The Promised Rainbow

I’ll never forget the day a rainbow appeared over Folly Beach, South Carolina. It was captured on camera by Richard, my brother Greig’s best friend and fellow caregiver.

Richard and I had been taking turns caring for Greig, who was fighting acute leukemia. After three long months in the hospital—and even after a perfect bone marrow transplant—Greig’s health remained fragile. Still, he fought bravely, determined to keep going. We tried to mirror his strength, holding on to hope for healing.

That afternoon, after a hospital visit, Richard and I stopped at the grocery store before returning to our nearby condo—our temporary home base. As we hurried through the rain-spattered parking lot, I suddenly looked up.

“Richard, look! Please take a picture of me in front of that rainbow.”

The brilliant arch of color stretched across the sky like a divine message. In that moment, my heart filled with peace. The verse from Genesis 9:13 came alive:

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of my covenant between me and the earth.”

That rainbow became more than a photo. It was a tangible reminder of God’s promise—to care for us, to never leave us, even in our hardest moments.

In the days that followed, God continued to show His presence in quiet ways. Then came the call no one is ever ready for: Greig was gone. My niece Regan and I held each other and wept, but even through our tears, we felt God’s comfort. Just hours earlier, we had sat by Greig’s bedside, grateful for that final time together.

Now, I like to imagine Greig surrounded by endless rainbows in heaven, basking in the beauty of God’s glory. Here on earth, I still look for them. Each one feels like a personal reminder that God is near—especially when I need it most.

It all comes down to perspective, doesn’t it? I could have ignored the rainbow that day, climbed into the car, and carried my sorrow back to the condo. Instead, I chose to look up—and in that simple act, my heart began to heal.

If you’re carrying a heavy burden today, talk to God. You may not see a rainbow yet, but He knows exactly how to bring one to your soul.

Image by Congerdesign from Pixabay