Open letter of comfort to the people of Newtown, CT

Dear, dear victims,

                Please know your nation stands behind you.  You are not alone in your grief.  People all over America and perhaps the entire globe, have followed your story with hearts aching for your tragedy and eyes welling with tears. We feel the crushing weight of loss—that of young life and that of innocence—strongly and continuously.  You and your loved ones will not be easily forgotten and many of us pray that God will redeem your pain—that there will be good to come out of this. 

                We are crying out for steps to be taken to erase this kind of threat from ever happening again.  Though there is not agreement in our country as to what those measures should be, there is certainly a unison cry against the evil that has so impacted your town.   We hope you can be comforted in a small way by our collective support.

                As for the question of “why,” we may never know this side of Heaven what God’s divine purposes are, but I find personal solace in His Word that He “works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  This tragedy brings to mind the famous words of Joseph, spoken to his brothers who betrayed him:  “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)  We pray that God is taking what was meant to harm you and turning it around for good—He is working in the midst of all this.  He is a good God and He loves you.

                As a people, we feel the ache of your heart to the depths of our souls.  Parents, siblings, friends, and family--we can only imagine the unrelenting sorrow which threatens to overwhelm you.  We pray for a peace that passes all understanding to wash over you!  We pray for your brokenness to be made whole and your wounds to be healed.  We know this will take time, but we pray for a quickening in the healing process because we can’t fathom being in your place.  Remember that “God is near to the brokenhearted and He rescues those whose spirits are crushed!” (Psalm 34:18)  

                Jesus, who demonstrated His deep love for the little children, also called to us: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you.  Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

We pray for PEACE
through the anger, the fear, and the worries.  

We pray for COMFORT
to fill the hole left by grief.  

We pray for LIGHT
to shine through this penetrating darkness.  

We pray for RELIEF
from the weighty heaviness.  

We pray for HOPE
to overwhelm the despair.  

We pray for LOVE
to demonstrate its power over evil. 

We pray for REDEMPTION of the pain—
for BEAUTY to arise from the ashes.  

We pray BECAUSE
we know God’s ways are higher than ours, 
but we can trust that He is good and He loves us 
more than we can even understand. 

We pray you will be ABLE
to turn to Him for all these things.

He is eager to GIVE YOU
the peace, the comfort, the light, the relief, the hope, 
the love, the redemption, the beauty that is Him. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.

“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future!”

~ Jeremiah 29:11

Take heart.  You are not alone.  We are hurting with you.  

Grace and peace to you from the bottom of my heart.