Remembering Jayden...when the blink of an eye feels like an eternity.

Not enough words in the entire world to adequately describe what the actions of one evil person can do to the lives of so many people. SO many!

Devastating. Life changing. 

365 days can pass in the blink of an eye, yet feel like an eternity.

Our realities can change in one split second, and we find ourself begging God to give us that one split second back so that we can do things differently and change the outcome.

But He won’t. And we can’t.

The reality is just that...reality.

We can beg all we want, but it won’t bring that one second back. Ever. A new path is set and we just do our best to try and make sense of it all. Any part of it.

But we won’t. It makes no sense.

I always try to pull some type of encouragement from the pages of scripture when walking through a valley I never imagined I’d walk. And I try so hard to do the same for others.

The scripture is there. And the valley doesn’t make it any less true. But sometimes you don’t necessarily feel encouraged by it.

You read passages of forgiveness and love. Passages against hate. And you believe them. You believe every word. You even commit to sharing those passages of love, not hate, with those struggling with hurt, bitterness and anger. You tell them things like, “God is in control” “God has a plan”.

He is. He does.

Our earthly reality does not change heavenly Truth. BUT... our jacked up perspective of heavenly Truth sometimes prevents us from properly responding to our earthly reality. Or, it gives us a false authority to tell others how to respond to theirs. Or the opposite...others feel the right to tell us how to respond.  Spiritual pride.

We are indeed called to love. However, sometimes we love so strongly that when someone violently takes the life of the one we love, we have an overwhelming desire to take a baseball bat and beat the literal hell out of that person. 

And I wish I could. Because I would. 

If you hold tight to scripture, and you believe in God’s plan, keep believing. But don’t you dare paint it into a picture of rainbows and ponies, leaving out the demons and dragons, when you’re talking to someone who has experienced a tragic death.

365 days can pass in the blink of an eye. Yet, when you see a mama without her baby girl, and your baby girl without her very best friend, it feels like an eternity.

Remembering Jayden today, and honoring her dynamic mother, and my amazing daughter. I’ve never witnessed anything like it up close and personal before. They are strong and mighty warriors, yet delicate and broken all at the same time. May earthly justice soon be served, and fresh hope restored. One day at a time.

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18