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(Image courtesy of Charlestown Patch)

I've been praying a lot over the last few days. Most of it relating to Sandy Hook elementary. I am a person that feels called to inspire and encourage others and that is something I take very seriously. As I was asking God to help me to speak only of the good, to bring hope and encouragement at a time of such despair; no real light bulb went off in my head. I didn't have an answer or a revelation of any sort. What I do have is a grip on trying to refrain from replying to all of the negativity that is out there surrounding this matter. There is a lot of finger pointing and I know that deep down everyone is just grasping at anything that can to try to feel they have some control over a situation that was inexcusable and unexplainable. No one with a sliver of a soul could possibly understand what would possess someone to go into a place that is deemed safe and wreak unspeakable havoc on the innocent souls inside. I will say this, there is good where you seek it. This tragedy is no different. The women that literally laid down their lives to save children that were not even their own, the father who spoke out on behalf of forgiveness in honor of his sweet daughter who perished, the K-9 charity that traveled many miles to bring their dogs to comfort the community of Newtown Connecticut, the stories of faith and hope and the beautiful tributes like SNL's Silent Night that is bringing light and support to this tragedy. No one would have hoped for this to happen, but my faith is strengthened in humanity when I see what has transpired over the past few days. I urge all of you, those that are up in arms about laws that need to change, or those in the media who feel the need to cover this tragedy in a sensationalized way, to just take a step back, and look for God. He is there, He is with us, weeping alongside us as He knows America is hurting over this. A father of a Columbine victim spoke today, a woman in Aurora Colorado spoke about when the theater was shot up, these are people that have walked the same path as those that are hurting in Connecticut, they are offering wisdom in a situation that seems impossible that anyone could relate. There is light in the darkness, it is all around us and it's shining brighter each day. Hold on to that, don't let go and move forward as the days come, be the good in this world. We are all here for a purpose, those babies didn't have to die on Friday, it seems their lives were ripped away, it is up to us, all of the survivors to rise up and be better than we were before this horrible piece of history took place.