Thursday, December 20, 2012

It's more than just...business...

I once heard one of my favorite photographers say that your business blog shouldn't divert away from your intended purpose, to reach more people for future business and to be successful in keeping your future clients "attention". This post is anything but business... because it's about so much more than just "hooking" another one of you onto my line for profit.

I'm certain there's very few people who haven't heard about this entire Conneticut tragedy.  I've seen things on Facebook, people are talking about it non stop.  "Did you know this?", " Did you know that?" "This is how I heard it happend, no this is the way I heard it happen, you're wrong". " What was the matter with this derainged individual"? "Our government needs to do SOMETHING about this!" "We have the right to have guns, don't take our guns!", "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" on, and on and on it goes.  People are complaing that the president isn't doing his job, others are holding him on a pedastool saying that he's doing more than any other president would have done. 

What happend in CT is not a metal issue, a state issue, a poor parenting issue, a political issue, and issue of who's right and who's wrong.  This is a HEART issue.

What broke me today?  A picture a boy by the name of Connor drew that was posted to Facebook, you may have already seen it:

 
Seeing this finally did it for me today.  This picture hit at the center of my heart in a way that no amount of other posts, pictures or stories have been able to.

I know there are parents and loved ones of the victims sitting somewhere tonight maybe wondering where God is in all of this and my heart aches for every single one of them so much more.

People have asked: How can anyone believe in a God that would allow such a horrible thing to happen?

I don't have the answer and I may never have the answer to that question but I do believe that we live in a broken world that will never be what it was intended to be. People have free will to do whatever it is they wish to do, no matter how good or how bad.

We are transformed not by laws, mandates, regulations or our freedoms. We are transformed by what each of us harbors within our heart.  The world either benefits or suffers by the actions we each take based upon those matters of the heart that affect us the most.

God uses even the most horrible of tragedies not for the good in the end but for the good in the now.

According to the post on facebook: Connor says the picture is 26 Angels - one for each victim, with one of them comforting one of children who witnessed the tragedy, and the Holy Spirit shining down on the school to protect the survivors and bring peace to them.

I've never been able to find true comfort within myself or from anyone else. I know that each time I tried I failed. Connor, in my opinion, hit it on the nail: true comfort and peace comes from the Holy Spirit. I'm blown away by the simple but powerful impact that statement has and even more blown away that it comes from the heart of a child. As I stated before, the impact we make on the world by our actions is derived by what's in the heart.  It's evident what's in Connor's heart and how God will use his drawing to reach so many people.

The song: Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns is one of my favorite songs.  If you haven't heard it, you should check it out here .

Here are the lyrics:

"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth




 

1 comment:

  1. Beautiful blog, thanks for sharing Connors pic here!!!!! Thank you for sharing how it touched you as well!!!!
    Tammy Williams

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