Casandra Martin

Another day of horror engulfed our nation. Another day of watching the news with hands over our mouths, tears running down our faces, and knees crumpled in prayer. Another day of having to explain to our children that evil is relentless, pain is real, and the only truly safe place is heaven.

While praying for the lives impacted by the bombings in Boston this week, don’t forget to pray for the hearts that were scarred by attacks closer to home. Somewhere in your neighborhood, a family is shattered by the news that their child committed suicide. Someone dropped a bombshell on their spouse this morning and walked out of their marriage. Someone is counting months instead of years after the doctor called, reporting that the test results weren’t good. A financial crisis threatens to bury another under an avalanche of debt and red ink. A boss brings in a pink slip. Someone waits for the phone that never rings.

The ripples of heartache spread out in a never-ending circle of grief. Hopelessness, despair, frustration, and devastation are more common than we often see. Lives lay in shambles, rocked by impossible circumstances, poor choices, or painful complacency. There are walking wounded everywhere we go. All we have to do is open our eyes and open our hearts.

My Jesus Resolution today is to stand up and step out. The good news coming out of this week’s attacks centers around the many people who risked their own safety to help people along the marathon trail. I don’t have to witness a terrorist attack to help someone in need. I can knock on a door, make a phone call, give a hug, say a prayer, or offer a shoulder to someone aching from the fall-out of their own personal life explosion. It probably won’t make the news, but to the person you help, you will be a hero.