Youth of the Nation

So, here I am...trying to sum up the events of April 20th 1999 - to be fair, respectful and just; to communicate how discoveries and events since that day changed and influenced my faith in a way that few other people/single events have.

Columbine.
A word laden with connatations, memories, emotion. A marking point in time; an end and a beginning:
The end of the deadliest high school shooting in the States. The end of 15 lives.

2 shooters:

13 victims:

The beginning of a new chapter for grieving families, friends, policing, politics and so many people across the world.

There is an abundance of material which can be read about that day (104,000 hits on Google).

The event grieves me and its not a subject which I can ever brush over...I reflect, wish, cry, get angry, hope...

There is one area of this story which impacts so many that I have found inspirational beyond any other.

It is the life of Rachel Joy Scott.
Her story has provided solace, touched, guided, inspired, motivated and challenged me.

Rachel kept journals, journals which her family discovered after her death and made the decision to share in order to inspire others.

I first read Rachel’s story and parts of her journals on my 13^th birthday. They changed my life.

I was so blown away by how deeply she thought about life, how open and honest she was with God in her journals, the everyday struggles of life which she grappled with and carried on believing anyway.

The way she lived out and stood up for her faith, even when there was a gun pointing at her; simple yet radical.

http://www.rachelschallenge.com/LearnMore/RachelsEssay/tabid/1701/Default.aspx

The vision she had for her life

Many of you will read this and be cynical of the ‘pinning up’ of a young girl in such a way.

You maybe sceptical of the labels but I ask you to look past those things and find out more about the story of a young girl who felt a strong sense of purpose and who lived out her faith in a way that was relevant to the people around her and that changed those who knew her: whether or not they realised it.

It’s not an easy or a popular thing to do and I greatly admire her courage and perseverance.

On a personal level...whilst reading Rachel’s story my 13yr old self longed for the depth of relationship she had found (no where near perfect – but very different to anything I had been striving for..) and began to write my own journals: musing and thoughts, poems and pictures, bible studies and prayers.

Since starting these journals on my 13^th birthday I have continued – at different speeds and in different moods to keep a record of the different ups and downs and seasons of life.

Looking back has been nothing less than completely eye-opening (I was often alot more mature in my younger teenage years than my memory gives me credit for!).

I have also found the journals to be a great way of reminding myself of the goodness of the God I serve, the little things that were so profound but so easily slip from memory can be recalled and rejoiced over.

So, thankyou Rachel Joy for being you. Thankyou for believing and thankyou for the inspiration you’ve given me.

You will never be forgotten, for you have indeed touched millions of people’s hearts.

May angels lead you in.