Be Strong And Courageous
It’s important to guard your heart.
Like, it’s really important to guard your heart. Most of America has been consumed in the recent events of protesters being sick and tired of the mistreatment by law enforcement. We’ve had enough. As a black woman I didn’t just see George Floyd, I saw my brother, my dad, my cousins, my uncles. And then I watched video after video. I saw picture after picture of the destruction.
Then updates on Ahmaud Arbery. Then victory with convictions for each of the cops involved in the arrest and murder of George Floyd. Then Breonna Taylor protests reignited. Then I looked up information on that. Then I was consumed in that.
Then I could barely sleep thinking what if the police burst into my home.
Yeah…that part. All the events and so many more are real and made me imagine more than I should with me in the middle of it. Families will live with the reality of what happened to their loved ones’ years after most everyone has calmed down. But just because those events are real, does not mean I, or you, need to live in the fear of it happening to us personally one day. As a black American, most of our parents have taught us to be cautious in police involved situations, but fear is not inspired by God.
If you have found yourself teetering on the edge of information overload take a moment to stop. Put the phone down. Close out of social media. Stop posting. Stop researching. Stop looking at image after image. Take a moment to make sure your mental health is okay! Yes, it is chaotic out in the world. But God has declared peace for us. Peace lives in us. These times are needed. We still are not going through half of what our ancestors went through getting hosed down and attacked by dogs in addition to the other aggressiveness by Police. It is discouraging but it is needed for such a time as this for change.
Of course, not all police are aggressive and have ill intent. I appreciate officers such as Officer T Norman who take care of their communities and really learn who the people are and give context to the stats they read for the area. But we need change and change is now.
But the fear that lingers after you watch or even experience the violence at protests… needs to go. It’s a mechanism to hold us back. Whatever happens, happens. We need to be bold in our right now.
It’s okay to take a break and get yourself together. It’s okay to make sure your stress is not enacted by the rage you see happening around you. Make sure you make time to be at peace for yourself. I had to remind myself that God called me to be full of love and power. He did not declare timidity over me. He called me to be full of courage in the face of adversity and the same goes for YOU!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 AMP
Keep your crown up,