Sandy Hook

I, like many of you, watched and cried with that guttural cry that comes from a place of shock and horror.

I, like many of you, ran to my children, ran to my kindergartener, first grader, fourth grader, all elementary age, and breathed in the sweet smell of their skin.

I, like many of you, thought of my niece who is in kindergarten, my baby cousins and endless friends who fill the school size chairs around the nation. Then I thought of my brothers, my father in law, my uncles, my  cousins, and my many friends, who walk the halls of these schools as brave employees. And there is not a single question in my mind that they too would have done whatever it took to protect the children; even giving their lives.

I, like many of you, delicately sat down with Mark to explain to our children in an age appropriate way, the evil that took place in CT. Because Littlejohn's don't keep secrets. We answered even the hard questions that they came up with like, "Will this ever happen again?" and while there was a pull to just comfort and tell our kids that, "No, this will never happen again," that would be false hope. And in the Littlejohn house we comfort with things that we know are true.

The truth:
 Regardless, of the petitions and facebook statuses full of hock-a-ma-loogie, God in fact has not turned His back on the public schools. That goes against everything we know about His character. He promises throughout all of scripture that He will NEVER leave those who call on His name.  Over and over again kings, pharaohs, judges, rulers, inflicted way more "anti-God" establishments than our government has in the public schools, and God was there. Noah was found to be the only righteous one in a whole nation full of anti-God movements, but God was with Him. He was with Moses when the anti-God movement was chasing him with a malicious desire to destroy him. He was with Joseph when he was lived in and among the most anti-God people of his time. Rahab was the only woman in a town that had turned their backs on God, and He was with her. You can not open the word of God without coming across an entire book of the God who is there!

We are foolish to blame our government for kicking God out of schools, because let me tell you something, my God is kicked out by NO ONE! He is in all, above all, through all, sustaining all, redeeming all, refining all, overseeing all, and He is present regardless of the spiritual climate of a cultural.

On Friday, November 14th, God was in Sandy Hook Elementary School!

Many of you might ask, "Why didn't He do something if He was there?" And therein lies the mystery of the entire Christian journey. And the only way to begin to wrap your brain around the answer is to dig, and dig, and dig into the person of Jesus Christ. And after nearly 25 years of digging and pursuing the love of my life, I see Him....everywhere. I see His touch, His love, His care, His precise and intimate adoration of His children in the beautiful circumstances and yes, even clearer in the horrific circumstances. We are never promised a pain free life. We are never promised a life without immense hardship and struggle. We are promised something even more divine, even more life changing, we are promised the omniscient presence of the Creator of the Universe, Abba, Emmanuel, King of Kings, The Good Shepherd, Father, The Newborn King and Savior.

I, unlike most of you, did not have to send my kids to a traditional school today. But I woke up holding my breath and praying for you. Praying that He would be with you as you released their tiny (or large) hands and hearts into a building that you could not set up vigil at and protect around the clock (although, I am pretty sure my dad looked into it :) I cried as I envisioned them walking away from you, Hello Kitty back packs larger than their bodies in place, showing more bravery and courage than you and I could every muster up. And I envisioned a little, red, honda civic pulling into a staff parking spot and I wept.

I, unlike many mothers and fathers in Connecticut, have the blessing of watching my children extra closely today as we walk through our routine. I will take many more mental pictures than I usually do and hopefully the annoying will be less annoying today as I soak them up. ;)

God, unlike us, is perfectly in control. He is not pacing the floors of heaven wondering what to do now. He is oh so majestically sovereign as He rules and reigns. His heart beats wildly for His creation. And just like nearly 2,000 years ago when He came to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free, He comes today inspiring the exact same kind of hope.

To the God who is there!

~Sara