Because I Love You

P eace   I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid! I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer; I have overcome this world! -         Who has the audacity to say that? The audacity to believe they can overcome the World and believe they have already done so?  -         Who has the boldness to love others so much, to die for them AND give them peace; their peace?  -         Who says that? Who believes that? Who can do that? – JESUS THE CHRIST! The audacity of LOVE in a hateful World The audacity of PEACE in a troubled World The audacity of HOPE in you,  that you will believe and ask for whatever you want, whatever you need. Jesus said, “Ask in my name, and you will receive it, and your JOY will be complete.” Who wants JOY this holid...

“Don’t take candy from strangers.” “Don’t accept rides from strange men.” “Company is not allowed in the house when your parents are not home.” These were some of the golden-rules-of-protection my parents taught me growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s in Cleveland Ohio. My parents tried to protect me from predators by teaching me these rules; however, predator methods of persuasion continue to evolve. Appealing to empathy, providing encouragement from a trusted source and access to easy rewards were the tactics used on me. Fortunately these attempts didn’t work, but not because I was aware of what was happening. We need more training to protect our most vulnerable citizens and immigrants. This is my story of an attempted kidnapping when I was 17 years old. It was a midsummer day in 1981, I was living in a quaint Cleveland suburb, Maple Heights, population 29,000 in the 1980’s. I stopped for gas at a small station near the center of town on Lee Road nestled between Broadway and Libby Roads...