I am amazed at how well the human body can heal itself. The wound above my left eye is returning to normal, leaving only a few bruises and a small, one-inch scar. After tripping and hitting my head on the fireplace last week, it seemed it would take forever for the bruising and cut to heal.
The same is true when we experience trauma to our emotions. This time last year, a young man came on our campus at New Life and took the lives of Stephanie and Rachel Works, injuring others before taking his own life. It was one of the darkest days we have ever experienced at New Life and it seemed we would never heal. The wound was just too deep and the bruises too intense. A year later, we still hurt and there are definitely scars that need constant attention and care, but, we are healing and it is a miracle. We have grieved, mourned and rallied around one another and it has made us stronger. The days and weeks ahead will get better and the pain will not always define us. There will be scars, but the scars will only serve to remind us of God’s healing in our lives.
December 10, 2008 at 9:37 am
This is my tribute to the shooting, written on December 13, 2008. I chose to focus on Jeanne Assam. I read it to my Small Group last night and they requested that I forward it to you. (I had previosly Emailed it to you but didn’t know, considering the number of Emails you probably recieve, whether you say it.
In Christ,
David Barrett
Monument Small Group Leader
A SUNDAY
IN DECEMBER
A father reached for a child. A mother cradled a baby. Friends laughed. Text messages flashed.
Cars rumbled to life as the sprawling New Life campus began to empty. The scattering of a multitude. A multitude of light. The hope of the world.
Then in an instant, a door opened to a terrible darkness. An eternal evil.
A young man. A rifle. A fiery hatred.
The unthinkable!
Boom! Boom! Boom! The coldest sound in the world.
Screams. Disbelief. The stench of smoke. The fall of the innocent.
“The shooter! He’s coming!” someone shouted from within the church. “Oh, God, it’s him!”
Exploding bullets. Flying glass. A deafening roar.
A security guard rushed forward. She was young. Small. Thin. A warrior so unlikely.
Fill me, Lord, she prayed. She turned toward the shooter and his arsenal of carnage.
“Surrender!” she shouted.
On he came. Spewing bullets and hate. His ears sealed by the emperor of deceit.
“Surrender!” she repeated.
He ignored her.
She fired once. Twice. Again. Her hand did not shake.
Down he went.
The rampage ended.
With a hand still steady, she lowered her gun. A testament of power. The power of God Almighty.
A witness for the ages.
On a Sunday in December.
December 11, 2008 at 6:39 pm
David your tribute is beautiful, and very powerful. Very well written.
Pastor Brady you are so right. The saying goes that time heals all wounds; I have found that to be true in my own life. I was pregnant with a baby girl last year, and sadly lost her when I was 7 months along. She had a rare heart condition and would not have lived more than a few days had she been born live. While my husband and I still miss our daughter to this day, the pain has eased somewhat. I finally allowed myself to grieve for my daughter only this past Mother’s Day. I actually dedicated my daughter to the Lord the same month she died, while I was still pregnant with her. I personally believe she is with Jesus, and I can’t imagine her in better hands.
Pastor Brady, thank you for all you have done for New Life Church. For the past year and a half you have helped our church family heal from all the tragedy that has happened. It is so wonderful to have a pastor that lives what he preaches, you are a great example of a true church leader. May God bless you for all you do.