After Orlando: Gratitude

As I begin to write this pre-dawn morning, I'm propped up in bed, pillows behind my back, looking out the French doors at the lake. Two sweet but sassy little dogs are snoring beside me. It's already a gorgeous day. 

My son is coming home for a visit in three days and I'm ecstatic.

Today, I'll write, finish a continuing education course, and prepare for Ryan's arrival. Sam and I'll drink coffee on the screened porch, feed fish, walk the dogs, work in the garden.

It'll be a good day here, and I'm deeply grateful.

In Orlando, however, there aren't any good days yet. The families of 49 victims prepare for funerals they never expected. Families and friends of the wounded wait anxiously for them to recover. 

City officials are still reeling, too. They've set up a Family Assistance Center, offering help with everything from translation services to funeral services. 

Citizens are still stunned, horrified by the events that unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The news agencies are still running follow-up stories on the Orlando tragedy, but they'll soon turn to the next crisis. We'll go back to our lives and the attention focused on Orlando will die down. We've been trained by our constant barrage of news and information to move from one crisis to the next. 

This time, I want to linger here a bit. Focus my attention on those who remain to deal with the aftermath of Orlando. Continue to pray for them as they deal with the unthinkable. 

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Today, as we're enjoying our morning coffee, laughing with friends, loving our families, let's savor every precious moment, for circumstances can change in the blink of an eye. 

Let's move a little closer together as Americans, as the body of Christ, as family and friends. Cherish each other and celebrate our faith together.

Most of all, let's thank God for the blessings He gave in the midst of the tragedy. The lives that were spared. The policemen who rushed in, despite the danger. The outpouring of support for the victims and their families.

We serve a good God who, even on the darkest days, can bring light into the most hopeless of situations. Even in the deepest sorrow, He can bring comfort and peace. I'm praying He does that for the people of Orlando. 

I recognize that, even now, not all the sorrow is located in Orlando. There are people around us every day who are suffering in ways we can't even imagine. Let's allow this tragedy to open our eyes to the pain in our midst, to help us reach out to each other, to love and serve our fellow man. 

Let's pray this tragedy will be used by God to make us better, more like Him. More loving. More kind. More humble. More gentle.

Pray for and reach out to those who suffer. No matter where they are.

"This is My commandment, 

that you love one another as I have loved you..." 

John 15:12

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, 

so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

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In case you missed it, here are the links to After Orlando and After Orlando: Lowering the Flag

#orlando #burdenbearer #disciple

After Orlando: Lowering the Flag

After the gunman shot, killed, and wounded so many Americans in Orlando Sunday, the President and Governor ordered the flags to be flow at half-staff. I'm not usually the one who lowers the flag, but this time, I volunteered to do it. 

It turned out to be one of the most sorrowful tasks I've ever had to perform.

Half-staff means the American flag is lowered, traditionally to the half-way point of the staff, or flag pole. (Half-mast, though in common use, is a term reserved for shipboard flags.) 

To position the flag at half-staff, it must first be raised quickly to the highest position, then lowered slowly. It's to be saluted while being raised or lowered. 

The flag was already at the top of the pole, so I lowered it. It's hard to lower the flag and salute it at the same time, so I saluted in my heart. 

Tears trickled down my face as I adjusted the flag and thought about my fellow Americans who had died in the attack in Orlando. Many of them were the age of my son. 

There are mothers and fathers whose hearts are broken, almost beyond repair. There are sisters and brothers who can never regain what was taken from them. All in the name of hate and evil. I can hardly bear it. 

We've lost more than those fifty people who died, more than those 53 who were injured. We've lost the joy and hope of all those who loved them. They may regain their joy at some point, but it will not be today. Nor for many days to come.

I wept for them all.

Because the Mississippi flag flies under the American flag, there's a big expanse of flag fabric, and it covers a significant part of the pole. I lowered the flags, secured the rope, and stepped back. It looked nice, but it wasn't right. 

I adjusted the position of the flags, secured it again. Changed it again.

The last time, I realized the problem. I raised the flag to the top, slowly lowered it until the Mississippi flag approached (but didn't touch) the ground, and raised it up just a bit. The American flag was at half-staff. Maybe a little below it.

I stepped back and saluted. I knew it looked low, but I left it. If you see our flag, it might catch your attention because of its position on the pole. 

I left it there, on behalf of the American people, as a symbol of humility and deep sorrow. 

It's not the first time we've had to lower the flag in the last few years. It won't be the last. 

We've had a terrorist attack on American soil. Again. Yes, it was a hate-crime, but it was also a terrorist attack. The cover of protection we've enjoyed for more than two centuries is gone. 

I'm not sure we'll ever get it back.

I know one thing for certain, though. If we want to enjoy the favor of God again, we have to make some changes. 

Now is the time to put aside our stubborn pride and humble ourselves before Almighty God. 

We need more than congressmen and women singing "God Bless America" on the steps of the Capital building. We need to, individually and corporately, get on our faces before God and repent of our godlessness. We need to return to Him and His ways.

