Night To Shine Through a Mother’s Eyes
Hello June 12th, 2024
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“To see people smiling, cheering, and taking pictures...it was this moment where I thought, I wonder if this will be what Heaven is [like] for Ian. I wonder.”
Lori McDonald and her husband Greg serve in ministry at Stuart Heights Baptist Church in Hixson, Tennessee. But when it comes to Night to Shine, the McDonald family is able to receive rather than serve.
Lori and Greg are parents to three incredible sons. Ian, their oldest, lives with Down syndrome and autism and is nonverbal. As a family, it’s rare that they have the opportunity to enjoy a night where everything is taken care of and set up just for them.
Lori remembers the first time she brought Ian to Night to Shine years ago. The McDonalds had just picked Ian up early from the group home right before the residents were set to have dinner. They wanted to ensure plenty of time to get Ian dressed and ready. “That's the first time Ian had ever been in a tux. He just looked so good,” Lori said lovingly.
Ian was not in a good mood because he only knew he was missing dinner. He had no idea what was waiting for him at Night to Shine. Getting dressed took less time than expected, so they decided to head over to the church with Ian a bit early.
“We got to the church, and there were all these people lined up outside, and I thought, what is going on with all the people outside? And there was a red carpet. And then I watched a young woman walk in and I saw everyone cheering for her. And I thought, oh, that's big. That's pretty powerful,” Lori said.
With a missed dinner still on his mind, Ian reluctantly made his way to the entrance with his parents. What happened next is something Lori will always remember.
“All of a sudden, as we walk to the receiving line or the paparazzi line, everyone starts cheering and clapping, and taking pictures. I've never had a moment like that in my life where I was received that way. And I just thought about how many times we've walked in somewhere with Ian and I've seen people roll their eyes or I've seen people turn around and look like, who's making that noise or what's going on? To see people smiling, cheering, and taking pictures... It was this moment where I thought, I wonder if this will be what Heaven is [like] for Ian. I wonder,” Lori said, getting emotional.
Then the McDonalds walk inside and see Ian’s favorite thing in the world waiting on the dinner table: chocolate cake. Lori said Ian immediately started smiling. His attitude changed.
“His buddy met us at the door, and she was just absolutely wonderful, and she sat down with him, and it was just the most incredible night. And that was our very first experience. It was a really wonderful event for our family that night and every time that we've participated since then,” Lori recalled.
“I've never had a massage in my life and would not have ever had a massage in my life.” She recalls how the respite rooms at Night to Shine are always decorated beautifully, with good food and giveaways. It’s an oasis and break from reality for caregivers and parents of people with special needs while their loved ones enjoy Night to Shine. One of her favorite parts of the respite room is the conversation.
“We're with people from either other churches or from other communities. We’ve just had the best conversations because we are all there because we're taking care of someone with special needs,” Lori said.
There is an easy connectedness among the people in the respite room. Lori said she has gotten to know the kindest people there, all of whom have the common thread and title of caregiver. “There's a kinship there that's instant, and it's just really wonderful,” she said.
Lori is always taken aback by the number of people, many of whom are from her own church, who have poured their heart and soul into making this night the best experience possible for the honored guests and their families.
She gets emotional thinking about how this is a tangible way by which volunteers are storing up treasure in Heaven and focusing on things above, as Matthew 6:33 instructs us.
Beyond the benefits to her own family, Lori also sees how Night to Shine is a great way to reach people outside of the Church with what Stuart Heights Baptist is doing for people with special needs. “I can say, ‘I'm getting ready to go shopping because it's almost Night to Shine. And we want Ian to have a new shirt to wear,’” Lori explained.
“And then the question will be, ‘Well, what is Night to Shine?’ And then they say, ‘Oh, you just do that for people in your church?’”
“And so it makes it a really easy and fun way to talk about the work of God in our community.”
Night to Shine serves as an amazing icebreaker, bringing the community together for a greater purpose: celebrating people with special needs and God’s love for every human being. It is a night that reminds all of us of our God-given identity, worth, and value in Christ.
“I think Night to Shine has brought worth and value to the honored guests as well as the volunteers, and as families of people with special needs. It's a night to just recognize how important every person that God created is, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. It's a night to recognize that God has done some really creative and wonderful things with the people on this earth,” Lori shared.
It’s a night where the love of God is palpable in the air. The laughter, smiles, and joy are abundant. All are celebrated as royalty and for exactly who God created them to be.
We’re on a mission to bring the worldwide movement of Night to Shine to every church, community, and country around the world. Refer your church to be a host for Night to Shine 2025 and help us celebrate more of God’s precious Kings and Queens!
Join us by attending, volunteering, or referring your church here.
