By Reba Phelps

“In a world full of hate be a light….” were the lyrics of the Christian song I was just listening to while preparing supper for my little family. The image shown above has been burned in my mind constantly since this happened. There is no light in this image. I cannot get over the lifeless look on George Floyd’s face and the effortless disregard for life on the other face.

I normally dedicate time to finishing my weekly “Blessed” article for the Winn Parish Journal on Thursday evenings, but my heart was just not in it. I couldn’t even focus on its completion thinking about how our country is hurting and how we are not living in equality.

Being raised by a preacher who visited every African American church in Natchitoches Parish with kids in tow (me and my siblings) and welcomed the very same preachers at his own church in Goldonna…..this image literally brought me to my knees. My dad was not a popular preacher in Goldonna during the late 80’s and early 90’s due to this decision but he showed his children what the love of the Lord looks like and how we were born to worship with all of our brothers and sisters. Not just the ones who had the same color of skin that we did. My dad and mom didn’t see color and that’s the way they raised their children.

This picture originally struck me because it was in black and white….if you scrolled quickly by you would almost believe it was taken during the violent and brutal days of the Civil Rights movement. Oh how I wish this was an archaic image of the way America used to be. Oh how it hurts me that we are still having brutality like this in 2020. Will we still be having these conversations with our grandchildren?

When does it stop? Please pray for our country. Pray without ceasing. I stand with my friends. I kneel to beg God to save our country.

#georgefloyd #icantbreathe

Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.