Mourning for the Chapman family...

As you have probably heard, youngest daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman, widely known Christian musician, was killed in a tragic accident. Her older brother did not see her while driving and hit her while she was playing in their family's driveway. She passed away later at the hospital. I am praying for their family, the huge hole in their hearts...the pain...her brother...and anyone who hears this story....

How as a parent how do you even begin to fathom and wade through the sadness of an event like this....mourning the loss of your little one...helping your older child cope not only with the loss of his little sister but the pain, guilt, and terrible feelings he must be having at being the one who was driving the car that struck her? I keep playing the scene of how it might have happened through my mind and just want to cry for her, for the brother, for the family as everyone I am sure went running and crying. Ultimately God's plan was for her to be in Heaven...but as a parent my heart aches and my mind is muddled at even beginning to try and understand how I would process this as a parent and also at the same time the parent of the child who was driving the car. I am constantly watching our boys like a mother hawk when they are out front by the driveway and often fear this very thing. I recently heard a story of a grandpa who hit and killed his own grandchild. To think that they are going through this right now amist all the happy events (the engagement, the graduation of their son etc., Maria's birthday such a short time ago) is just mind numbing.

-
It is here where the peace that passes all understanding that is metioned in the Bible that can only come from God is so blaringly evident...in events like this that rock our worlds to the core. I can remember watching the Columbine news about that girl's family (the one who was shot after saying she believed in God) and wondering how they could have such peace in the whole situation - there was much sadness but also a peace and they talked about seeing her again etc. I didn't understand it - I wasn't a Christian then. Thankfully now I do. And while I have never lost a living child, I have been through some hard times (like we all have) and now am able to experience and understand that peace....allbeit not from something as tragic as what has happened to the Chapman family but in things that were big in my life at the time.

-
I pray that many come to know Jesus from this story...as tragic as it is - God can and does use things like this for good. Did you see the youtube video on their blog? Man she was so cute and the relationship between her and her daddy was so precious. How comforting - although mind blowing at the same time - to know that she is in Heaven and they will see her again. If anything makes anything better, at least they have that to look foward to.

-
And since we are on this topic and it is known that Steven Curtis Chapman is a Christian - one who is so on fire for Jesus Christ - who has given his life and his all to help people have a better understanding of having a relationship with God through His son, Jesus Christ through his music...I just wanted to let anyone on here reading this that if you ever ever ever have even the tiny-est question about being a Christian and what it entails...what all this Jesus and Heaven talk is all about...what the "peace" is that is talked about etc. etc. etc. please always feel completely free to email me or shoot even call me if you'd like to talk. It would be an honor to talk with you about my Savior, Jesus Christ and how he has changed my life. Love, ~R....

-

http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/