Defenders For Children

By Bruce Brady

We have a local organization called “Defenders for Children” that is fighting to end child abuse in the Greenville, SC area and beyond. I’ve joined this group because I believe children are God’s most precious gift to us and we need to protect them. This can only be accomplished by each of us doing whatever we can to prevent their being harmed, and helping abusers to deal with their issues in a healthy way. Take a look at your community and see what you can do to help put an end to the death of children at the hands of angry and misguided parents and other adults.

As Christians, it’s our collective responsibility to help raise all children. Not just those who are born into our families or are members of our church, but all children. We are called to live lives that set Godly examples for all children to follow. Pray that God will show us how to do our part and that we’ll be obedient to His call. Let’s live our lives as if everything we do is teaching children how to live, because they’re watching.

God bless the children and God bless you. Please watch this BBC News video and share your comments with me and all your friends.

 

America's child death shame

www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC investigates the scale of child abuse in the US.

Unforeseen Paths

by Bruce Brady

After three months of no response, I assumed the idea was dead. Less than two weeks ago, I was completely surprised when I received a request for the article I’d pitched five months earlier. This request came from an editor I didn’t know; who received my proposal from the woman I originally pitched. Even more astonishing is the fact that this editor couldn’t us my article in her publication. She wanted it to pass on to another editor at a different publication; an editor who isn’t accepting unsolicited articles.

In my soul-searching since attending a writer’s conference last May, I realized I’m most interested in writing fiction. I truly believed that God was calling me to write a novel. After not hearing back on my article proposal, I took that as a sign of confirmation. So I laid aside any thoughts of writing nonfiction and began work on my novel.

Confusion was mixed with elation when I received the request. This editor was offering an opportunity that I’ve been told by many never happens. This wonderful editor was taking a big chance on an unknown writer. With nothing to go on but my written proposal, she is risking her professional reputation by promoting my article to a colleague. In worldly terms, she and the first editor have nothing to gain and stand to lose a great deal of credibility if the third editor doesn’t like my work.

 

Whether or not my article is accepted isn’t the issue. The real issue here is the fact that both of these women are answering their calls and doing a great job of it. God told them to give someone a chance and their making every effort to turn that chance into success. They’re not only answering their calls, they’re going the extra mile by going way beyond the boundaries of their job responsibilities. But they understand for whom they really work. I pray that I will be just as obedient in answering my call. I’m sure God is proud of them, and I will never forget them.