Dallas police officer charged with manslaughter

Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger was charged last night with manslaughter in a tragedy that has gripped our city. Botham Jean, a twenty-six-year-old Dallas resident, was killed when Guyger entered his apartment, apparently by mistake, and shot him.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said that Jean’s death meant the loss of “a potential leader for this city for years to come.” Jean worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers in downtown Dallas and led worship in his church.

In other news, five people were wounded in a Tennessee nightclub shooting early this morning. Seven people were injured in a knife attack in Paris last night. An Australian man has been charged with murdering his three young daughters, their mother, and their grandmother.

And the National Hurricane Center announced this morning that Hurricane Florence poses “an increasing risk of life-threatening impacts” to the East Coast. South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia have already declared a state of emergency.

Are you “almost anxious”?

For those of us who follow the news, it’s not surprising that more Americans than ever before are stressed, depressed, and anxiety-ridden. Nearly forty million Americans experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the US.

Some people struggle with anxiety on a level that becomes a barrier to their enjoyment of life, a condition known as being “almost anxious.” Others struggle with more serious issues that develop into debilitating anxiety disorders. Such people need to seek the help of medical and counseling professionals.

For all of us, however, anxiety is an ever-increasing problem. What does God’s word say to those who are anxious today?

Take control of your thoughts

Dr. Luana Marques, writing for the Harvard Medical School’s Health Blog, advises: “If you find yourself thinking, ‘I can’t do this,’ ‘I’ll never get this assignment done,’ or a…