Sunday, July 17, 2016

Well hello there

I feel like I am writing a letter to a long lost friend, our summer has not shaped up the way I anticipated, but I am ok with that.  We've read some great books, eaten some tasty treats, and (mostly) enjoyed each other's company. :).

The summer has brought news of such grief and loss for so many, it seems that everything is so broken.  Honestly I have sat down here several times to post something in response to recent headlines, but found myself at a loss as what to say.  The hatred, the sudden and violent loss of life, sometimes in the presence of children...how will they ever get past that?  The people who are left, without a husband or wife, son or daughter, a best friend or partner or brother or sister...the empty arms that ache to hold that person one more time, words seem empty and trite.  I go to pray and all I can think to say is to plead comfort and God's presence in their lives.  That even as the hurt and shock howls loud enough to drown out everything else, that His voice would ring solid, strong, and true.  That His presence, His truth would anchor them to each moment as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives which were just a few weeks ago beautiful and normal, but are now shattered beyond recognition.  That through the long nights and hard days, He would place people in their lives to be His comfort, speak His truth, and show His compassion.  And when all seems lost we would stand on the truth that Jesus gave it all so that in spite of everything, there is hope.  I pray that peace would blanket our nation, our world, that security and safety would prevail, that terror would never succeed.