heart and give you the strength to hold on.