The Go-Between’ers

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

I felt a devastating familiarity, hearing about the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida yesterday.

sub-buzz-15412-1518644805-6
Photo: Joel Auerbach/AP

These tragedies have become all too common in our current world. Las Vegas, Orlando, Sandy Hook, San Bernadino, Manchester. It seems like every couple months, the list keeps getting longer and longer.

It’s sickening.

The prayers we plead for the victims and their families seem like they’re falling on deaf Ears. OK God, Where are You? Why do You keep letting these calamities happen? 

And, honestly, it can shake a lot of people’s faith.

How could a good God allow such bad things to happen?

And the only explanation that I’ve been able to find, is that we live in a fallen world. This life is not Heaven. And frankly, we were not made for this world, or to feel at home in it. We’re just passing through. And whether we like to admit it, or believe it, or even entertain the idea, the fact is: there is evil in this world. On the prowl. And we, a fallen people, can fall prey to such darkness.

I know that from personal experience. I did. During my anorexia, I was living captive. I won’t go into detail here, and if you want to read about it, you can do so in this post, but I had an out-of-body experience when the demon – or whatever evil was occupying my spirit – was expelled from my body. But that’s for another time.

There is evil in the world. And we must be diligent to keep the faith, steady our eyes on Jesus, and guard our hearts and minds to the trappings of the evil one.

Yesterday being Ash Wednesday, I always like to do a little experiment. I get my ashes in the morning and then like to walk around to see who else has a soot cross drawn on their foreheads.

And all day yesterday, I did not see a single other ash cross on the streets of NYC. None.

I thought, did I have the wrong day? Where are all the other believers? And granted, I know that not every branch of the faith “does” the ashes, and also – you can be a believer and not go to church – I get that. But where were they?

Here we were, Ash Wednesday – on a day where the nation is in mourning over a horrific tragedy where children were mercilessly shot and killed, you would think that people would flock to church, and that the streets of NYC would be flooded with people proudly wearing their ashes as a sign of support to those who are hurting.

But none.

I have lived in NYC for over seven years. And every year that I have lived and worked in this concrete jungle, I have gone to Mass on Ash Wednesday. And every year, the turnout has dwindled and dwindled. The first year I moved to the city, I went with my friend, and we literally had to stand in the back of the packed-to-the-gills church. It was crazy how many people turned out. But since then, every year, the crowd at mass thinned, until this year, when the church was barely even 1/3 full. Same church. Same time. Same Ash Wednesday service. Where were the people?

I didn’t just go to Mass yesterday. But also, to yoga. My best friend has been studying to get her yoga teacher certification, and yesterday, she taught her first class. And so, being her ride-or-die, I was there, front row, with my camera, cheering her on and contorting my body into unGodly positions.

But she ended her class with a quote, that honestly, made me tear up just a little.

It read: “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

There are a lot of hurting people walking around today. Yes, many because of the heaviness in their hearts from the Florida tragedy. But many for other reasons. Hidden struggles that they carry silently, each and every day.

And every one of us has the ability to be a light to those around us. And we don’t have to wear an ash cross on our foreheads to do so. Sure, that’s one way, but there are so many others.

And frankly, it is our duty. No, God didn’t make these tragedies happen — just like He doesn’t make you or I go out and serve the poor or volunteer our time. We have free will. We have been given the time we have on this earth. And how we choose to spend it is up to us.

And if we really want to live our lives in glory to the Father, other people should be able to witness that by how we live our lives. By the light we cast. By the lives we touch.

What better time than now to start living that way?

Shop this look!

So many people, during tragedies, toss around Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Which is wonderful and good and comforting, yes.

But what if one way He is close to those brokenhearted people, is by using you and me to love them? What if we are supposed to be the “go-between’ers?”

Yes, my heart and prayers go out to the victims and families and those hurting after this most recent tragedy. But more than that, I want my actions to go our to them too. I want to bring light to those whose worlds are darkened today.

Who’s with me?

