Don't let hate win

I wasn't prepared for what I would hear early yesterday morning when I got in my car and started to drive to work. It was about 5:40 am Monday October 2nd I was listening to 94.9 FM and it took a few minutes for me to even realize what had happened because the poor radio host could barely form sentences and he too was processing what had happened. When he finally said the words there has been a shooting in Las Vegas at an outdoor Country Music Festival, several are dead and multiple are injured....my heart sank! I couldn't help but think about all of the times I have been to Vegas or even an outdoor concert. My first time in Vegas I went to an outdoor concert while there then my next two trips to Vegas were for very large events that this could have easily happened at. The thought literally makes me sick to my stomach. By 6:15 am videos, snaps, tweets, photos, news articles, and posts were everywhere. All I could do was cry while I read detail after detail and watched videos of people in absolutely panic trying to survive. The first video I watched showed Jason Aldean  starting a song and you hear the first few pops of gunfire except you could tell that nobody knew it was gunfire and then it stops and you notice people looking around slightly confused but for the most part still unaware of what was taking place until you start to hear the screams and then the pops go off again and you can see everyone on stage take off running and the crowd of people in that field start running in any direction they can, you see people laying on the ground, throwing themselves in front of others.... you see complete and utter horror unfolding!

 It still makes me sick thinking about those poor people who went for a night out to be entertained and were forever changed. Those innocent people couldn't defend themselves, those innocent people couldn't hide from the gunfire because they didn't even know where it was coming from.  But in the midst of chaos I saw bravery and I saw courage!! Strangers were running to aid the injured without even thinking about their safety first. People were shielding one another. People were helping one another to safety. People were praying for God's protection over one another.  So many people were saved thanks to fellow concert goers, police officers, and first responders who never once thought about themselves. 

It makes me so angry that blasted all over the media is the picture and story of the coward killer! I refuse to call him by his name because he does not deserve that! I'm sure that is exactly what he wanted was to go down in History and to be remembered for what he did! He doesn't deserve to have his story told! The innocent victims that were mowed down by gunfire that's the stories I want to know. I want to know how great of a nurse the one man was who died protecting his wife! I want to hear the lives that had been changed by the loving special needs teaching, the police officer, the mother, the father,  the son, the daughter, the friend, the husband, and the wife. I want to see their faces and their names being honored! I want everyone to know how brave these people were! I want the family and friends of these innocent people to know we love them and the memory of their love ones will never be forgotten! 

I want the stories of people saving one another to be posted, read, and blasted all over the media because that is what deserves our attention. Not the hate of a person. Hate doesn't get to win! I don't care if the killer was white, black, yellow, male, female, democrat, or republican. That doesn't matter to me, what matters to me is that clearly the killer didn't have a relationship with our Heavenly Father clearly the killer didn't know love because how could someone do this! This isn't someone who just snapped this is someone who was fueled by hate. It is such a sad thing that in this world we live in today there is so much hate in this world. It is sad that when something like this happens people automatically blame Gun Laws, Security, the President, the media, and so on and call for action. No one can know that if there were stronger laws in place, a different President or better security that this would or would not have happened!  Guess what I was not there and probably everyone who reads this post were also not there, we do NOT know the fear that was felt or what those people went through! So YES we do need more action and that action is prayer! We need more Jesus in this hate filled world!  

The loved ones of those killed and injured don't need more people arguing over what could have been, what we should have done, and what needed to happened. They need people to unite as one and help them and all those involved in Vegas as they try to pick up the pieces. We need to know more love instead of hate. I know there are so many problems in this world concerning race, gender, laws, finances, and so much more but you know what is greater than all of that.... God! We will never know the answer why but we can find comfort in knowing that God is good even with life is not. We can't make a change while pointing fingers. So instead of pointing fingers and letting hate win, bow your head and pray for this country! 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:18 

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this tragedy! May the memory of those taken from us never be lost! 

Adios Beaches! I'll be Back!

-xoxo