The Fractured Saint Project®

I have thought long and hard about how to write this blog and I figured the best way to do it is to just speak my mind and my heart and let the cards fall where they may. Recently, in the Atlanta area, there was a video on the news of a gay man being jumped and severely beaten by 8 men, yes I said 8 men. The worst part is that 2 of them stood aside, filmed it, and put it on the internet for the world to see. This has both sickened and enraged me to the point that it has taken me a week to simmer down enough to write this. Far too many times lately have I seen gays being beaten, maligned, mentally and emotionally eviscerated to the point that they either withdraw from society or worse yet, commit suicide. This must stop. I use the gays as a primary example because they seem to be incurring the majority of the hatred and abuse. It’s not just against gays, but against everyone. Bullying of any kind cannot and must not be tolerated. Nobody has the right to lay a hand on anyone whether they be gay, straight, white, black, yellow, purple, or otherwise. If I sound like it maybe  a little personal to me, it is…very much so. I was bullied most of my youth simply because I was an above average artist and very smart. I know what it feels like to dread leaving the house because of the bullies. It continued on for several years, at least until I outgrew the bullies and never allowed it to happen again. Bullying leaves two potential outcomes. First, the victims grow up and out of it and become productive members of society or they turn their rage and pain inward, let it build, and then explode and kill as many people around them as possible, which was the case at Columbine a few years back. I was lucky enough to be part of the first example because my father was in the Air Force.  I was able to move and start over again. Others are not so lucky.  The fight against bullying must first begin at home. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend in this country where the epidemic of abuse is festered and nurtured by the parents who are supposed to be teaching their children to be tolerant of those who are a little different than they are.  I have watched many videos on YouTube on the subject and have found more times than not, the physical and verbal and spiritual assaults are usually hidden behind some kind of religious bias. I am sad to say that I have seen so much of this kind of abuse coming from my fellow Christians, or at least those that hide behind the name of Christ to justify hatred and to my dismay, this behavior is learned and put into practice by their children. Since when did Jesus verbally assault or malign anyone?  Since when have we ever been given the right to make anyone feel less than loved?  There are far too many people who are destroyed in mind, body, and spirit for things that they can do nothing about. What sin is so much greater than another that gives people the right to think that they can hurt another human being?  There is none. I have seen far too many news heading of kids taking their own lives or the lives of others because they can’t see any other way out. I have seen far too many stories of kids killing themselves because they think that nobody loves them or they are not good enough. I have seen far too many stories of churches turning their back on homosexuals simply because of who they love. Jesus loves them all. It will never stop until my fellow Christians  teach their children that Jesus paid for ALL sin equally and that we need to love one another. Maybe that is too much to ask amongst such a flawed and arrogant people. I will not allow this organization to stand for anything other than love and tolerance. TFSP® stands for rebuilding lives, rebuilding hearts, rebuilding minds, bodies, and souls. If you are one of the ones that are being bullied or abused I say to you hold on. Please, for the love of God hold on. You are worth something. You are special. You are loved. Jesus loves you and says you do not have to be good enough. He will be good enough for you. Trust Him. I promise you that is you can do that, the things that you endure now will not compare to what He has waiting for you if you will simply trust on Him. I will leave you with one of the most relevant passages in all of scripture for me:

 For we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; Cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body. For we which live are alway  delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction , which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight in glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2Corinthians 4: 8-18 KJV                                                                                                                                          

I hope this can serve to inspire and bless you.  –Mike

Please Hold on. It will get better.

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