My heart was breaking listening to the story on the radio - 45% of people surveyed by researchers out of Baylor University are said to describe God as "distant" or "critical", had I been reading this in person rather than listening to the radio there would have been tears wetting the newsprint pages.  While my father lays dying of a disease that we cannot cure there are people out in this world that would have you believe that God "did it" to him...I pray for the souls of those that see God in this light.  It pains me so to see my children growing up in a "god-less" world.  Whomever you pray to - whether it be a Christian, Islamic, Judaic or Hindu deity is not the point in this matter, the point is - why on Earth would you embrace a God that is critical or distant?  I am puzzled at the type of person that would have ties to a deity that was helmed by a critical or distant being? 

Christ is in all that I do.  He (thankfully and mercifully) is not critical or distant in any moment....do I distance myself or place critical judgements on my actions, behaviors and thoughts?  Of course I do, but it certainly isn't my God and Savior that is placing those barriers to salvation and redemption in my path.  I do that because I do lose sight of how mighty, powerful and amazing my God can be if I am courageous enough to trust in Him alone. 

Would you trust or love or fall humbled upon the feet of a distant or critical God?  Yes, we are judged.  But the forgiveness is mightier than any of our faults.  He has already died for me on that cross over 2000 years ago.  My sin has been paid.

I am praying for our country to feel the LOVE and GRACE of God.  We need to be sharing our message and showing the love of our God in who we are, in what we say and in what we do.  I am raising my children in a home that teaches them to honor and praise God in all that they do...perhaps we have come into a time in our culture where faith and steadfast commitment to a value or belief are counter cultural - however, that won't change how I will teach my children to respond to God, to their family, to each other, to friends, to strangers...

This makes me weary...