In late July of 2015 horror came to the city of Broken Arrow. In the early morning hours a 911 call was placed by a terrified 12 year old who did not stay on the phone. He couldn't, because he was murdered by his own brothers. When first responders arrived the scene that awaited them was like some crazy demonic horror movie. Five dead bodies, father, mother, the 12 year old boy who made the 911 call, a 7 year old boy and a 5 year old girl, all murdered with knives and hatchets by their 16 and 18 year old brothers. A 13 year old girl was found, horribly mutilated but alive and an unharmed 2 year old upstairs.

  The men and women that rushed into this suburban home to render aid shall never forget the scenes that assaulted their souls that day. Scenes that most people never have to witness. Even the law enforcement officers who have given years and years of service had never laid eyes on such scenes before. There is a price to be paid for witnessing such evil. Nightmares, daymares, being unable to erase the scenes from your mind no matter how hard you wish for them to be gone. Those of us who love a combat veteran can attest to the power of violence upon the human mind. It takes a toll.

 Shortly after law enforcement arrives on scene a canine and his handler arrive. Footprints on the dew soaked grass out back show tracks and it is hoped that the dog can find the perpetrators of this terrible crime, so that they cannot inflict harm on anyone else. People gather and pray over the canine officer and he and his handler setoff into the night. The two boys are soon found hiding in the bushes.

 While all this is going on, people are laboring over the little 13 year old, horribly wounded, they administer first aid, they pray, the ones who found her, the ones who sit with her until medical aid arrives, the ones who administer aid and load her into an ambulance, the ones who meet her at the door of the emergency room, the ones who fight to save her life. The ones who take care of her daily needs. All scarred, all broken by the horror of her circumstances.

  And then there are the ones called to investigate, to sit in some small room across the table from these children who did this horrible deed. To sit and try and reason with them, try to understand why they did what they did, to lay out the photographs of the scene time and time again, to listen to these young men talk about what they did and why they did it.

  And the community is in shock, the people who lived next door, or down the street, the people who walk past that suburban home every day, horrified at what occurred in their neighborhood, horrified that they had no idea, for surely one should have some sense of evil living next door, but instead they only saw a close knit family, a mom who is said to have loved and doted upon her kids, a father who worked hard to provide for them.

 The below was shared by someone who loves someone who is closely connected to this investigation. I do not know the origin of the quote but it is so very applicable to those who stand in harm's way on our behalf. To our combat troops, to our law enforcement officers, to those who go out daily and face the monsters of this world, and to those who have to see and clean up the aftermath of the deeds perpetrated by the monsters of this world.

"MONSTERS
Those who fight monsters inevitably change. Because of all that they see and do, they lose their innocence, and a piece of their humanity with it. If they want to survive, they begin to adopt some of the same characteristics as the monsters they fight. It is necessary. They become capable of rage, and extreme violence.

There is a fundamental difference, however. They keep those monster tendencies locked away in a cage, deep inside. That monster is only allowed out to protect others, to accomplish the mission, to get the job done.....Not for the perverse pleasure that the monsters feel when they harm others. In fact, those monster tendencies cause damage...guilt, isolation, depression, PTSD. There is a cost for visiting violence on others when you are not a monster. Those who do so know one thing...The cost inflicted upon society as a whole is far greater without those who fight monsters. That is why they are willing to make that horrible sacrifice so that others may live peaceably."

 Pray for the people of  Broken Arrow who have beheld the deeds of the monsters of this world, who have been left to try and make sense of it all, to try and bring justice to it all, and who will bear the memory of the things they witnessed that night until their last breath. 

Pray for this little 13 year old girl, horribly stabbed and left for dead by her own siblings, who will carry the most horrible scenes in her mind for all the days of her life, she has lost mother and father and sister and brothers. Pray for her, pray that God will carry her through the days to come.

 Pray for this little 2 year old, who will probably not remember this event, but who will know of it, and that alone will be a heavy burden to carry as she grows up.

 Pray for those men and women that rushed into that house, who laid eyes upon that scene, who had to stay there, amidst the blood and death in order to do their jobs. Pray for them to have peace, to be able to sleep, to be able to speak to someone about the things that trouble their souls.

 Pray for those men and women who assisted the 13 year old, who gave first aid and comfort, who prayed, who transported, who labored over her injured body and who administered and still administers to her daily needs as she recovers. Pray for them to have peace, to be able to sleep, and that they might have the words of comfort that she needs to hear to get her through this horror.

 Pray for the men and women who have to sit across the table from the ones who did this. Pray for them to have wisdom, pray for them to be able to process the things they hear, pray for them to have peace and to be able to sleep and to be able to do their jobs so that justice might be served.

 Pray for the people of Broken Arrow and for all who know and love them, pray for peace, pray for healing, pray that the light of Christ will shine like the sun through this terrible darkness. Pray for unity that they would all stand together, pray for love, that they would love one another.

 Pray for these two young men, who have discarded all that was in front of them, all that their parents labored to provide for them, all the future joys of family and fellowship, all that is good and right and light, pray for them for of all the souls wounded and broken from the evil inflicted that night theirs must be seared and dead. They have done things that cannot be undone. Although it is difficult, they too need prayer.

