Even So, God is good..

Tonight, the entire state of Georgia bleeds red and black. Tonight, we are all “dawgs”

This morning we awoke to news articles about 4 lives lost in a tragic car accident outside of the beloved city of Athens, Georgia. Media outlets reported that 4 female, UGA students were killed in Oconee County, headed toward Athens. This morning they didn’t have names, faces, or ages- they were just students, daughters, sisters, friends. Sometime today Georgia State Patrol released the names and ages of these girls. I didn’t recognize their faces, or their names, I didn’t even know where their high school alma maters were. What resounded with me was their age. 19, 20, and 21.

19- The age of the students who graduated in 2015. The age of students who were sophomores my first year of teaching.

20- The age of the students in the first senior class I really got to know as a teacher.

21- The age of my baby sister.

Loss is something that none of us like to think about. Even when we face a foreseen death (like a sick grandparent) it is hard to deal with the heartbreak and loss. But to lose someone you love in this way, so suddenly, is unfathomable. As I read the article releasing the names and ages of these lives lost, I couldn’t help but cry in relief and in fear. That it wasn’t my sister (relief), but that it could have been (fear). There wasn’t anyone that I knew personally and loved personally in that car, but there could have been. It could have been a kid I knew, my best friend, or my sister. And that thought is terrifying.

As I went through my day my heart was heavy for the families of these girls. I read articles about the accident, about the girls and what they were like. Tonight, I watched a video as a friend reflected on two of the girls as she said, “I know without a shadow of a doubt that those best friends met Jesus together last night.”

Friends, that is why, in the midst of the brokenness, there is beauty. In the midst of tragedy, there is hope. In the midst of the trials, heartache, and confusion God is still good and we have proof of it because, although we mourn for the lives lost here, these girls are still spreading The Gospel and still growing His kingdom while they sing praises to Him in Heaven.

Praise the Lord that He is near to the broken hearted. Praise the Lord that blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Praise the Lord that He takes broken things and makes them beautiful. Praise the Lord that even in death these 4 girls are witnessing and will, no doubt, bring people to Jesus!!!

Life on earth is short. In the days ahead my goal is to hug a little longer, love a little harder, and let my light shine a little brighter so that I lead people to Him, in life or in death.