shootings

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Word passes from person to person. News flashes across oceans. Sitting with friends enjoying a meal, interrupted when the link gets to us.

Shootings.

Our people. Too close. Not removed by culture or country or even city. Conflicting reports. Even a bit of confusion until facts are made known in due time. Our friends’ daily routine interrupted. Heartache. Even trauma.

Covered killer came in and took life. Fear came close. Too close.

The first shooting we learned of that day was actually in the Dominican Republic in the neighborhood of some of our dearest friends here. Even as our sweet friend was expressing her fear of living there any longer with her family (wanting to move to a different place) we got first news of the shootings in Chattanooga.

Hearing our friends’ words about the shooting in the Dominican Republic and getting word about the shootings in Chattanooga (from a friend actually in the UK uplifting us in prayer) in the very same moment was a surreal experience.

Fearful news. Too close. And yet in that moment, heaven came closer.

The Lord whispered so near to my heart that He is weaving our lives together. That the same experiences of suffering are in the lives of our brothers and sisters around the world (1 Peter 5:9). Literally around the world. That we cannot run in fear because there is nowhere immune to the reach of the brokenness of this world. That He is our home.

And somehow, our hearts were knit even closer together. Realizing that the Lord places His people in contexts that look drastically opposite (Acts 17:25a-28). And yet hearts still hang in the balance. Evil still reaches in to steal, kill and destroy. Yet the Good Shepherd of our hearts has come to give life, and Life to the full (John 10:10).

In the circumstances of our homes aligning, our hearts were united even deeper. Beckoning us to release fear, even if it comes too close.

(For all those who might be concerned, the shooting in the Dominican Republic was not while we were nearby nor at a time of day we would ever be there. It was not anyone we knew, but people we are very close to did know the victim very well.)