I am sitting her with my fingers on the keyboard just trying to think of how to start this Praise. I wanted to put a picture that would leave you with a peaceful feeling, and this was the first one I found as I looked in my files. I could not read what it said, but as I enlarged it, I could only sit here in awe knowing that this was chosen by God......not by me! The picture itself brings peace to my heart as I contemplate what to write about the first part of my praise. I re-posted a story today about a young teacher who hid her children in closets in her classroom and told the gunman that they were somewhere else......he then shot her, but her kids were safe. The principal of the school dove at him trying to stop him from hurting anyone, but she was shot and died as well. These were two of the wonderful people who gave their lives trying to protect the children. They laid down their lives for their brother........and it was just second nature to them, I am pretty sure they responded without even considering the possible consequence because there was no other option but to do what is right, honorable and true! It is times like these that you see the best and worst of people. I praise God for their love.......and for their sacrifice! The next part of my praise falls perfectly into the scripture on the picture! Tonight I went to go visit a young man in jail that I have known since he was very young. Due to some bad decisions, he will be headed to prison for two years. We talked about many things, but the one thing that gave me hope was him telling me that he did what he did for money because growing up he had none........then through illegal activity he had more than he ever could have imagined.......and now he has none..........BUT, after learning some very had life lessons......he would rather have no money than to have money and pay the price for what it does to you! This showed me that there is hope......he wants to follow the ways of the Lord and he wants to turn things around........and yet in the past the money was running his life through his decisions. I heard the shame in his voice and I saw it in his eyes. I hope that the one thing he took away from this visit was that God is a God of redemption! I told him that getting caught was actually a gift because it is through the consequences that we can truly find redemption! It is through the pain and shame of sin that has been realized and dealt with (in the Lord) that our testimony starts to be built. The beautiful scars are reminders of Gods perfect grace that we get freely because of HIS sacrifice! I will continue to pray for my young friend and I don't want to share his name with you at this time, but I will ask you to pray for this friend of our family! Pray for Gods protection as he goes into the Prison system.....pray for true repentance and realization of Gods love, grace and peace! Pray that He will find healing for addiction and that one day he will be able to share with others what he has learned! I am so thankful that I got to visit him before he goes away for a while.....my heart is broken, but it is also hopeful that God will transform his very precious life! What a MIGHTY GOD
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