All those reading who have been effected by the September 11, 2001 tradgedy, please read this letter as if it were addressed to you as well.
To the Students, Teachers, and Families of Columbine High School and to the town of Littleton and to the Wedgewood Baptist Church community in Fort Worth, Texas
and to all those who lost a loved one:
As a part of the body of Christ of Colorado Springs, I would like to say our hearts are with you.
As I drove into the city of Littleton on Friday, April 23rd, 1999 to attend a memorial service, I sensed Gods compassion for you - that His heart is turned toward you and that He wants to hold you in His arms. Then as I was going to put a praise and worship tape in my car stereo, I felt the Lord directing me to put a specific tape in . When I did, the song that was playing was "Arms of Love" and I felt that it was speaking prophetically about your city. (Dear Wedgewood Baptist Church community: God's heart is turned toward you also. Please take this for your healing too. )
The words are:
Arms of Love
I sing a simple song of love to my Savior,
To my Jesus,
Im grateful for the things youve done
My loving Savior, oh precious Jesus
My heart is glad that youve called me your own
Theres no place Id rather be ...
Than In your Arms of Love
In your Arms of Love
Holding me still
Holding me near
in your Arms of Love
Jesus, Jesus do you see us?
Jesus, Jesus do you see us?
All of our pain, all of our disappointments?
The Lord says, No longer do you need to feel lonely.
(He is with you in your pain and grieves with your heart.)
I'm coming to you now
No more, no more lonely
for I am coming to you now.
As Savior ...
You will be restored
As Healer ... As the Lord ...
Youll be saved, restored, healed
in the Name of the Lord...
You will be saved, restored, healed
All men shall say surely this is one of His
When man looks at you they will see you marked as His
you will stand out
Vineyard Music - (C) 1991 Vineyard Publishing Craig Musseau
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says:
" Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all Comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
It is for this reason that I write to you.
In 1997, I was in a van roll over accident in which two of my friends died. The five of us in the vehicle were all from the same church. It happened on our way home from a worship conference in South Carolina. I saw everything. One of my friends died in my arms. The Lord healed me and I want to share Gods healing with you. I wrote about the accident to show you in what way I can relate to your pain and the sights, the sounds, and the memories you may be having and tell you that Jesus heals. And I also wanted to write from the framework of my own experience so that you could see that healing works in real life.
The night in the hospital after the accident I was remembering the sights and the sounds over and over again, until God gave me an incredible peace and I could sleep. When something like this happens, God gives an incredible grace to you. He gives you the grace you need to get through it and to know He is with you. Later, in fact the next evening, on the way home from the hospital - He showed me that His love, the memories of the love between us in the van, and His love through us - could heal me from the memories of the sights and sounds of the accident - and they did! He has a tender heart toward you and He wants to do the same for you. I'm like everyone else, I've done a lot of wrong things in my life - He did it for me, He will do it for you. Thinking about being reunited with your friends after you got out of the school and the love between one another can help you heal. Also, remembering a time when you felt God protecting you, when you felt His love, or know that he was protecting you will help you heal.
The other things I saw and knew God used to heal were - love for one another in the body of Christ (the church), and healing and comforting scriptures. One of my friends who was in the van when her mother died said that the scriptures especially ministered to her. (I'll include a list of healing scriptures at the end of this letter. ) Also, at the church I went to in Littleton for a memorial on Friday, April 23rd, 1999, I saw God's healing love and healing in having love for one another. It was at Center Point Christian Outreach Center by Pierce and Ottawa.
For those of you who were at the school or have lost a loved one love one another through it. Don't let yourself be cut off or isolated from others. Thats where the healing is. The demonic influence that caused this tragedy to happen would like to be able to separate you from the love that would heal you - but God's love is stronger than anything the enemy can do!! Demons also like to accuse God for something they have done and influence you to think Hes responsible in order to separate you from His healing love.
Let Gods love heal you - it's already upon you. You can start by reading healing scriptures and letting them sink into your heart. (If you feel condemnation when you read- it's not from God so reject it.) Many of the Psalms are especially good for those struggling with painful emotions and they help you honestly express your feelings before the Lord. He is with you in your grieving. A prophetic word spoken by a minister and prophet, Kim Clement, was that the fire of God was in the eyes of this generation when we were born (paraphrase). That means God is our foundation in life! (Kim gave this prophetic word in Denver at the beginning of March 1999 - when he came to visit Discipleship Fellowship at Jason and 44th St. . )
To support people for those who have lost a loved one - don't avoid talking about it or avoid them because you don't know what to say or do. Tell them that you're there for them and willing to listen when they need to talk about it. Talk about the happy memories of their loved one. If you can, give a shoulder to cry on. Write encouraging notes to your friend - include encouraging and healing scriptures. And those of you who lost someone can also do this to help one another through it.
Let all the things that the devil meant for evil be defeated and see the love of God for you and in you prevail. His supernatural grace surrounds you.
If you would like to get a copy of "Arms of Love" , the complete version of the song is on Vineyard Musics "Winds of Worship 2" - which you can get at a Christian book store or order directly from Vineyard at 1-800-852-VINE.
