Over the weekend as I stood and looked at the Ocean- I saw the beauty and the danger. 

As I walked along the rocks and the sand, and the waves, I saw two memorials placed for two local(to my town) teenagers who had died, by being swept out by sneaker waves. 

They were good kids. Boys. Swept out and killed within minutes- just from standing on rocks near the ocean. They had their entire lives out in front of them. 

We were silent as we read the words dedicated to them. 

On Sunday, a mother was crossing the street with her three children and a driver blew through a red light and killed all three kids and left their mother in critical condition. 

Our entire community is stunned. Instantly lives are changed. Taken. They were just crossing the street. They had their entire lives in front of them. 

This morning dozens of Christians were kidnapped in Syria and taken prisoner of ISIS. Last week ISIS executed 21 “crusaders of the cross” in Egypt. And aired it. Lives in front of them- now being tortured for what they believe. Dying for the Cross. 

This. This is happening. This is real. 

I usually steer myself away from this stuff because it’s so heavy. I’m so affected. It hits my heart and makes me hurt. 

But. But this is happening. This is real. 

People are mourning their boys swept away, and their death is a reminder of that. The memorial talks about the treacherous Ocean and its dangers…beyond the shallow. 

Families are stunned as a Mother lays in critical condition and I wonder if she knows her children are gone. Would I want to know? Would I want to go on without them? This is deep huge and completely relevant to the pain of real life…beyond the shallow. 

People are being ripped from their homes, and executed because their beliefs. This group of terrorists is making a big statement. And here we sit at home and make our Costco runs, and watch Netflix, with a divisive President and news channels that should be outraged! We should be outraged… Beyond the shallow the water is getting deeper. 

What I see…

The Nation is so divided. And we as families have never been more disconnected. We choose faith like a salad bar. And we raise kids to be wishy washy. Church’s are hungry and not being fed. We don’t want to offend- so we become cowards.

And a battle has begun. 

This is beyond the shallow…this will hit home. Not if, when…it will. 

Last night I woke up terrified. Not anxious. But terrified because the weight of what I would have to write today terrified me. Because it’s not shallow or easy. It’s terrifying to say I am aware of a very big battle waging. It has been brewing for sometime- and we need to be ready.

So I wade deeper in the water of prayer. I douse myself in it and pray for protection to watch over me. I am done with the shallow water. This is dangerous and beautiful but I refuse to be lukewarm. I will go deeper.

I will love like I mean it. 

I will pray with intention. 

And I will live my life fully…not for likes on a post or for affirmation over a computer. I will write truth because I cannot be afraid that you won’t like me. Because speaking the truth is not supposed to be comfortable. 

I will fight back. For my children. For your children. For Eternity. 



I will be real. 

The water is getting deeper. Are you ready? 

Please pray for the victims of these tragedies and their families…May God bring protection on our families. 

And have mercy on us All.