On Sunday, a gunman by the name of Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire inside the first Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas around 11:15 a.m. during Sunday service. Within that attack, at least 26 people was confirmed killed, with even more injured. The victims’ ages ranged from age 5 to over 70, with each victim’s injury came as a direct result of gunfire, suffering from wounds. As the situation hits home in the coming days, investigations will continue to be conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI in order to arrive to the root cause of this incident.

The main spotlight was not shown on the killer himself, but rather his age; a testament of the times that brings newfound internal and external conflicts that continues to plague our younger individuals.

A kid that seemed to have a solid foundation, Kelley served as an U.S. Air Force member from 2010 to 2014, yet this incident has people wondering what’s really becoming of the world as of late. This has also occurred a little over a month after the infamous Vegas concert shooting, which left about 58 people dead and over 500 people injured. In the end, the gunmen of both of these incidents are now dead, and the world loses more kindhearted individuals.

Devin Kelley succumbed to his injuries after he was shot during a car chase which happened after a citizen who was armed at the time wrestled with the gunman. Just like the shooting of Steve Scalise, and armed individual proved to be the difference maker, possibly saving the whole church from being completely wiped out.

This has been an ongoing trend in the world now, and the situation will only get worse as we progress through the year 2017. Too many souls are being lost to unthinkable crimes that are just too complex to dive into. People are literally sacrificing their lives as a result of drugs, loss of wealth, poverty, and lack of hope. Kids are growing up in destructive households, learning that the true essence of life has become overshadowed with hatred, bigotry, and the fight to sustain wealth in the United States. My mother always told me that you are what you eat, and the same applies to your outlook on life.

So I don’t want you to turn your back on the gunman, but rather understand that he, as well as others became a product of the world’s everyday negative consumption.

We live our lives ignoring the signs, and not placing enough care in the individual, opting to be more selfish in our ways and inconsiderate of other’s feelings. I am in no way approving the unfortunate events that took place, I am just bringing awareness to the situation our world is in. We are crumbling from the inside out, and we don’t need an international threat to see the underlying problems that we face in our hometown. If we are the land of the free and home of the brave, then we should put more attention into the lives of all people, not just “your people”.

Stay focused with me here, this goes deeper than maturity, self-awareness, and charity donations. In some way, we all need help. It is only our fears that hold us back from seeking true guidance, allowing us to be consumed into the darkness that awaits us outside our doors. I’m not preaching, I’m just telling you the truth. Like I say all the time, the truth is not meant for you to be comfortable; it’s meant for you to be pure.

The truth is, there always comes a time where we make a choice in life; we can recreate a better world. Save your own lives, by saving someone else’s. Know who you are and let God lead your path, because love is contagious, but it is also the only disease that can be cured and replaced with another disease… hatred.