Loss For Words or Action

My Facebook newsfeed and my Twitter feed are filled with faces - the faces of the 9 people murdered in Charleston inside the walls of their church, the face of the murderer, faces gathered in circles to pray on street corners.

Tragedy has happened. Again. White has acted in hatred and violence against black.

Again.

I'm not usually one who is at a loss for words.

I can usually find a THING to do to take action.

But something about this... this guy sitting amongst these people inside the walls of their church and then taking their lives.

I don't know how to respond to that.

I pray. But it doesn't feel like enough.

I know God was in that place, holding those lives, bringing them home in His arms.

But even that feels hollow.

And now, the main reaction I see is Blame.

Gun supporters vs anti-gun people.

White vs Black

White vs White

Black vs Black

We are all so divided, so separated. How do we ever come together to love each other, honor each other, respect each other?

My heart is broken. Violence is rippling through a community. Violence ripples through families and communities and cities and states and countries on a daily basis.

My heart is broken for the families and friends of the 9 lives taken at Emmanuel. But more than that, when these terrible acts of violence occur, I am reminded of the violence, all of which is based in hatred and evil, that is real and tangible and seems so strong all over the world.

And then I feel overwhelmed and scared and angry and sad.

So I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. I pray because it's all that I can do right now. It's all I can rely on.

I see God in these beautiful faces. And I pray.