Start again with love

A yearning for innocence – that was the look in Sheriff Knezovich’s eyes as we talked and stood together watching the Freeman student body re-enter their school. Through a thousand-strong prayer tunnel of community support and applause, the students walked together to reclaim their school, united as one.

I pray: For these children, that they will experience “perfect love casts out all fear.” For the men and women with the badges and robes of state that they would exercise both justice and mercy on our behalf as they deal with a broken boy. For grace and love, an individual imperative, that we would let go of anger and give love even where it seems undeserved.

And I pray for what seems a distant land in time, where love proved in the sacrifices of grace will again give birth to forgiveness and the freedom from a weight of hurt and grief that none can bear. It is a long journey this quest and yearning for innocence. We start again with the beginning step and simply love – even as we are seeing in Freeman now.

Tim Christensen

Otis Orchards