Heartbroken...but hopeful.

Words cannot express the extremes of emotions that we feel in certain times.
Grief & mourning are times like that.

As I post this, I have a very heavy heart. Last night at about 11:00 my brother texted me to tell me that my uncle, aunt & two young cousins had been in an accident in Camden but that they were going to be fine, just shaken up and sore. At that point everything was still okay.... a few minutes later came another text "pray for the people in the other car, they may not be okay"

As the minutes turned into hours I learned that not one but two lives had been lost...and they were young boys, students at Camden High School, classmates of my little sister, so very young. Two other boys were also in the car, the older brother of one of the deceased was in critical condition.

Here is an article about the accident from wavy.com. 
Here is another from The Daily Advance (although you may not be able to see all of this one with out a subscription.)

My heart was so very torn....admittedly, in a selfish manner, I was thankful that my family was okay; but, at the same time I was devastated for the other families that lost loved ones & had others still fighting for their health or even their life. I was upset--but I know my feelings in NO WAY compare to the feelings that those families are having right now. I haven't stopped praying for them and thinking of them since those text messages and calls came in late last night/early this morning...and I'm asking that you pray with me.

-Pray for the Hicks & McPherson families as they mourn.
-Pray for the older McPherson boy to be healed as well as the other injured young man.
-Pray for the friends of these young people.
-Pray for Camden County High School students & staff.
-PRAY THAT GOD USES THIS TRAGEDY...

At times like this, I turn to scripture & I want 

to share a few verses that came to mind...

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Romans 8:28a

And if you do not know what to say to God at times like this, do not fret for it is written:
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we out to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans" Romans 8:26

And maybe you feel like there is no hope when these awful things happen....take heart, NOTHING can separate us from the love of God....Romans 8:37-39 read:
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

"This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life." Psalms 118:50

The last verse was one that was shared today in church & it was encouraging to me so I wanted to include it: It reads, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33

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I pray these verses will be an encouragement to you. I pray that you will lean on God in times like these. I pray that if you do not know Jesus as your Lord & Savior, that you will take steps to learn about Him and His love for you...about how He died for you and because of that you have a eternal home in Heaven if you choose to live for Him now. If there is one thing above all else in importance in my life, it is my relationship with Jesus and I hope and pray that you can say the same thing!

So today's post definitely isn't what I had in mind yesterday when I said I was going to start blogging more, but it is what is most important right now & it is what is on my heart and mind.

I'll leave you with these words...

• Hug those you love and TELL them that you love them. 
• Live everyday like it's your last; it very well could be. 
• Wear your seatbelt & be very careful on the roads, it only takes a split second for tragic accidents to happen. 
• If you don't know Jesus, what is stopping you? Nothing you can do today is more important than giving your life to Him.

Dedicated to the memory of Denzel Hicks, age 18 & Jeremy McPherson, age 16.