Quick Sponsor Shoutout! If you haven’t tried Amazon Prime, consider this your personal invitation. I love how I get free 2-day shipping with my membership, as well as free 2-HOUR grocery delivery. It’s like I’m living in the future. Now you can try Amazon Prime for FREE for 30 days. Cancel risk free, anytime. Simply signing up is a free and easy way to help support this blog! Thank you!  Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

***THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED MY BOOKS, BLOOM: A JOURNAL BY BEAUTYBEYONDBONES AND “MY BLOGGING TIPS“***

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY!


________________________________________________________________
STAY CONNECTED!

@beauty.beyond.bones – Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

A big thank you to my sponsor, BetterHelp Online Therapy.  Speak with an online therapist. Or check out content about eating disorders from BetterHelp.

Next time you’re shopping on Amazon, be sure to stop by my link, amazon.com/shop/beautybeyondbones first! Doing so is absolutely FREE for you, and a great way to support this blog! (When you stop by my link first, whatever you get on Amazon will give this blog a little kickback :))

My favorite item someone purchased last week was a Three-Toed Sloth Stuffed Animal! So if that was you…THANK YOU! 🙂

patreon

For Podcast versions of my posts, please check out Patreon! You make this blog possible 🙂

***NEW!! For outfit details, you can check out my LIKE.TO.KNOW.IT page or follow me in the Liketoknow.it App!

 

Published by

Unknown's avatar

beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

183 thoughts on “The Go-Between’ers”

  2. This is beautiful. Just beautiful.

    I miss the world I grew up in But it’s gone, and so we must fight for the world we believe in. With everything we have.

    As a New York boy who knew the Towers for all the many possibilities they enlisted, I love this post that much more. We sing to find the beauty, we fight to find the song. And this here post of yours allowed me the sanctity. So thank you.

    Peace

    Like

  5. Just wanted to say thank you so much for your support. You’ve been there since the beginning of my journey and I so appreciate your support and friendship 🙂

    Like

  6. Great post, well said! God bless you for proclaiming your faith with the ash cross, I’m sure it was a witness to many. I tend (probably wrongly) to think of New York as a very godless place (from what I’ve read/ seen) so I was actually more surprised to hear you did that than I was to see christians sporting “Jesus saves” T shirts in communist China lol!
    Regarding the shootings, there are many angles, but I think one has to be, when you ban God from schools one can’t turn around and say “how come this happenned God?” If you don’t recieve the truth you get strong delusion. When you take God out of the picture and replace him with evolution with its ideology of survival of the fittest, which spawned eugenics and fascism. add in violent media etc. this is the fruit.
    I do believe gun control is part of the issue and thorough screening should be put in place, but it’s more complex than it seems at first glance. I understand people are afriad of the transition phrase. They want to defend themselves in a violent society, it’s different here in the UK where we’ve always had strict gun laws and our police, God bless them, choose not to carry guns etc. Though terrorist attacks are prevelent everywhere only in the USA do we find frequent school attacks etc. perhaps because in most non communitist countries prayer is a daily occurence?

    Like

    1. Hi Claire, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. lots of powerful nuggets of truth here. you’re right – it is a very complex issue that is tied to strong emotions on all sides of the issue. glad you stopped by. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  7. I’m a young high school teacher and watching the news about Florida saddened my heart. We are fighting a spiritual warfare.

    Like

  8. I’ve recently had eye surgery so please forgive any spelling errors (at least now I have an excuse!). You’re right… where ARE all the Christians? Where are the people who claim to believe in Christ? Where is the humility, the discipline, the sanctity of life? How can a society that has allowed movies and games about death think the darkness can be contained in one spot? Even my own mother, a professed Christian, does not believe prayers needs to be allowed back into schools. What? People are being taught that any life that stands in your way of what you want is expendable or, at the very least, able to be trampled upon in order so that you can do what you want. That’s how animal rights activists feel it is ok to scream for the deaths of people while protecting animals. That is how, people who call for the death of the president and hold up a fabrication of his severed head remain out of prison. That is how people justify living together before marriage. Abstinence is ‘old fashioned’ traditions are lame, people are usable and toss-able. Unforgiveness is now seen as noble… a badge of honor. If you forgive, abstain, act in a humble manner or chose to serve others and put them ahead of yourself, you are considered a moron and a door mat. People say, ‘sorry you got offended’ instead of, ‘I’m so sorry I offended you. I was out of line’. No body admits fault anymore, takes responsibility or repents (apologizes for their, or their child’s actions. I’m ready to go be a hermit in the desert now, please.

