Finding Light in Dark Seasons
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Audio By Carbonatix
Faith, Friendship & Fantasy That Heals Featuring Sons of Day & Night by Mariposa Aristeo
There are seasons when darkness presses close—when uncertainty, deadlines, caregiving, and emotional weight swirl like clouds that won’t lift. This is one of those seasons for me. Maybe you’re in one too. And in times like these, I’ve found two surprising lifelines:
- chatting with friends who inspire me
- reading imaginative fiction that lifts my spirit back toward hope
Recently, I got to talk with YA fantasy author Mariposa Aristeo about her debut novel, Sons of Day & Night. In the middle of a heavy week, that conversation lit a small lamp inside me.
Sometimes that’s all we need—just enough light for the next step. “Even in the darkest times, there’s light,” says Mariposa Aristeo.
As believers, we know this isn’t just poetic. It’s biblical: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” we read in John 1:5. So, today’s post is part devotional, part self-care guide, and part story of love—because God often uses beauty and imagination to pull us back into hope again.
Why Stories Matter in Dark Seasons
When I asked Mariposa about her inspiration for her debut novel, she said her story grew from a childhood love of The Princess and the Pauper—and a single spark: “The what-if question was: What if everyone in the world had a double?”
From that seed came the world of Twinsbane, where everyone has a “double” whose life is tied to theirs. As one character discovers: “We all were created by one Creator… Even though people are vastly different, we’re also very much alike.”
That truth hits deep, doesn’t it? All made by one Creator. All carrying light and shadow. All needing grace. This is fantasy—but it’s also theology. And sometimes fiction helps us see God’s truths more clearly than nonfiction ever could. C.S. Lewis used to say we need fairy tales not to escape reality—but to remember that dragons can be defeated.
The Novel’s Theme: Light vs Darkness
In Sons of Day & Night, society is split into two groups:
- Sons of Day — the humble, lower class
- Sons of Night — the powerful, elite
They fear each other. Mistrust. Misjudge. But beneath it all? “We share similarities… We’ve all gone through pain. We’re more alike than we think,” the author says.
And when a wicked ruler uses a mysterious ability to control life and death, a mirror-opposite hero rises to stop him. Think:
- Prince and the Pauper retelling
- Opposite twins tied by fate
- World where half the map is day & half night
- Strength, sacrifice, identity, destiny
- Emotional depth born from real-life grief
Mariposa wrote this book during her mother’s battle with cancer. “God was teaching me that even when times are hard, there’s still light.” That’s not just fiction fuel—that’s testimony.
A Faith-Forward Action Plan for Dark Weeks
Here’s a gentle, grace-filled rhythm I use—especially on days when life feels like too much.
1. Name Your Night
Darkness doesn’t surprise God—and it shouldn’t shame us. One of the most spiritual things you can do in a hard season is simply tell the truth about where you are.
Too often, we rush to fix feelings instead of feeling them before God. We say, “I’m fine,” when our souls whisper, I’m drowning a little today. But healing begins with honesty. Light starts by acknowledging the dark.
So pause. Breathe. And name what hurts.
- “I’m overwhelmed by everything on my plate.”
- “Lord, this waiting feels endless.”
- “I don’t know how to carry this grief.”
- “I need You more than I understand how to say.”
Say it out loud. Whisper it if you must. Write it in a journal or on a scrap of paper. Pray it slow enough that your heart can catch up.
“Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” —Psalm 62:8
When you name your night, you remind your spirit: I am not navigating this valley alone. You invite Jesus, the Light of the World, right into your overwhelm—not after you tidy it up, but in the middle of it.
He doesn’t wait for morning to love you. He meets you in the midnight of your worry, the twilight of your confusion, the dusk of disappointment. So start here, friend:
“Lord, this is heavy. Meet me here.” And He will. Every time. The night has a name—but so does the Light.
2. Light One Small Lamp
When the world feels dim, don’t wait for emotional sunshine to show up—create a spark, even a tiny one. God began creation by speaking, “Let there be light.” Sometimes we get to echo Him in the smallest of ways. And yes, I mean literally light something.
- Switch on a lamp in the quiet morning before the house wakes.
- Strike a match and watch a candle glow warm against the shadows.
- Tape a Scripture card where you brew your coffee.
- Open your curtains, even if the sky outside is gray.
These aren’t just cozy habits. They are soul cues—physical reminders that darkness does not have the final say. Because sometimes your heart doesn’t feel hope yet, but your body can help lead the way.
We preach truth with our rituals before our emotions are ready to believe:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” —Psalm 27:1
Light a lamp and whisper it. Turn on a bedside light and breathe it in. Let the glow steady you. Let it be prayer in action. It might feel small—almost too simple—but small lights have always defied vast darkness. Jesus didn’t call us to become stadium floodlights. He first called us candles, lanterns, city-on-a-hill glow-bearers. Because in the Kingdom, small light is still real light.
