To the coward that broke into my house and robbed me yesterday: You don't know me, and I don't know you. You should be thankful for that. Yesterday, my little girl was in the emergency room with an IV coming out of her dainty little perfect hand. She had fever over 105, and she was not doing well. After 5-1/2 hours of sitting in that little cramped room, we were able to come home and try to get ready for the new week. You were in such a hurry when you left that I was not able to fill you in on her progress. She is doing much better. My littlest boy is now sick, but we have meds that will help him.

I wish that I would have come in a few minutes earlier, because I would have been able to catch you in the act of violating me. FYI - you would have not been as happy about this. All in all, it is a good thing - both for me and for you. I know that what I would have done would have haunted me for the rest of my life. I hope that the cops were wrong. They said that you would probably come back to finish the job that you started. The most dangerous thing that you took with you is my anger. Please stay away and allow God to take that anger from you.

Know that I am praying for you - as hard as that is to admit. My hatred for you is only human, and God is stronger than that. For that, I am truly thankful. I know that the attacker that is behind what you did is satan. I know that you are only a pawn that was used against me. Satan is the true coward, and he will not succeed. God is much more powerful than anything that can come against me. I just want you to know that God can save you from yourself, just like He saved me.

It is unfortunate for us that you robbed us on the evening before my wife's 30th birthday. It was terrible to know that the very little bit of money that I could have spent on her would now have to be spent repairing the few things that you broke. It was spiritually devastating that we had to spend our day in the emergency room, and our night thinking about your intrusion into our life. You didn't know our circumstance, and you can't be held responsible for that.

You had no idea that we have had to spend money that we didn't have in the last few weeks to get our car repaired. You didn't see the anguish on my face as I took a job that forced me into a pay cut so that I could spend quality time with my family. The roar of silent pain that flooded my heart when my wife had to start working evenings to help pay the bills was not heard by you. You aren't in the grocery store to help us find comfort when the food prices go through the roof. You don't hear the turmoil in my soul when I try to find little glimpses of light despite the gloomy picture that seems so immense right now.

The beautiful thing is that I don't have to live in the "right now." I live in the hope of a brighter future. The things that you stole were priceless to me and my family. The jewelry and other items that you took from my wife will not ever be replaced because I cannot replace time and memories. What we have that you could not take is what holds our heads up now. Salvation through Jesus is a gift that knows no bounds. It guarantees that we will be provided for. It proves the test of time, and it lives in a place where moths and thieves cannot touch it. I hope that you experience this salvation soon. Life gets much too short in your profession.

To all that read this post: please pray for me and my family. We are being tempered in the furnace of fortitude, and we are at the melting point. Most people that I have spoken to say "well, at least you have your health." The truth is that our health is in question as well. I am fighting strep throat, my little girl was hooked to IV's for most of the day yesterday, my smallest is fighting strep right now, and my oldest will catch it before the week is done. I know that the darkest part of the night is right before the dawn, and that is the only thing that is keeping me from doing anything foolish. Please pray that the sunrise comes soon.