All Things New...

The tragedy last Monday has occupied a lot of my thoughts and prayers over the past week. I will continue to pray and seek God's face to help me process everything, particularly the content of the last post. However, I was gladdened to come across this story ran in the state Baptist rag. It represents in a way the next step needed to cope with the Tech tragedy.

Some carrying lunch pails, and all bundled against the cold, Amish children walked to their new school in Lancaster County on Monday [April 2, 2007], six months to the day after a gun-toting neighbor walked into their old schoolhouse and shot 10 students, killing five.

[...]

The Amish community demolished the old schoolhouse to erase a reminder of the horror experienced there. Four of the five girls who were shot Oct. 2 have returned to the new school, called New Hope Amish School.

Yes indeed, He makes all things new. I think the name of the new school is very appropriate and communicates much to the world about their faith in God and His ability to redeem any situation for His purposes and for good. May the victims' families of this past Monday's tragedy find the same hope, the same healing, as these dear people have. May the Virginia Tech community also be able to move past this tragedy and embrace hope, the hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.

But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces
perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.
Now hope does not disappoint...
Romans 5:3-5