    Like

    1. Hi Melissa! Keeping you in my prayers after your surgery! I hope you have a speedy recovery. Lots of powerful food for thought here, thank you. Yeah there’s a lot of backwardness in society that is seen as gospel. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  10. The Old Testament Book of Job addresses this question beautifully, but not the way most people think. I was part of a sermon series on this last Lent. Out of that came the devotional book I Know That My Redeemer Lives. (Order a copy at http://www.truemen.org/books ).
    By the way, I had ashes on my forehead all day as well!

    Like

  13. Thank you for your post. I admire your journey and your honesty. I believe a Major problem with Christians is they tend to be very apathetic. I disagree with your statements about this world is not our home and Christians do not feel at home here. Apathy of what happens on earth is a direct side effect of being so heavenly minded. The reality is planet earth is our home, and we should live out that reality every day instead of daydreaming about heaven and wishing to be out of earth (I know plenty people like that). To use a metaphor, if where I live isn’t my home, then why would I be motivated to pull weeds or fix a broken fence? You as a Christian seem to be doing a good job at making this world a better place, but I’d say the same cannot be said for quite a few other Christians.

    Like

    1. thank you Andrew. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this. You’re absolutely right – i don’t think we should be daydreaming about Heaven either. I just meant that we need to keep in perspective that our ultimate goal is to live a life that points to our Maker. I like to think of it as our life being a marathon, and Heaven is the ultimate finish line. The goal, if you will. So therefore, everything we do in life – including taking care of the earth, and loving people, and “pulling weeds” and whatnot – is with that perspective. 🙂 Hope that clears things up! thanks again for stopping by! big big hugs to you x

      Like

  15. Hugs!! This tragedy is another example of the need for gun control, and also addressing mental health. I agree, military assault weapons should not be accessible. But, what is being done to help people who like this killer, are left to fall through the cracks of society? So many of these mass killers, be it schools, be it movie theaters, be it wherever, have had things snap that really needed some help earlier. Yes, we need to do our best with every person we see every day. We need to be God’s instrument of His channel of peace. Love and hugs xoxoxoxo

    Like

    1. thank you so much for joining the dialogue and sharing your thoughts on this, Mighueltio. Such a tragedy – so so sad. amen – His instruments of peace. I love that. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  16. Your post touches on interesting ideas. As much as we today wrestle with how a loving God could allow children could be murdered, consider what the people of a couple of generations ago were confronted with when millions of children were murdered by a totalitarian regime, often in heinous fashions. Or how a loving God could allow such atrocities as the Rwandan genocide, the Killing Fields of Cambodia, Stalin’s Gulags, etc. The list is a long and depressing one. And it is, as you correctly point out, because He gave us Free Will. Some use it well, some use it poorly and some use it for evil.

    Without Free Will we would, I suppose, be nothing more than wind-up toys, going through preordained motions. And that would not be much of a life. We will never be able to create a heaven on Earth because that would remove the purpose of heaven itself. And if we could create heaven on Earth, what incentive would we have to strive to be more Christ-like in our actions? Besides, I personally believe that heaven, the real heaven, is far beyond what we can comprehend.

    Thank you for a thought-provoking post, for not pointing fingers and for issuing a non-partisan call to action.

    Like

    1. thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. what a powerful perspective. very true – I think Heaven is going to be absolutely incredible and beyond our wildest dreams!! big hugs to you xox

      Like

  18. Read and reread your post. When I hear the question, where was God in a time of trouble, Mark 5:45 comes to mind:

    “…That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust…”

    You are right Cara, we live in a fallen world, bad happens to the innocent, good happens to the guilty, and vice versa.