Here is a list of some healing scriptures:
I Corinthians 15 (especially verses 53-58)
II Corinthians 4:14, 5:1,4,9
Isaiah 51:3, 10-12a, 15-16
Isaiah 66:12a, 13-14a
Isaiah 61
Psalm 55:22
Isaiah 35:1-2a,6b-7a,10
Psalm 29:11
Psalm 28:9
I Peter 5:7,10,12b
I Thessalonians 4:12-18
Psalm 121
Psalm 9:10
II Corinthians 3:18
Isaiah 30:19
Psalm 16:8
Isaiah 43:21
Psalm 38:9
The love of God:
Ephesians 3:17-20
Love one - another:
I John 4:7-8
In the body of Christ:
Ephesians 4:16
Romans 12:5
For a source of more healing scriptures see Multnomah Books " Comfort from God" - Scriptural Refreshment in Times of Need, ISB#1-57673-005-0.
I have a heart for your city - praying for your healing.
Love in Christ,
Nancy D. - Colorado Springs, Colorado
Healing for Littleton Web Site Address:
http://www.homestead.com/jesuslovescolumbine/site.html
or
www.jesuslovescolumbine.com
Please see the Hope page on this web site !
for all those effected by the tragedy.
2009 Columbine Anniversary Speech
Virginia Tech just had their 2nd anniversary since the tragedy there earlier this week so I would like to start by saying to the community of Virginia Tech: our love, our prayers and support are with you. We share this message of hope and healing with you.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says:
“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all Comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
That is the reason that I wanted to speak today. In December 2007, there was a shooting at my church.
The Columbine Memorial - A Message of Hope
I wanted to talk about some of the things that were written in stone in the new memorial because of their encouraging and inspirational message.
The first inscription on the way into the memorial written by a Columbine parent says, “I hope people come here to this place to think about how they themselves can be better people rather than come here to reflect on death”.
Another quote from a Columbine student read, “I think this caused people to strengthen rather than shake their faith in God”. And another stone read “Those of us who are people of faith in this community turned to God, found he was there and found he wasn’t silent”.
Like the first time I drove into Littleton on Friday, April 23rd, 1999 and I sensed Gods compassion for the community -and that He wanted to hold everyone who was hurting in the community in His arms to comfort and heal.
Another message reads, “We remember every parent who battled depression and grief, anger and sorrow; who battled the relentless task of waking up knowing their child would not come home. We remember every parent, every friend who spent countless hours in dozens of hospital rooms and bedside vigils in the slow and painful process of recovery. We remember our pain, we remember our sorrow, we remember our heroes. We remember those who in selfless acts of courage, who in sacrificial dedication risked all in the time of crisis and need.”
Heroes like Craig Scott and Amanda Stair who rescued Kasey Ruegsegger, with multiple gunshot wounds, from the library during the shooting. And Kasey, who, despite limitations from her injuries, later became a nurse. (If I remember the news story correctly, she works with cancer patients and loves making a difference in their lives.) Heroes like Patrick Ireland, Ann Marie Hochalter, Richard Costaldo, and so many others.
Let’s take a few moments to remember the loved ones lost here on April 20th, 1999.
Moments of Silence
Reading of the names
Cassie Bernall
Steven Curnow
Corey DePooter
Kelly Fleming
Matthew Kechter
Daniel Mauser
Daniel Rohrbough
Dave Sanders
Rachel Scott
Isaiah Shoels
John Tomlin
Lauren Townsend
Kyle Velasquez
I couldn’t help but cry after reading the messages that the families wrote to share the lives of their loved ones with the world in the new memorial just up the hill from here.
Dave’s message to his daughters… "Tell my girls I love them", and their message back to him, “We love you too.” I cried.
So many lives, so many things that they did to make a difference in the world. And we have the honor of reading their families sharing their lives with us. Their families knew the examples they lived and left behind and now they can share them with everyone who will read it.
One of the stones in the outer ring of the memorial, I believe, states the memorial’s purpose best, “ a memorial… to deliver a message of hope for many generations to come”.
What is that message?
It came to me from reading Corey DePooter’s memorial… “Corey cherished his family, his friends, and his life."
It is a message to a nation, a message to those who would attempt other school shootings, and a message for the world.
Respect life. Every life is valuable. Live yours knowing that it is.
Everyone has a difference to make for God and for good in this world, live life knowing that you’re making yours.
There is a Columbine memorial ribbon with a heart at the top of it depicted in stone in the very center of the memorial. Its message reads, “Never Forgotten”.
I never will.
Conclusion of the ceremony .
Song
A dear friend of mine who has we just lost from cancer wrote something recently that I’d like to share with you… She said…
“I have much to be thankful for. I am thankful for every minute I have on this earth with my children, my husband, my friends. Cherish the life God has given you.
Make the best of it. Live it to the fullest. Don't waste a minute on negativity or causing harm to anyone or anything. “
I would like to close this ceremony with a song of healing.
The song is called “ The River” by Michael Sweet the lead singer of Stryper and Boston
and it is written as if Jesus were singing it to you.
So here is “The River”…
THE RIVER
If you're hurting, I'll take your pain
If your life is dry and weary, I'll bring the rain
If you're searching, then search no more
If you're drifting on an ocean, I'll be the shore
I see the scars that you hide
I've kept the tears that you've cried, they were not in vain
And every prayer that you've prayed
I have treasured and saved, my love will never change
If you're looking for the river
That runs with healing water
Bring yourself to me
And I will wash you in an endless peace
I'm your Saviour,
And I'll save you
Tonight
If you're blinded by
The darkness, I'll be the light
If you're hopeless, I'll be your faith
If you're lost, I'll
Lead the way
CHORUS
Written By: Michael Sweet
© 1995 Lifesong Music Press.
© Sweet Milena Music / BMI.
© & ® 1995 Benson Music Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
