i hear you.

This is a letter regarding my heart, spirit, and mind on BLM.

Our world is suffering, hurting, and changing.

As every American in our country, I have held an opinion on the turmoil our nation is facing, and looking back is not one I am proud of.

This morning, catching up on church services from The Rock Church in the Quad Cities, I was moved, to say the least.

My spirit was shaken, my mind challenged, and eyes opened.

God speaks about ONE body.

We are ONE body in Christ.

He envisions his creation living in harmony when his son Jesus returns.

As a devout Christian, and white female, I have been looking though a false lens.

One that saw this movement as chaotic and exaggerated.

I tell myself that I love people of color, in which I do, however, in the past, I have judged and made assumptions, but this is not where I have been falling short.

On behalf of the riots, I have been blind. I see them as a disturbance, and people fighting violence with violence, a rebuttal I do not condone.

During prayer, a statement was said that struck a chord in my heart.

"Riots are the words of the unheard hearts"

Wow.

Do I believe violence is the answer for change? No.

However, I see the motive for a completely different reason.

My attempt to see this situation as Jesus would is to see the hurt and ache of people who are oppressed. This is an outlet that shows years of oppression and pain, feelings I can not begin to understand.

Jesus gravitates and chooses the oppressed people, not the ones who are rich in their own efforts and prideful.

He chases after the hurting and wounded and heals them.

This brings me to my next point.

I personally have not enslaved black people.

I have not condemned black people.

And I have not hated black people.

But MY people have.

My pastor spoke on Generational Sin, and biblically we take ownership for the things our family has done, and repent on it.

Love is the origin of faith, and God is love.

He says, "Love your neighbor as YOURSELF"

He does not say, don't hate them, but instead to LOVE them. Go out of your way to invite, and get to know them.

Change comes when hearts change, and my heart has been changed.

I have infinite compassion and love for you.

My heart cry's for your pain.

You are my family, and my people.

You are my brothers and my sisters.

You are just as much Gods children as I am.

It is not my place to say I know, but is my place to make a change and fight for you.

As white people, we need to lay down our pride for humility, and ask God to break our hearts for what breaks his.

The Holy Spirit changes hearts, human beings do not.

My heart and eyes see you for Gods beautiful creation.

I pray for you and our nation to have a change in heart and mind.

I will continue to learn and support for your life as an equal to any other human being.

I write all of this with the best intention, and come from a place of love and remorse.

you are loved.

Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Autumn Olson