Posts Tagged ‘shooting’

What Desperation Looks Like

Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

battliefield

This morning, I read the sad story about a Texas mother who shot her daughters to death and then was killed by police outside their home while she still held the gun in her hand.

What happened?

I know it’s the question every person speaks…but, why? Why would a person do this? Why would a mother who surely wiped their faces, dressed them in frilly little matching dresses and posted sweet pictures of them on Facebook murder her grown baby girls?

What was happening in her life to make her this desperate?

Was she angry? Had someone wronged her? The article mentions a family meeting. What outrageous behavior triggered such an egregious act from a seemingly loving faith-filled mother? How did they go from –> Girls clean your rooms to chasing them down with a handgun and shooting them to their death?

There is nothing but heartache in this story.

I’m no expert yet I know frustration and stress can make us do drastic things. But, not murder our children. This horrible act came from somewhere. Something was happening in this mama’s heart or mind. Something very dark, something very painful and I’m here to tell you it could happen to anybody.

The mind is a battlefield.

Sources have revealed this mother had struggled with mental illness. If you scroll through her Facebook page you’d see what appears to be a normal southern God-loving mama. A beautiful lady with a seemingly happy life and 2 gorgeous blonde daughters that were her mirror image.

So, why?

Why choose your husband’s birthday to go totally off the planet and kill your treasured brood? Her mind was sick. She was not okay. She was more than struggling with mental health, she was full-on desperately mentally unwell.

To you, I say….if you or someone you know is “struggling” with mental illness, do something! Don’t just hope they feel better or promise to pray for them. Do those things but act on the information you have as well. People that suffer with mental health issues need more than just a tender spot for their plight. They need genuine care and support that moves them into living the best and healthiest life possible.

Not every person with a mental disorder (and it’s more common than not in today’s world) kills the people they love.

That’s what desperation looks like.

** Curious to the various types of mental health?

Go HERE and familiarize yourself with the many facets of mental illnesses.

Madness In Movie 9

Friday, July 20th, 2012

Mornings like this are staggering to wake up to.  During the night while most of us were sleeping soundly…a gunman wreaked havoc on innocent movie-goers in Aurora Colorado killing 12 and injuring over 50 people.  The news came like a punch in the stomach.  My own 3 kids and their friends were sitting front and center of the big premier of The Dark Knight Rises Batman movie.  I fell asleep trusting they were safely tucked inside of the AMC Theater 25 minutes from my house.  Granted, we live in Indiana and Colorado is thousands of miles away….it still sent sickening shock all through my body.

Why would a person do something like this?  We may never know.  Was there no clues to the darkness of this young man's soul?  No one noticed he was in any way disturbed?  All we can do now is pray for those affected by this horrible act of violence.  Families are hurting and need the support and compassion that each of us can offer.  Don't miss an opportunity to pray for strangers.  God is sure to hear every whispered word.

As I write this post, I'm listening to the story of Jessica Ghawli (Redfield) who was killed during the movie mayhem early this morning.  She was an aspiring sportscaster who worked for the sports website Busted Coverage.  She also was a near miss victim of the deadly mall shooting in Toronto just last month (June 2).  Thanks to a strange feeling, she felt compelled to go outside.  Because of this, she missed the shooting that took the life of one and injured 7 others.  Jessica had written about the experience and described how she couldn't grasp the fact that she escaped such a close call with death.

Jessica's story is mindnumbing.  Her family is left with questions and the never ending ache of her loss.  Only God can heal the broken hearts reeling from this tragedy.  May He blanket each of them and hold them up as they walk through what may be the darkest period of their lives.

On this late July summertime Friday….with all the expectations of family fun this weekend, don't forget to hold the ones you love a little longer and to cherish the time you have with them.  Death is like a thief in the night, it strikes when we least expect it.

Holy God In Heaven,

Our hearts are breaking watching the news unfold from Colorado.  Please work in the lives of the victims struggling to survive and those left with the tragic loss of loved ones.  Nothing about this event makes sense but we trust that YOU are in control.  Help us to understand…and fill us with compassion.  Surround these families with love and support and let your glory shine bright.

Amen