So when heaviness presses in, don’t wrestle it in the dark. Flip a switch. Strike a match. Look at the gentle flame and say, “Hope lives here, too.” And let your heart warm slowly—like morning breaking through a window.
3. Reach for a Story
When life feels heavy, reach for a story—first God’s story in Scripture, then stories that stir your imagination back to life.
The Bible is full of people walking through impossible nights—Joseph in a prison cell, David in the cave, Ruth gleaning in foreign fields, disciples trembling in a storm. Every page whispers, You are not alone. God meets His people in the dark.
So start there. Let His Word steady your breathing and remind you that valleys do not last forever. But don’t stop there.
God wired our souls to respond to the story. Jesus Himself taught through parables—truth wrapped in imagination and meaning. Sometimes a novel is the warm blanket our hearts didn’t know they needed.
So after Scripture, choose soul-good fiction—the kind that slips hope into the cracks and lets you breathe again.
This week? I reached for Sons of Day & Night by Mariposa Aristeo. Not because life is simple right now—but because it isn’t.
In our conversation, she told me, “I love writing adventures with heart, humor, and hope.” And you feel that on every page. In the light-and-dark world she created. In the characters who wrestle with identity, loss, courage, and calling. In the truth that rises like dawn across her story: Even in broken places, light finds a way.
That mirrored my heart—because isn’t that what we all long for when life feels overwhelming? A reminder that darkness does not win? Fantasy has this beautiful way of telling the truth slant, as Emily Dickinson said—so it slips past our defenses and touches our spirit. In Mariposa’s world, imagination becomes a sanctuary. Conflict becomes refining. Courage becomes contagious.
Hope is healing. Imagination is medicine. Sometimes, when it feels like real life is pressing in, escaping into a world of faithful heroes and brave hearts helps us return to our own battles with renewed strength. We don’t read to avoid reality.
We read to remember that goodness still rises and light still conquers night. So when your chest tightens from the weight of it all:
- Open your Bible.
- Then open a book that breathes light.
Let Scripture ground you. Let the story lift you. Let both remind you that even here—even now—God is not finished writing yours.
“When I wrote Sons of Day & Night, I was grieving—but God showed me there is still light,” Mariposa said. And sometimes that’s all we need: one story to spark hope again. So reach for one. Turn the page. Let God meet you there.
4. Connect With a Life-Giving Friend
Hard seasons can trick us into isolation. We tell ourselves, I don’t want to burden anyone… I’ll reach out when I feel better. But that’s darkness talking. Scripture reminds us:
“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” —Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Tiny connections make big room for hope. This week, talking with Mariposa, was that gift for me. We chatted about story, creativity, and the beauty of light pushing back against darkness. And in the middle of my own full and tender week, her encouragement felt like sunshine through blinds.
Her joy? Absolutely contagious. Her passion for creativity and faith? Inspiring. Her reminder that “even when times are hard, there’s still light”? Exactly what my heart needed.
God uses people as lantern-bearers in our lives. Sometimes we can’t see the road—but God lets us borrow someone else’s torch for a moment.
And friend? That’s not weakness. It’s wisdom. It’s biblical courage. So today, try one connection that breathes life instead of draining it:
- Invite a friend to walk or pray with you.
- Send an honest voice memo: “Today’s heavy. Can you pray?”
- Share a funny meme and let laughter crack open the dark.
- Tell someone, “Your presence means more than you know.”
“Hope grows best in shared soil.”
Even five minutes of good conversation can shift the atmosphere of your soul. Because sometimes God’s comfort comes wrapped in another person’s voice, smile, or gentle me too.
Reach out. Let someone lift you. And when you have light to spare? Reach back for someone else.
Why Faith-Rooted Fantasy Can Revive Your Spirit
Mariposa told me: “Our faith still comes into play in stories—even if God’s name isn’t mentioned.”
Just like the Book of Esther. Stories plant seeds. Especially fantasy. It bypasses defenses and touches the heart. And when you’re walking through hardship, imagination can oxygenate your faith.
Meet a Story That Carries Light: Sons of Day & Night
If you’re craving:
- hope-filled fantasy
- deep themes without preachiness
- adventure with heart
- mirror-twins, mystery, light vs darkness
- a map (yes! she drew it herself!)
This is your next read. It’s YA fantasy—but adults will love it, too. Think Narnia meets Tangled energy with emotional depth.
- Find it wherever books are sold
- Ask your library to order it
- Grab Mariposa’s newsletter for a free novella
A Prayer for the Weary Heart
Jesus, Light-Bringer—fill our dark corners with quiet grace. Give us stories that remind us who You are, and friends who speak life. Help us take the next step, even if it’s small and trembling. And let Your light win in every place it feels like shadow has settled. Amen.
Final Takeaway
If today feels heavy, here’s your gentle reminder: “Hope grows best in shared soil.” Reach for Scripture. Reach for stories. Reach for a friend. Light doesn’t have to flood in all at once to be real. Sometimes it starts as a flicker—and still, darkness cannot overcome it.
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