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Thing have been and will continue to be quiet around here out of respect for what’s happening in #Ferguson. The longer the violence drags on, the deeper my heart sinks. I don’t have a lot of wisdom on the subject, but I wanted to jot down some of my thoughts while I’m hot and bothered.
I want to be known for listening more than I talk. This means I’m watching, reading, and soaking up pretty much everything you send my way about race in America. I know this goes far beyond a shooting and police work. I’ve spent the last several years coming to terms with my white privilege, filtering things through a new worldview, and making amends with people I probably failed as a young woman.
Feelings are real. Therefore, feelings are facts. Whether you’re a wounded person of color or a wounded member of law enforcement or a wounded person of privilege or a combination of those things, I’m here. If you’re angry, if you’re hurt, I want you to know that I see you. I hear you. I’m listening. And I’m on your team.
I love my country and its people too much to let this go. I love truth and justice too much to wait this out. Regardless of where we stand and where the fallout lies, we cannot look away from this. We cannot turn our children’s faces from it. And if you’re a follower of Jesus, if you’re a walking, breathing extension of the Church, your voice is especially powerful right now. So I’m speaking up to say that I’m listening. And that I’m not looking away.
4 Comments
I’m so grateful for you and admire your strength.
I struggle so much with this. I’m aware and I care but I also feel so hopeless and impotent. When I feel like that I tend to carry on in my little corner of the world, avoid the hurt, and pray a lot. I think there might be something to being open and “not waiting it out”.
I love these thoughts of yours, and I’m so glad you shared them. I admire your commitment to listening–that is something I’d like to emulate. Let’s all keep thinking, keep listening, and keep loving each other in the midst of chaos, heartbreak, and injustice. Jesus is bigger than it all.
You are the first blogger I follow to even put mention in their space regarding Ferguson, thank you. Thank you for bringing the worlds happenings into your space that most people want to keep “clean” and might I saw “perfect” in this bubble, I appreciate your willingness on this pace to be authentic and open, a place for grace and healing.
These were my words from earlier this week regarding the happenings, links to some good articles as well:
http://joywrite.blogspot.com/2014/08/on-my-mind-things-im-clicking.html
I don’t think this is something we in the United States can ignore as a central issue we need to face head on and have open conversations about. So thank you for listening and breaking the silence that is so much I see on blogs right now.
[…] good stuff, and I don’t want to add to the noise unless I have something to say. If you read this post, or you follow me on Twitter, you know that I’ve been watching closely. I can’t look […]