Let’s get real. Sometimes, I feel numb inside and stumble through days with little direction or motivation. Lately, the days have turned into weeks, even months. If you really want to know, this has been an entire winter of discontent. My apologies to Shakespeare.

Please don’t think I’ve lost my way or that I’m ready to abandon my faith. My walk with the Lord is more real than ever; indeed, I think I’ve grown closer to Him during this season of struggle.

But stuff happens. The loss of a son to suicide. Distance with a grieving spouse. Fathering two head-strong teenage daughters. The financial pressures of being the lone breadwinner.

In such times, any sign that God knows and God cares is a welcome relief. Strangely, I have found that relief in recent days from an air freshener. That’s right, an air freshener from CTA that hangs from the rear-view mirror in my Buick.

The Lighthouse Car Air Freshener has been a surprising reminder – to both my nose and eyes – of God’s blessings in my life. Every time I get in my car, the fresh “ocean” scent and the visually striking lighthouse let me know that my Savior is bigger than any problem I face and that He will guide me through the darkest nights of my life.

Who would have thought an air freshener could do that?