According to Google, some variation of the phrase “do not be afraid” is mentioned in the Bible 365 times.
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful vacation to New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji that had been on our bucket list for our entire married life. It is eye-opening to get out of the country and discover how we are seen by others. We met people who said they do not really want to visit the United States because it is so dangerous. Considering our huge number of mass shootings, those new friends sadly have valid concerns.
The minister and leaders of the church I attend are so concerned about mass shootings in houses of worship that we have hired an off-duty police officer to patrol the church on Sunday mornings. When I mentioned this to a friend of mine who attends a different denomination, she said their church members do not have that concern because all their congregants are armed!
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to live in a society where one must be armed to attend church and go about daily lives.
These are challenging times, but I must remember that God is in charge. He sees the whole picture and has a plan to move beyond our current problems.
We need to be strong and courageous. We must do all we can not to let ourselves be overcome by fear.
Linda Rauenbuehler
POAMN Membership Chair
