Friday, December 14, 2012

At A Loss

Today in Connecticut 20 children were murdered by an obviously mentally disturbed young man.  I heard the news today at my husband's work Christmas lunch.  I felt physically ill.  The first words that came out of my mouth: "Who shoots a CHILD?"

I want to be heard very clearly:  This world is broken.  It started with the breakdown of the family structure.  No more do we have the majority of children being born and raised by 2 parents.

In women UNDER 30, over 50% of children are born out of marriage.

In ALL ages of women, 41% of children are born out of marriage.

"It used to be called illegitimacy. Now it is the new normal." (New York Times)

“Marriage has become a luxury...,” said Frank Furstenberg, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania. (New York Times)

Children born in one parent homes have a higher likelihood of living in poverty, of having social and emotional problems, behavior problems, and failing in school.

Fifty years ago this didn't happen.

Fifty years ago children didn't get murdered at school by some deranged 20 year old.

Fifty years ago we still stood and said the Pledge of Allegiance in school, and we still read the Bible in school, and we still prayed.

But then we took God out.  And since then, all hell has broken loose.  Literally.

Columbine.
Virginia Tech.
A movie theater in Colorado.
A shopping mall in Oregon.
20+ children between the ages of 5 and 10, gunned down like animals.
A professional football player killing his wife/girlfriend and then himself.

Precious, innocent lives.  And do you want to know what I think?  I think it's because we, as a nation, basically gave God the finger, and instead of just smiting us right then and there, He left us to our own devices.  We kicked Him out, and He left.  He's not forcing His way back in...that's not how He works.

He's waiting to be asked.  So.  I'm asking.  Lord Jesus, Father God... forgive us.  Come back to us.  God tells us in His Word:
      "If my people, who are called by my name [Christian], will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

And I'm asking the same of you.  This doesn't get any more REAL.  Evil is REAL.  God is REAL.  Today is the repercussions of our own stubborn, proud, arrogance.  Please join me, and ask God back into our Country.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I agree for the most part, Kerri. What you have said is true for the big picture definitely IMHO; however, I would like to give HOPE to the individual cases. That's the only reason for this comment-you hit the nail on the head already with your blog. I'm talking about the case where it is honestly better for a child to come from a broken home than to live in one. I have seen too many boys raised by divorced mothers or fathers become fine adults and certainly not killers. I think it's the rejection of God, His principles, and His instructions on living, rather than the very act of being raised by a single parent (which I agree is not what God had in mind). God said He would be a Husband to the husbandless. He WILL make up the hedge around you and yours. My son has a father who loves him, so I won't quote the other part of that verse right now. Also, remember while as a nation we seem to have forgotten God, there is still a remnant who is asking for His mercy and blessing and help. I just wanted to remind follks that not all children raised in single homes go so far off the plumbline (I'm sure you already knew that.) There is the subject of mental illness which one could never go into on a comment here that is relevant too. Yes I agree with virtually everything you said but wanted to add my 2 cents (where u said lay it on me lol). Thank you for your candid blog Kerri! ~Kathy L. Yep I'm not logged in again, sorry.

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