kristaphillips I know everyone and their brother are posting about the shootings that happened on Friday.
It’s on all of our minds and hearts.
Opinions and thoughts have flooded social media. My Facebook page personally was ablaze with thoughts from…
“We need more gun control”
to
“We need to arm our teachers”
to
“This is what happens when you take God out of our schools”
to
“This is what happens when you ignore mentally unstable people”
to
“Shame on people for making this political”
to
“Dear God, why?”
My thoughts are a billion, honestly. I’ll share just a few today.
I’m not even going to touch the whole gun control thing. My hope and prayer is that either way, no one makes knee-jerk reaction legislation that makes things worse. Making decisions when emotions are high and clear minds do not prevail is never a good idea.
I do agree with many who are pressing for mental heath issues to be better addressed. There are no easy answers, but this is definitely an area that as a country, we can do a better job at figuring out how to handle these issues.
I don’t love some of the Facebook “saying” pictures that have filtered through circles. Many are great and are touching sentiments, but others that blast notes that things like this happened because God is not longer in school to stop them because we kicked him out… Honestly and bluntly, that’s a load of crap. Do I claim to know why God allowed this to happen? Absolutely not. Do I think if we weren’t so dad gum politically correct and didn’t abolish God from our schools so many years ago that things would be better, at least in some ways? Yes…
But I also recognize that we live in a fallen world regardless and evil abounds.
You can not convince me for one second that God was not in that school. I firmly believe He was there strengthening those teachers, calming those children, and sweeping those lost little ones up into his arms so they would know nothing but his peace in those moments of horror. I believe this with all of my heart.
Christians… lovers of Jesus… I encourage you now to show these people, show ALL people, the LOVE of our Saviour. Now is not the time to stick your tongue out and say, “I told you so” but to be the servants God has called us to be and wrap our hearts and arms around those who hurt. Whether it is bathing them in prayer or cards from afar, or those near to do more tangible acts of service, let’s love.
One last thought.
I don’t fear sending my kids to school today. I do so in full confidence as I have done each and every day that God has a purpose for ever single minute of their lives. I refuse to live in fear of what might be but celebrate in what is today.
Not one of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Annabelle taught me that. Every day is to be treasured. So today, I don’t cower in fear but rejoice in God who has given us hope.
While I don’t fear… I do hold my sweet ones a little tighter today, very thankful for the blessing God has given me in them.
Love to you all. And a ton of prayers to those families and the whole community who is mourning today.
Well said Krista!!! I have a tendency to struggle with anxiety and God has me on quite a journey at the minute learning about who he is and about viewing life from heavens perspective which you have hit on the head so succinctly 🙂 What an example you are setting for your children I pray they will pick up your heart and carry that into school with them today and be a blessing to other children (and teachers) who may be fearful.
PS I have just started reading your book on my Kindle – only a few chapters in(finding the gaps in the day to read 😉 ) but really enjoying it so far.
Krista,
Thank you for your honesty. I thank God for using you to speak to my heart. And I wholly agree that God was oh so present in Sandy Hook. So many miracles amidst the unspeakable tragedy. This momma's heart aches but I will choose to be an example to my children (and others) that God is in control and we are to live for Him today!
Krista…last week we also experienced a tragic shooting at our local mall in Clackamas Oregon. It was beyond belief when we heard the news of the event at the elementary school on Fri.
We did some shopping at the mall over the weekend and I was thankful for the increased security but also being able to hug this young woman who says "It's going to take some time" as she helps me with my purchase. I could not help but say hello to the people I saw there & make eye contact and smile. I said thanks in passing to a few of the security workers as I strolled by them as I can not even begin to imagine what they saw and went through during the event that started almost a week ago.
Love & Blessings-
Kim Fine
P.S. I do not know how to do the profile thing so I will be anonymous 😉
beautifully written. Like you, I truly believe Jesus with with those children holding them and protecting them from fear. I have to believe He made Himself visible to them. Politics may have removed prayer and planned talk of Jesus, but NO ONE can remove Him from schools. Our children take Him to school each and every day. I tell my babies to share His love with everyone. The staff members who love Him also take Him to school every day. He is with His beloved children always.
You are so right, now is the time to show the world Jesus. It's not time to fight, it's the time to share His love with a grieving world. We have to be His hands and feet.
Much love to you…xoxo
Krista,
Thank for your post. You are correct when you say this is the time to show the love of Jesus. Newtown is my husband's hometown. This is where he was born and raised and still has family there. This has hit our family especially hard! Seeing familiar places televised, like Tredwell Park where our niece worked during the summer, St Rose where my husband grew up attending church, etc. but now with a cloud of sadness and tragedy, is very surreal. This also effects us on a more personal level. Our niece and nephew attended high school with the Lanza children – (our nephew is friends witth the oldest, Ryan). Also, one of the victims was the granddaughter of my husband's former boss's brother. There are a lot of prayers needed, as well as, the love of Jesus.