God’s Fencepost: Light From A Broken Hallelujah

“Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah”
-Lyrics from Leonard Cohen’s, “Hallelujah”


Our brightest light ignites from the most broken of places within our soul; this light has been refined and kept aflame in secret.  It is within this raw flame that our Creator burns most brilliantly and it is by harnessing this flame that we can change the world.

This week has been full of heartbreak.  From the mass murder spree in Norway to Amy Winehouse succumbing to her battle with addiction, many of us have been collectively in a place of mourning.  What appropriate timing then that I should be introduced to the Coloura’s, an extraordinarily brave family who lost their son at childbirth.

Manuel, Elaine and Collin Coloura

Collin Xavier Coloura was delivered stillborn on April 18, 2011.  Elaine had gone into labor two days prior – where Collin was confirmed to be alive and well – only to be sent home from the hospital without the on-call Doctor even examining her.  Elaine was in pain and unknowingly suffering from preeclampsia – a medical condition whereby hypertension arises during pregnancy – which should have resulted in an emergency C-section.  By her scheduled appointment on Monday, Collin had passed.  Her Doctor’s only response was, “Oh! the Doctor on-call should have caught this!”  Sadly, an autopsy determined that Collin was a perfectly healthy little boy and his death was a case of gross negligence and human error.

Manuel and Collin Coloura

When any unexplainable/unimaginable/unpredictable tragedy strikes our lives or our global community, blaming and questioning God seems to be part the initial human response.  It’s only natural; if one believes that God is all powerful, then He has the ability to change any and every outcome.  Right?

In short:  Yes, but there is an order to this universe of ours.

Famous world-renowned physicist (and atheist), Stephen Hawking once said that he was “not religious in the normal sense” but believed that “the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws.”

I don’t wholly agree with this statement, as I am of the belief that God does intervene, but Hawking raises an interesting point.  The notion that our universe is governed by a set of laws is both biblically and scientifically sound.  It would stand to reason that if God intervened and prevented every tragic situation in our lives and on our planet, not only would free will cease to exist, but there would be no more pain, sorrow, suffering, famine, rape or abuse.  Sound familiar?  Sounds like the biblical explanation of heaven to me.  And unfortunately, my friends, the day of Light has not yet come.

How then do we survive the darkness?  One crooked step at a time.

A Pruned Tree

We have one of two roads by which to travel:   a road that will deepen our wisdom, compassion, tolerance, and unconditional love or a road filled with sadness, sorrow, bitterness and hopelessness.  We must choose wisely and be steadfast in our journey, as this is the time where the light of our soul is refined and pruned:

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you.  -John 15:1-4

We were never promised a path free from sadness and sorrow.  We were promised a path that would be illuminated by His light, wisdom and love.  My dear ones, there is no greater testament of faith and no weapon mightier than allowing His light shine from and on the blackest part of our soul.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16

Every single one of our tragedies and triumphs can be used as fuel to light this world.  How could we ever know true joy without experiencing true sorrow?  Our stories within this spectrum of experiences can change people’s lives for the better.  Therefore, it is time.  It is overdue.  To let your light, no matter how broken, shine.

ACTION STEP

Many states in America (including Texas, where Collin was born) do not recognize a stillborn baby as a human being.  Many states also prevent families who are ripped apart by stillbirth from taking any legal action against medical professionals in situations of malpractice.  Even more devastating is that the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does not include time off for grieving parents.  Get involved in this discussion, educate yourself and vote as your heart leads.  Sign a petition to help grieving parents!

Hey, Elaine and Manuel – Collin’s light is changing the world!

Elaine and Collin Coloura

The Coloura family wishes to purchase a well through Holden Uganda that will hydrate hundreds of children in Collin’s name.  If you’re led, please give your tithe/donation in order that we may make this life-giving memorial a reality by CLICKING HERE!  (Once the link uploads, create an account and donate in COLLIN COLOURA’s name)



God’s Fencepost is a weekly meditation/devotional that deals with morality and current events.  I, Shannon Ivey, am an openly flawed human being who simply pens what I perceive to be the important reflections of God’s mercy, creativity and unconditional love.  My mother always said that God can use something as simple as a fencepost as a mouth-piece, so that’s what my column humbly aims to be. . . “God’s Fencepost.”