We need to stop trusting in our own ability to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and trust the One who has provided every good and perfect gift that has come our way.

We need to stop chasing the American Dream and start chasing the Will of God and His plans. 

My fellow Americans, we cannot continue as we are, for evil is rampant. Our leaders lie with impunity and grasp at power as if it could sustain them when hard times come. It cannot.

There is no blessing on evil.

There is no blessing on hate.

The blessings of God are given as He desires. What He wants is a relationship with His people and righteousness in them. We're a long way from that now.

If our great nation is to be saved, we must turn back toward God. We must humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, seek God's face. 

As I stood before that half-staff flag and wept, I realized the flag was in a position of humility, but I'm afraid our hearts are not. 

I have made a start at my own problem of repentance and humility, of besieging heaven on behalf of our nation, but I cannot do it alone. And I don't have to. Men and women across this country have felt the same call I have felt. And they, too, have responded with tears and repentance and a renewed sense of humility and fervor. They, too, are praying for our nation.

In the name of Jesus, please join us in prayer for our nation. Let us humble ourselves together. I fear we are headed in a deadly direction, and destruction will come. It will not be pretty.

We must mourn with those who mourn. We must weep with those who weep. But when the mourning and weeping are done, we must rise up with humility and repentance. 

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Here's the link to yesterday's post: After Orlando

#Orlando #714 #pray #linesfromleanna

After Orlando

The Nigerian Schoolgirls. The deadly attacks in Paris. The terrorist attacks in Brussels. There's been horror upon horror. Terror upon terror. 

I'm sorry to say that I was so horrified after I heard the news, I couldn't find the words to respond to this latest atrocity. I'm still reeling.

This time, the horror is closer to home. A nightclub in downtown Orlando. Sunday, (June 12, 2016) an evil, hate-filled man shot and murdered 50 people and left 53 more injured.

It may or may not have been done in the name of religion, but it was definitely done in the name of hate. Of evil. Those two are running rampant these days. 

Dear God, help us.

I have something to say, and it's time to listen up, hate-mongers. 

If your god tells you to slaughter people in the name of religion, or that it's okay someone else did, you need another god.

If yours is a god of hate, you need another god. 

If your god tells you people should be exterminated because they are different from you, you need another god.

If the evil done in Orlando yesterday looks like a victory to you, you have a serious problem. Only my God can change you, because your god is surely not sufficient.

So, hate-mongers, you need to meet Jesus, and I'm praying you do. Because He didn't kill a single sinner when He was here on earth. Instead, He died to save us all. He rose again. He reigns in Heaven. He's coming back one day.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 esv 

When Jesus was here on earth, He was big on righteousness and long on grace. He loved sinners and He spent a lot of time with them. Because every single person on the earth was a sinner, except Him. 

Jesus loved them just as they were, and He offered them the chance to follow Him and become more like Him. And He still does. Lots of sinners have taken that offer. Including me. And we've changed to be more like Him, although I, personally, have a long way to go.  

Jesus is nothing if not persistent about righteousness. No matter what your personal favorite sin, Jesus will press you to change, especially if you're a hate-monger. It might be hard, but it's always worth it. I've learned that from experience.

I know a lot of people in the LGBT community. And I love them. I don't love them because they're gay. I love them because they are people made in the image of God. Just like I am. And every one of those people is loved by God. 


I know a lot of people who are not in the LGBT community. I love them, too. I don't love them because they're not gay. I love them because they are people made in the image of God. Just like I am. And every one of those people is loved by God, too. 

To the Orlando LGBT community, and to those in Orlando who are not in the LGBT community, I'm sorry about what happened in your city. I'm sorry about those who died. About those who were injured. I'm sorry for the friends and family members who are grieving.

I can't go to Orlando and offer a hug or a blanket or hope to the people who've lost so much, but I want you to know that I care, whether you're different from me in some way or not. 

I'm praying for you. 

There are people who worship hate and delight in evil, but they are not Jesus' people. He is the One who is "not willing for any to perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 esv)

If I could, I would show you the love of Jesus, but I'm here and you're there. So let me tell you that Jesus loves you. He loves you so much. He longs to help you. To mourn with you. To comfort you and carry you through. To quiet your fears and fill your heart with hope. 

He's done that for me, and He'll do all that and more for you, if you'll let Him.

I pray that the body of Christ will act as the hands and feet of Jesus to show you just how much He cares. I pray they will shine the light of Jesus into your darkest hour of fear and grief, and you will see that the light is love, not hate. 

Jesus loves you, Orlando. Jesus loves you, hurting people. And this sinner-woman does, too.

Believers, there's only one way to change our sin-riddled country. 

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 nasb
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I've updated The Prayer List. It's now the featured blog post. Pray, brothers and sisters. A nation depends upon it.

#Orlando #ISIS #Muslim #hate #PrayforOrlando
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If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Return of the Rooster and the Resurrected Jesus