    We need to remember the Proverbs 8:36:

    “…But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death…”

    All that hate God love death. Whomever it is, from rulers to common thieves or murderers, I think fall into the hating God group.

    Living in a world corrupted by sin, with ourselves having a sin nature, its not hard to see why these events occur. I’m not cold to the loss, pain, or suffering, but it doesn’t surprise me.
    These types of senseless killings have gone on since before the flood. In every war in every age, today in Iraq and across the muslim and non-muslim world, people are continuing to hate God and thereby loving death, continuing to fill either heaven or hell’s gates.

    My thoughts, when these things happen is how many were believers? How many Pastors or Priests failed reaching those lost in a senseless murder? Their body may be dead, but now those killed have crossed through that veil into eternity. Lives may be lost, but souls are the prize, in my mind I think often about who was if anyone, were guiding those lost, in spiritual matters.

    Gotta git, love your article.

    Like

    1. Thank you Mr. Smiff. I’m so glad this resonated with you. What a telling scripture verse. Thank you for this powerful food for thought. Hugs and love xox

      Like

      1. Definitely resonated.

        Most every article of yours I’ve read has overtures & applications that can reach far beyond the inferred target.

        You write about the loss of some of your childhood, yet you’re showing wisdom beyond your years gained from the loss, hardships, and personal struggles.

        Your love, humility, and honor of the Father, Son, and Spirit continually show forth without shame.
        Your sense of dignity and personal integrity, consistent with their proper use, echoes across your blog…. really shines bright in your v-card article. 😉

        And yes Caralynn, God is still working with your clay, but He is using your hands (heart, mind, & love) to mold others.

        God bless

        Like

  20. I’m with you on this! Let us let our light shine towards those in the darkness! My prayers and thoughts are ever with the families of Florida. God bless you and keep your family safe in Jesus Name! 🙏💕✨xxoo

    Like

  21. This is the point most of us are missing. You’re hitting the nail on the head. If God’s people really lived the way God has called us to live, I believe we would be amazed at the difference in the earth. So much of this stuff we want to blame on God, is really a reflection of our own condition. God has challenged us and empowered us to live a very special kind of love known as agape. He even came here himself, taught us and showed us what it looks like. It bears a strange resemblance to a cross. Like it or not, we are to blame for a lot of the pain happening in our day. This earth is our chance to prove we are truly the Bride of the Lamb, or not. And it is a spiritual warfare. A warfare we have been called to. A battle only the Bride is equipped to fight. I was reading an early church father the other day, I believe it was Justin Martyr. He was talking about how demons are behind murders and killings because they desire human sacrifices. I never thought of tragedies like this having a root cause of demons manipulating a human to give them human sacrifice. I found myself asking, do they do this because it somehow makes them stronger? Or is the fact they are able to do this, a sign to us that they are already growing stronger by some other means? Personally, I think the later is the answer. I know this is hard to think about, but I would rather think about such hard things and possibly prevent the real pain of doing nothing, and then trying to blame God. When we cross to that other side, only truth will stand. All lies, rationalizations, and excuses will have fled like darkness before light. I hope people take to heart what you said in this article. I hope my words prove to “amen” your point. I know it’s a lot to think about.

    Like

    1. Thank you so much for your powerful thoughts on this. Agape love – yes!! Truly the best kind. Thank you for your encouragement. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  22. The World’s Bible

    We are the only Bible the careless world will read,

    We are the sinner’s Gospel; we are the scoffer’s creed.

    We are the Lord’s last message given in deed and word,

    What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

    What if your hands are busy with other work than His?

    What if your feet are walking where sin’s allurement is?

    What if our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?

    How can we hope to help Him and hasten His return?

    To hasten our Lord’s return we truly need more power.

    So let us all be Spirit filled and awaiting Him each hour.

    In an hour that we think not, He said He should appear.

    Then let us walk in Holiness and meet Him with a cheer.

    • Part of a poem by Annie Johnson Flint

    Like

Leave a reply to Dept. of Alternative Facts: Sin and Cynicism | hermitsdoor Cancel reply