Tragedy.....

The one thing that almost always makes us question God.

Where are you God?

Why did you let this happen?

I was praying and you didn't come through.

Where are you??

I have seen some amazing things this last week in our small town. An astonishing girl of 16 was in a car accident with her older sister. Her sister came out of it with minor injuries but the 16 year old was in serious condition in a coma. She had major swelling on her brain.

I had the honor of being this young lady's Awana leader for her 5th and 6th grade year. I also helped with our youth group and got to spend some time with her there as well. This was an exceptional girl and she just became more amazing as she got older. She loved God and wasn't afraid to show it. She was always helping people and she had the most beautiful smile. I always hoped to raise daughters like her. When I met her I just knew she was special and I hoped one day my daughters would be just as sweet, loving, God fearing and helpful as this girl. Not all girls are this way. We live in a hard world and we need more girls like her to change the world and make it a better place.

Right after the accident there was a gofundme account, a Facebook page set up and a fund raiser dinner planned by family friends. Our small community posted all day on the Facebook page and as of right now they have raised $28,000 on the go fund me account. This last weekend the town flooded the hospital both days and met at the high school and prayed and prayed.

The whole town rallied around this family and then outreached to other communities and pretty soon across the world. Everyone was praying for this wonderful young lady to be healed. On the Facebook page they set up a time of 12:15pm for everyone to come together at the same time everyday and pray for her. It was such a wonderful feeling of so many praying at the same time. The Facebook page was filled with prayers and encouragement for her and her family. Last night we went to the fund raiser dinner and there were so many people there that we waited in line for 3 hours to get our food. The line was all the way down Main Street. It was quite amazing to see how such a small community can come together.

This amazing young lady went to be with the Lord and I am so heart broken. I really believed that God was going to heal her. I didn't think that God would take this wonderful girl from this world. She would make such a difference. I thought this would be such an amazing miracle for God to show his healing grace. There were people praying that don't normally pray. There were people praising God through worship songs that you wouldn't normally see in church. I thought "this is it God," your going to show your miracles to all these people and you are going to use this wonderful girl to bring so many people to you. Then the post came of her passing....

It just crushed me. I can't believe the pain that her family must be going through. Her friends, her cheer team. The loss of a daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece, cousin and friend. I wondered why she couldn't have spent her life living a loving testament for God and sharing her life with others. Sometimes someone is taken too early and this fits her for sure. She was loved by all and will be missed in this small town dearly.

So where is God?

Why didn't he answer our prayers?

He is loving her right now, holding her in his arms. He had a different purpose for her life here on this earth then the one we all thought. She has received her healing but it just wasn't here on earth it was up in Heaven with her Heavenly father. I just think about the joy she must be having right now. No more pain or sorrow. Only pure unfathomable heavenly joy.

If God loves us why would he let tragedy happen to us?

While God encourages us to pray for a miracle, he doesn't always intervene. We don't really know his reason for taking her at such a young age but these are just things we won't understand this side of Heaven. God doesn't make every thing happen. Sometimes, things just happen.

God will convert the suffering and use it for our good!

Even in her tragedy and her passing God is still using her. She touched so many peoples lives and she brought an entire town together for prayer. She has brought people to God. She will continue to help people because her family is also donating her organs, so she is going to be saving 200 recipients that are also in their hospital beds praying for a miracle. God has used her to be their miracle.

Miracles for Maddy.

Maddy is the Miracle!

Revelation 21:4

4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

If you would like to donate to the family of Maddy please go to this link: https://www.gofundme.com/2i22kdo