Well I Do

Waupaca County Suicide Prevention Walk

"Crawling in my skin, these wounds, they will not heal. Fear is how I fall, confusing what is real." Powerful words that I reflected on this past Saturday as I, and 272 other people, went walking, together, to aid suicide prevention in Waupaca County.

Suicide has touched my life several times but not to the extent it has devastated the lives of others I know. Austin, Kameron & Bill, all gone too soon, left loved ones behind. Aching, mourning, forever scared by the loss of their loved ones. So, what do we do, we that remain? What CAN we do? Anything?

Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, offers us a clue in the chorus of the song One More Light.

Who cares if one more light goes out?
In a sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone's time runs out?
If a moment is all we are
We're quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out?
Well I do

Austin

We have to care. We have to be willing to actually DO something. We have to be willing to sacrifice some of our precious time when others in our lives are hurting.

A local church's elders once asked me what their youth pastor could do to bolster his declining numbers on Wednesday nights. "That's easy," I said. "You have to LOVE these kids. Not preach to them. LOVE them first, THEN talk." The same answer applies to ALL of the people in our lives. We have to love them. And they have to know it.

Kameron

Everyone needs to be loved. Who have you loved today? Who WILL you love today? God will provide someone for you to love. The question is, will you ?

We have to care "if one more light goes out." We have to! When we see a life flicker, quicker, we have to reach out a hand and let them know that we care.

34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

Loving each other is NOT a suggestion. It's not something we should be doing only when it's convenient for us. It's a command! According to God, we should be loving others with every breath we take.

Are you breathing?

Crawling - Linkin Park

One More Light - Linkin Park

Chester Bennington of Linkin Park

Waupaca County Suicide Prevention Coalition