Fall Forward: A Journey Of Struggle, Strength And True ForgivenessSample

Dealing With Life-Altering Events

Years ago on a Sunday night, a phone call forever changed my life. My brother had been killed. I know God hears us any time we pray. I’ve prayed driving down the road. I’ve prayed kneeling by my bed. This event made me crave the nearness of God. I physically yearned to be as near to Him as possible. On Monday after Kirk’s death, my husband and I went to church and knelt at the altar. I begged God to make sense of this nightmare and that somehow He would be glorified. 

Years later, I asked my brother’s daughter about that night. She said she prayed God would keep her from becoming bitter. When I asked my mother, she said she prayed without words. When my father was asked, his chin quivered. There is no doubt my father prayed. He is one of the most Godly-men I have ever known. Our church families were praying, too, lifting our burden to our Heavenly Father. Prayers did not bring my brother back, but prayers carried us through the darkest of days. 

When life delivers a blow that breaks you, it is important that you take your brokenness to God. When we give it to Him, then He begins the process of healing as we commit to leaning on Him.  God has a way of bringing something good out of a bad situation. 

On this side of heaven we suffer the consequences of not only our bad decisions, but also the bad decisions of others. In this case, someone had chosen to take my brother’s life. 

How could anything good come from this? 

What I do know is that Kirk is in heaven. He became a Christian at a church camp in July 1977. Even though I miss my brother terribly and hope I never forget his laugh, I cannot diminish the fact that my brother is in heaven with his Heavenly Father. I can be the prayer warrior for the next person who loses a brother to a violent crime. I choose to never take life for granted. I choose to tell people I love them. 

Has life knocked you down? 

Are you hoping good can come from the tragedy? 

Are you relying on your Heavenly Father to take care of the situation? 

Do you have a group of people who can also lift you up in prayer? 

Only God can make something good come from tragedy.