Faith...

... losing and keeping it.

This morning I'm watching my daily morning news channel and there is a part in there that hits a spot.

A very popular minister and his wife are talking before their congregation for the first time in many months. They took a few months away to mourn the death of their 27 year old son. Their son had suffered his entire life with bipolar disease and major depression. He had been fighting and fighting and just couldn't take it anymore.

This is a family of very spiritual people. They had done everything they could to get him help and it just didn't work. They prayed daily for healing of their son.

The minister said that he was in shock for the first month after his son took his life. Then the first thing he asked God after he started to come back to reality was "Why?"

The question all of us ask so many times.

Why?

Saturday I stopped at the Equality House in Topeka (right across from the Phelps Cult meeting house). There I saw a huge banner with what looked like a bunch a bunch of pictures on it. I stopped and went to see what it was. It's a banner of pictures of all of the heroes that were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The guy there "Tiger" started in California and is walking with this banner of our nation's fallen back to Rhode Island where he is from. As I looked at the THOUSANDS of faces I wonder why did those men and women had to die.

Why?

Just behind that amazing banner is a building that houses people that hate every face on that banner and 'praise God' for them being murdered.

Why?

Last week I heard about 2 active duty soldiers that committed suicide because of PTSD.

Why?

A few weeks ago a beautiful little girl that inspired so many people lost her long battle to cancer.

Why?

We are constantly questioning God's "bigger picture" that some of us lose faith in him. Why does a sweet little girl die from cancer while murders are living long lives in prisons? Things like this I know teach us life lessons, but it also makes us wonder that if the good suffer and bad don't, what is the point? Why try to be good if you could just end up suffering for it.

I have questioned God many times and still do today. But I also have learned to look at the outcome that comes from great tragedies. Tiger is raising awareness for fighting, living, and deceased troops. We are learning that PTSD is real and trying to find ways to help those suffering from it. We try to find cures for cancers and remember that not every day is guaranteed so live with a smile and good heart.

If you feel you must give up on faith completely, do not give up on good people.

Think of the people raising awareness by doing extraordinary things.

Think of the men and women fighting for their lives.

Think of the men and women fighting for OUR lives.

Think of those that give up everything they have to help others.

If you lose faith, do not lose hope.

Live with a smile. Love with honesty. Help with your heart.

Living and loving with faith
Carrie Linn