While my family was in Denver, CO for the Women's Basketball Final Four, we took the opportunity to visit Columbine Memorial Park.
On April 20, 1999, in a senseless act of violence, twelve students and one teacher were killed and many others wounded at Columbine High School It was a tragic event that shocked the Denver community and saddened the nation. The memorial is dedicated to the victims, so that they are "never forgotten."
I felt as if I were standing on Holy Ground and there were indeed angels all around. Charlie, Catherine and I stood in awe and silence as we read marker after marker of the community's reflections of that horrific day.
One of the parents shared, "I hope people come to this place to think about how they themselves can be better people rather than come here to reflect on death." So, with this parent's desire, my quest began to find hope in this park. I found Rachel's marker. She is the student that responded to the gunman's question "do you believe in God" and she said "you know I do." I hope I can demonstrate that same unflappable faith in the face if death.
The next plaque was a student saying they were laughing and then it turned to crying and he thought, why is this happening to us. It reminded me that we all go through circumstances in life that cause us to ask "why," even Christ cried out in frustration, but our hope is in the living Christ. I tweeted a picture of this frame to the youth during prayer breakfast on Tuesday and Rawlings was able to share a devotion based on my experience.
On this particular day, I looked out at the landscape of the Colorado Rockies and found hope in our Creator. It was truly breathtaking. I prayed to an awesome God, giving thanks for this opportunity to find Sabbath in the extreme reverence afforded this place. It felt eerily similar to visiting Ground Zero in New York City after the attacks of 9/11. I also prayed that as a nation and community we have learned from these events. That somehow we get up and we change the way we act. Living out John Wesley's three simple rules would be an excellent start: to do good, to do no harm and to stay in love with God. We walked back to the car in silence, only stopping to place an offering in the box.
One of the final markers read "those of us who are people of faith in this community turned to God, found He was there and found He wasn't silent." I left that day feeling renewed, hopeful and grateful for the opportunity to share this experience with Charlie and Catherine.
I too, turned to God, found He was there and found he wasn't silent.
