Gracious Heavenly Father I come to you in
prayer again, this time with a different
request.
During my years of service you have watched
over me, guided me, and protected me from harm.
In my early years as a cop, you protected me
from my stupid self and some immature ways.
You guided me into my career, opening
opportunities, nudging me along, letting me
make mistakes from which to learn. Eventually,
I understood that as long I followed your plans
and not only mine, things would work out for
the best.
Lord now I face another mountain and my
emotions are running high. The road ahead of
me is not clear as I am about to venture into a
life I have never known. Like many other
senior cops I have talked a lot about
retirement as if it were the ultimate goal in
life; but now I am not so sure. I put on a
good act as if I am so glad to have reached
this stage of my career but inside I feel very
strange and unsure of this next step. This
Lord is where once again I am asking for your
guidance and the strength to put it in your
hands.
Over the past years the only life I have known
is law enforcement. I have carried a gun, a
badge, had authority over others, was on the
front line of excitement, saw birth, saw death,
saw poverty, and witnessed every emotion a
human can display. Lord for the most part I
lost my ability to cry at the site of horrible
things. I have put my heart and soul into my
chosen profession, mostly without regret; now
the thought of stepping away to another life is
frightening.
Lord as I look back I can clearly see that you
have never failed me and my faith in you tells
me that you never will. As I enter this new
and different phase of my life I will be asking
for your guidance to help me revert to a more
normal life; one which I can more openly
express my feelings; one where I can shed a few
tears if need be; one that I come to realize
that I don’t have to fix all of society’s ills;
and one that sincerely appreciates the status
which I have earned. Most of all Lord I thank
you for having my back over the years and now.
Lord, as you watch over those who remain in law
enforcement, keep them safe and give them the
spiritual tools they will so much need to be a
great enforcer of the law. AMEN
©Kent Fletcher
July 13, 2018
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kent Fletcher retired as Deputy Chief of the Durham NC
Police Dept. He served with that department for 301/2 years. He is a graduate
of the 162nd session of the FBI National Academy and has an AA and BS degree in
Justice Administration from Guilford College. Writing short stories and poetry
has become a part-time hobby. He can be reached at
hkfletcher@nc.rr.com
