A Christian lady who worked at the asylum believed that all of God’s creatures were special and needed love and care. She began spending her lunchtime in front of Little Annie’s cell reading to her and praying for her. Days went by but Little Annie did not respond. She tried talking to her, but it was like talking to a stonewall.

Months went by. One day a brownie was missing from the plate that the caring woman had placed in Little Annie’s cell. Encouraged, she continued to read to her and pray for her. Eventually the little girl began to respond to the woman and talked to her through the cell door. The woman convinced the doctors to give Little Annie a second chance. They brought her up from the basement and continued to work with her. After two years Little Annie was told she could leave the asylum and live a normal life. Little Annie chose not to leave because she was so grateful for the love and attention she was given by the dedicated Christian woman. Little Annie decided to stay and love others as she had been loved. She began working with other patients who were suffering as she had.

A half century later the Queen of England had a ceremony to honor one of the most inspiring women in America, Helen Keller. When asked what she attributed her success to, Helen Keller replied, “If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, I would not be here today.” Anne Sullivan, who believed in an incorrigible, blind, and deaf little girl named Helen Keller, was “Little Annie”. Because a Christina woman brought the light of hope to a little forgotten girl in an asylum, the world was blessed with the gift of Helen Keller.

The Apostle Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for preaching about Jesus Christ. They were beaten, bloodied, and bound in chains. But at midnight they began singing praises to God. God sent an earthquake that rocked the prison. Their chains fell off – the prison doors swung open – fearing that all the prisoners had escaped, the jailer drew his sword to take his own life. Paul shouted for him not to do it. All the prisoners were accounted for. The jailer called for a light.

In the darkest of circumstances there is a light of hope. A Christian woman shined it in the cell of Little Annie. The Philippian jailer found it in Paul and Silas’ cell. When the jailer saw Paul and Silas he cried, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy household” (Acts 16:25-33). Because Paul and Silas shined the light of hope in their midnight hour, multitudes found hope and lives were forever changed.

For 16 years John Kovacs was a “tenant of the tunnel”. He lived underground with others in an abandoned railroad tunnel in New York City. When Amtrak bought the tunnel, John was forced to look for a place to live above ground. According to The New York Times, Mr. Kovacs became the first person chosen for a new program to “transform the homeless into homesteaders”. After spending a third of his life in a railroad tunnel, John left his underground life to become an organic farmer in upstate New York. He was quoted as saying, “The air will be better up there. I’m not going to miss anything. I’m not coming back.”

We have been chosen to leave a dark, dirty prison for a new life, purpose, and work. Like John Kovacs, we should realize that there is nothing in the dark and no reason to go back. There is a light of Hope for you. “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Paul brought the light of hope to a suicidal jailer. Titus took that light to a depressed Paul. “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (II Corinthians 7:6). Little Anne took the light of hope she received while in a basement cell in an asylum to others such as Helen Keller. “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (II Corinthians 1:4-5 NLT).

Do you need the light of hope to shine into your darkness? There is light and hope – His name is Jesus. Come to the light. “Wherefore he saith, ‘Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14).

An old hymn, “Sunlight, Sunlight”, says, “I wandered in the shades of night ‘til Jesus came to me. And with the sunlight of His love, bid all my darkness flee” (by Van DeVenter).