I will say, the last few days definitely threw me for a loop. Its amazing the violence that has occurred in the world. At first I was afraid. I actually almost brought Grace home with me when her teacher told me about Connecticut. Then I heard about China, and several other acts of violence that just made my blood run cold. I felt in the pit of my stomach fear. I made the decision to not add to the media frenzy and I will not repost any information on it. In my personal opinion, all that does is give attention to the horrendous acts that occurred and further traumatize families who simply need to grieve. I also will not blame parents, school, mental health issues, special needs, or anything else other than what this really was. It was an act of evil. I will say it again, this was a horrible horrible act of evil. We are a world in need of God. Everyone feels it! We all have an aching and a longing and so we try to fill it. We fill it with alcohol, drugs, pornography, violent games and shows. We fill it with sin. And maybe for a short time we feel better. We cover up that ache with sin and darkness, but in that darkness that ache comes back even stronger. There is only one thing that will ever fill that darkness! You can point the finger at the need for gun control, the need for parents to raise their kids better, the need for better mental health options. I will point to my Bible and say here is your answer! We need to shine light in every corner of the darkness that we face! We need to fill that longing and that ache with Jesus, not with sin. Evil is in the world. In my short life I have certainly faced evil many times in my life. I have also cried out to Jesus to save me and He did!
I hope you will call me radical. I hope you will look at me as though I have lost my mind. That means that I am stepping out in my faith and telling you we need Jesus. Its so easy. He is right there with nothing but love and forgiveness! Take that ache we all feel deep inside and see that there is a release from it that is far more satisfying than anything we could ever find on this earth. I am taking that fear I have felt and placing it in God's hands. I will not walk in a public place and fear for my life or anyone else's. I will not fear when I drop my kids off at school. I will certainly hug them close, but no closer than I should hug them everyday. I will place them in God's hands and know that NO evil will touch my children ever. They have been bought and paid for with a price far greater than anything that this world could ever compare to.
My heart breaks as I read the news and see only pain and heartache. I see a world in need of a Savior. I am grateful that I know the ending of this story. I am praying that if you have not had an encounter with God, that you will have one today. I pray for each and every one of you to experience the love that only God can give. It transcends any addiction or worldly need you will have. It is a pure love, one that is not tainted by family problems, or the baggage of our lives. It takes that past and wipes it out! No condemnation, no finger pointing, no buts, and no throwing it in your face. It is a God who waits with open arms to take away your emptiness and fill it with a love that overflows to those around you.
I have seen evil, and I will pray for the families affected by it. I wont feed it though, and I wont fear it. I will stand in the power of a God who has already defeated evil and will continue to defeat it as long as there are people willing to call out to Him. Reach out to Him today and see the fullness that you will feel in your life!
