Sticks and stones still break bones.
Words still hurt.
And racial violence still kills.

I sat in bed the other night overcome with emotion over the latest senseless murder of another black man.

Since the murder of my nephew, I better understand the depths of what it feels like to have a loved one ripped away from you in such a senseless way.

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Just this month after the Ahmaud Arbery murder, my husband and I were talking about the types of conversations we need to have with the kids regarding precautions to take being black in America.

Because freedom in and of itself isn’t freedom.

We discussed how we have to tell the kids where not to be when it gets dark. To be aware of their surroundings. To read the area. And how to present and conduct themselves to stay above the stereotypes.

We already advise our kids not to wear the hoods on their hoodies.

But it’s a free country, right? You can wear what you want to wear.

Well, what happens when what you wear dictates whether you’ll be profiled?

And what happens when just the color of your skin dictates whether or not you will make it home alive?

Yes, we teach and pour the Word of God into our children and we trust Him to keep them safe.

But it does not negate the fact that this is so utterly heartbreaking. And so unsettling.

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These senseless murders seem to be more of a pandemic than this virus.

So God, I pray that You would heal our land.

And God, I pray that You will do what only You can do. Turn the hearts of the people unto yourself. Open the eyes of our understanding to Your truths. Penetrate our minds to seek and know the truth.

Let all this hatred be overcome by love.

Give us your wisdom to navigate through what is present and what is to come.

And touch the grieving hearts that are affected by such tragedies. And may the injustices of this world be settled by you.

Originally published on Facebook