without peace we can't hear

do we not trust

GOD

to be loving enough

powerful enough

to heal 

our brokenness...

to turn our anger 

into laughter?

or do we believe our

power and perspectives

and decisions are 

wise enough 

and loving enough to 

trump GOD?

or do we believe our

perspectives and power 

to be all that matters?

it's tuesday

and i still don't have answers

as to how we might 

(as a culture

as a church

as individuals)

stop repeating the same

dysfunctional cycles.

all i can do is speak for myself.

i remember when my 

big brother used to 

pin me down to the ground.

he was exponentially

much larger than i was

which meant 

when he wasn't using all his strength

he still had the ability to hurt me.

i would yelp

you are hurting me!

he would roll his eyes

and say

i'm barely touching you.

but it hurts 

i would reply.

he would eventually 

let me go

but maintain that he 

had only barely touched me

and that i had been over 
reacting.

i've made my amends with my big brother

i've also learned through some rather

difficult life experiences 

that i am not over 
reacting 

when i sense 

that i am being hurt.

options are available 

in such situations:

hide

walk away

ignore

or respond 

with words or actions. 

which option works?

which option creates new life?

which option stops the 

dysfunctional cycle? 

personally 

i can no longer hide...

i'm done with that option.

i am also not capable of ignoring

hurtful words and actions.

so i'm left with the two remaining options

walk away

or respond with words and actions. 

one person i deeply love 

has taught me 

there are times to walk away 

and there are times to 

follow through

with words and actions. 

hmmmmm

it's tuesday 

and

i'm left 

pondering

wondering

and yearning 

that i 

that we

better learn how to 

balance our lives...

to know when to walk away

and when 

to speak and take action. 

to know when to let go of

and when it is 

time to grab hold of.

as a country

as a church

as individuals

it seems we are struggling 

to balance our lives

and until we do

we will 

struggle to experience peace.

without peace you can't hear me.

without peace i can't hear you.