With the recent events that have happened in Dallas--I am heart broken. Most of you don’t know me, so I will tell you that I am the daughter of first responders. My dad and my step-dad, G-Daddy, are both firefighters. My dad is no longer an active member of the department (look for article that's coming out the week of August 14 for information as to why he's no longer active), but my G is.

My G works 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 48 off. However, he's never really off duty. He can be called to assist at any time. He has had to leave events because he is needed. I have grown up living life with them missing games, recitals, birthdays, holidays and even more. There are nights where G doesn’t get sleep when he’s on duty because of the amount of calls they receive. As soon as the tone goes off, they prepare to head out. Whether it be a medical call, a structure fire, grass fire or wreck, they will be there. They are ones who run in when everyone else runs out. They are ones who risk their life every day to save yours. Imagine if every time they left home you wondered if it would be the last time you saw them.

The recent attacks on police officers and first responders is heartbreaking.Why hurt those who are there to help and protect you? Now, don’t get me wrong--not every cop, firefighter and first responder is good. There will be bad apples in every job. However, the families of police officers and first responders not only have to worry about losing their loved one in the line of duty; now, they also have to worry about them being murdered while they help someone.

What happened in Dallas is uncalled for. Those officers were killed for no reason. Imagine being the family of those killed? They said their "goodbyes" and "I love yous" as their officer walked out the door only to later realize that that was the last time they would see them.

You shoot someone because you don’t like what happened somewhere else in the country? You target officers because of what happened somewhere else? I get it. You are angry, but you have no right to go kill five police officers and injury so many others. Life's not always fair. Violence does not need to be fought with violence, but with love. The Bible tells us to "love one another, just as He has loved us" (John 13:34).

I pray that God’s will for our country be done. We need Him now more than ever now. I pray for comfort for those who lost loved ones. I pray for peace for our country.

Lord, we need You.