A Tragedy Close to Home
This morning we all woke up to the news of yet another mass shooting in our Nation. For me, however, this tragedy is a lot closer to home than others. This shooting took place just miles away from Joni and Friends in the town of Thousand Oaks, California. When I drive down the freeway in my community, I often pass Borderline, where this tragedy occurred. It hurts my heart to see such a devastation in my own community.
All of us are quite shaken and reminded of Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” Even through times of devastation, continue to display the Lord’s light in all that you do. A small ripple can lead to a wave, either negative or positive.
Who can comprehend the reason this young military veteran fired into a crowd of college students? We can’t say, but we can pray for the grieving families of those who lost their lives last night in our community.
And today as we pray for them, let’s also ask God to heal the deep-seated anger that seems to be so pervasive in our society. And please, let’s not become inured to these evil acts. Remain alert, vigilant, and prayerful. Ask God to use this terrible incident to draw people to the Gospel for hope, comfort, and ultimately… answers.
Friend, God is never closer than when your heart is aching. If you are looking for support during this time or searching for ways you can help, I ask you to join us in the following ways…
Be in remembrance of those in our community who lost their lives such as Sergeant Ron Helus who ran into danger in hope of saving lives. Geoff Dean, Ventura County Sheriff, was right when he said, “This community has lost a hero.”
Join me in prayer:
- For those who are working on the scene. A tragedy of this nature is hard to experience so pray for their endurance as they continue to respond to the crisis.
- For those who lost loved ones, be in prayer for their strength and comfort during this time. May our community surround them with support.
- For those who were brave survivors of this experience. Pray that they may find peace and recovery after experiencing this tragedy.
- For our community as we experience loss and tragedy. May we not let this defeat us.
- For those like the shooter who suffer from mental health issues. And please pray for his family as they suffer alongside us in the hurt this event has caused.
For anyone struggling to understand why God allows such tragedy into the world visit Joni and Friends to access support resources like God’s Hand in Our Hardship and Making Sense of Suffering.
During times of suffering or questioning please reach out to our response department for support at [email protected]
If you were affected in any way a support hotline has been set up by the city: 818-465-6650
