It was the week of my high school graduation when I first started to encounter and learn who God is. I remember at the time that this was when seniors were getting senior baskets from families that participated in this activity. The reason this was an activity was that it was during the pandemic and everyone did what they could to celebrate the seniors since we weren't able to have a graduation, or even throw a graduation party. My mom didn't want us to participate in this activity for a few reasons. I was bummed when she told me because I didn't feel celebrated at all. Then May 15, 2020 came and this was the day I was finally able to hang out with my best friend. 
This was the first time we had seen each other since the pandemic started and it felt like forever. We went to get Graeter's and drove to the park to watch our show, Ozark. I had a very fun time and I enjoyed getting to see him again. On the way back home I got hit with another surprise! My mom bought a banner congratulating me and had cute caps all over the front lawn with positive sayings. I loved this surprise so much and I was in awe of what my family did. That was just the start of the day. Later on, my mom went to the nail salon because she needed to get a few things done before work the next day. My aunt and I decided to go get Canes because we were hungry and we wanted to grab food for my mom as well. While waiting in the canes line, I look up and notice that there is a double rainbow. I've never seen one in my entire life! Then all of a sudden I am crying in the car. I'm not sure why I started crying at first, but it was because of how grateful I am to have my mom. Just seeing the double rainbow and what my mom did all in one day really hit home. Arriving at the salon, I knocked on the door. While balling my eyes, I gave her the biggest hug and thanked her for all that she had done to make the start of this week special.
This may seem like a little small act to everyone, but to me it meant so much and felt so big. How did this involve God you ask? Well, the rainbow says it all. If you didn't know, the rainbow is a covenant between God and the world. "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth" Genesis 9:13. It is His promise to us to continue to show His glory and how faithful He is. At that moment when I saw the double rainbow, He was promising me that everything was going to be okay. I will not be celebrated like everyone else because I was made to stand out. He promised me that He would celebrate me just in a way that encounters Him.