In time for Mother's Day this year, the husband-and-wife team of SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, the Massachusetts-based co-founders of the Godwinks brands, shared a remarkable story of family and faith with Fox News Digital.
It's among a large group of stories they're writing and collecting for a forthcoming book that celebrates mothers.
"We all need more light. We need more positivity. We need family and faith, hope and strength — that's what these stories are all about," the couple told Fox News Digital by phone this week.
FOR MOTHER'S DAY, A VIRGINIA MOM'S STUNNING DISCOVERY REMINDS HER OF GOD'S LOVING PRESENCE
SQuire Rushnell is the New York Times-bestselling author of 12 Godwinks books, six of them co-authored by the pair.
The couple are executive producers of the popular Hallmark "Godwink" movie series, and their first film for Netflix, "Rescued for Ruby," premiered as the network’s No. 1 family movie worldwide — grabbing over 100 million viewers in its first 365 days. (It recently ranked as the top "dog movie" of all time on Netflix.)
Here's a new story from SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt published by special arrangement — and in celebration of Mother's Day this year for mothers and all parents and families everywhere.
Virginia Haworth of Florida looked with fondness at her graduation photo.
She was standing next to her mom for an image taken just five days after a delightful Mother’s Day together.
GRIEVING DURING MOTHER'S DAY: 5 TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE FIRST HOLIDAY AFTER LOSING A MOM
Her mom, Kathy, was a faithful, spiritual woman who was always on the lookout for messages from God in daily life — such as someone handing her a two-dollar bill.
For her, that type of "Godwink" was a "sign of hope" directly from above.
At that last Mother’s Day brunch with her mom and her sister, Savannah, for instance, her mom became excited when she received not one, but two $2 bills as change after paying the tab.
"This has to be a Godwink!" she exclaimed.
She pulled a pencil out of her purse and scrawled the date — May 9, 2010 — on each bill.
She gave them to her daughters and told them to keep the bills as a memory of their special day together.
A few years later, when her mother was in failing health from debilitating cancer, Virginia Haworth tried to come to terms with the prospect of losing her mom from her daily life.
She was saddened her mother would never meet her future husband nor any of their children.
Haworth remembers expressing those feelings in their final conversation.
She recalled that her mom said, just before poignantly closing her eyes for the last time, "If only I could have one more sunset with you."
Haworth felt lost in grief, thinking how terribly unfair life could be.
Then, with tears in her eyes, she struggled to hold onto some of her mother’s optimism and unwavering faith.
She thought: If only I had Mom’s capacity to see "signs" from above, maybe I’d understand.
After the funeral, she downloaded a copy of the book, "When God Winks," hoping it would help her process her grief.
"It brought me peace and comfort," she said.
Just a few years later, Haworth was happily married to her husband, Charlie, and feeling the joy of being 8½ months pregnant with their first child. The couple decided to take a tropical weekend getaway just before the new baby’s arrival.
As they stood at the harbor and watched the sun sparkle on the water, Haworth's husband happened to look in his wallet.
"Oh, by the way, I found this last week in that pile of papers you asked me to shred," he said, handing her a $2 bill.
Virginia stared at it — then her throat caught.
"What’s the matter?" he asked. "It's just a $2 bill."
‘DOGWINKS’ ARE MAN'S BEST FRIEND BRINGING THE DIVINE INTO OUR LIVES WITH ‘GODWINKS’
"This is not just any $2 bill. It was Mom’s! I thought it was lost. She gave it to me on Mother’s Day. See?"
She showed him the date, May 9, 2010, written in her mom’s handwriting.
She thought, Maybe my prayer to have Mom’s knack for seeing Godwink signs is being answered.
She gazed up.
"Charlie," she said. "Look over the water ... it’s a spectacular sunset."
With the $2 bill in her hand, in her mother’s writing — she connected the dots.
This wasn’t just any weekend they were celebrating. It was Mother’s Day weekend.
And it was only days before their first daughter would be born.
The last words of her mom suddenly played back in her mind.
She turned and put her arms around her husband, hugging him tightly.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
She said, "I think God just fulfilled Mom’s dying wish — to have one last sunset together. And my wish, to have her meet you and our baby."
They held each other for a long time.
Godwinks happen to everyone.
We just need to learn to see them.
Anyone can learn more about the Godwinks projects at www.godwinks.com.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