   Father God, maker of all things, we come before You in humble prayer for the people of Broken Arrow. A great evil has visited them, evil deeds that we cannot wrap our thoughts around, we cannot understand nor comprehend the why of it all. We cannot fathom how it can even be possible for good to come from such tragedy, such wrongness. But we know that You are God and that You are always working in the lives of Your people. Stand close to the people of Broken Arrow. Bind them close together, help them to love one another, help them to process the things they have seen, help them to bring their brokenness to You who is and ever will be the only One able to help.

  We thank You for the men and women who rushed to give aid and we pray for their souls that Your peace would be their peace, that they would be able to give the things that trouble their souls to You, and that You would bear them. Meet them in the darkness that their very job requires them to walk in. Meet them there and may they feel Your presence with them.

 We give thanks for the two lives saved, and we place them both in Your hands, may You be a father and a mother to them both, may You bring peace, comfort, love and all strength to them both as they grow. May the end result of these two lives saved be a thing of beauty and grace. May they be blessed all their days.

  Lord be with each and every soul troubled by these events, be they those directly involved or those who simply grieve for the wrongness of it all. Grant all grace and wisdom to those who are investigating this. Guard their minds, guard their hearts, hold them close to Your heart that they might not be broken forever by the things they witness.

 We come to You Lord, on behalf of the people of Broken Arrow, for to Whom would we go but You, for You have the words of Life. Bring Life to all these souls wounded by this terrible act of violence.

  Lord I know not how to pray for the two who have done this evil deed, so I leave them to You, I pray Your will be done in their lives, I pray You move them to speak truth, and to fully understand and repent of the evil they have inflicted.

 May Your grace fall like  healing rain upon the city of Broken Arrow and upon each soul that is troubled by the events that occurred on that day in July in the year of our Lord 2015.

"Healing Rain"

http://m.fox23.com/videos/news/k9-officer-reflects-on-finding-murder-suspects/vDXnL6/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oklahoma-teens-formally-charged-murdering-family-n402226

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/broken-arrow-woman-heals-community-after-tragic-ho/nm9Sh/

http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/community-rallies-around-survivors-broken-arrow-ki/nm7Pw/

 It gets so cloudy down here Lord, thick dark clouds of pain and suffering, pending death, fear for those we love, grief and loss and the general decent of the world into chaos can and does cloud our eyes making it difficult to see the light of Your majesty.

  Shine through these clouds O Lord! Burn them away with the heat of Your love and the power and majesty of Your glory!

  I have dear friends suffering today, suffering in terrible pain. They are lights in this world of darkness, they pour themselves out bringing joy and beauty to others, but the clouds are thick of late. Pierce through these clouds of pain O Lord, bring relief to my suffering friends.

  One of my friends is dying Lord. I don't like saying that, I don't like confessing it, as if the act of saying it will make it a firm fact and the act of denying it will somehow chase death away from her door. She is a beautiful light Lord, roll back all the clouds Lord, and shine upon her like the light of the rising Son as He ascended into heaven! Make her light so bright that it pierces through the clouds with such beauty and grace that it takes folks breath away and they are left with naught but awe of You.

   A great many of my friends are grieving Lord, a deep grief that they carry with them always, and the clouds of grief are sometimes so difficult to see through. You lose sight of the light and all you can see is the darkness of grief. Pierce through these clouds and shine upon them that they might more easily grasp the joy in each day, that they might see You, hold onto You and behold the light of Your mercy and grace.

  Another of my dear friends suffers Lord, she worries and frets for a son who is incarcerated. It's a long thick cloud that hovers over her, one that we know is going to be there for some time. Lord pierce through and shine Your light of grace and mercy upon her, grant her a window through to heaven, a great and mighty light to guide her through these coming years. No matter how dark the clouds become or what storms fall upon her, may her eyes be fixed on the window of light.

   This world of late has been covered with thick dark storm clouds. Evil runs amok in various places about this tiny round globe, murdering, raping, enslaving and forcing people to live in a constant state of danger. The people's of this world and our own country are divided by a multitude of things, and of late it seems the things that divide us become more frivolous. As a people we argue and fight over everything. Hate runs strong and apathy runs close behind it. Crime and cruelty seem to win the day more often than not. Lately it has been a test of my resolve to even look upon what it is going on, for all I seem to see are stories of pain and suffering, whether it be human or beast, suffering is all around me, and often it is difficult to see through the clouds.

  And then there are those that I care deeply for, who have never beheld Your light, never felt the touch of Your mercy, never understood or acknowledged Your great grace. The clouds of unbelief, past hurts, and preconceived notions of who You are have blocked out the sight of You. They are struggling with a multitude of problems, life always has it's storm clouds, but I fret for them, for walking through the storms of life without the light of Your grace is a dark and terrible thing. I remember what it was like before You pierced through the clouds and touched me. Don't forget them Lord, though they walk apart from You, remember them in Your great mercy and shine down upon them.

   My heart was heavy this morning as I walked out on the back porch with the dogs. I looked up to the East, as is my custom each morning and saw the thick cloud cover, the sun rising, and a hole in the clouds with the light of the sun flooding through. You spoke to me in that moment, assuring me that Your light will always pierce through the clouds, reminding me of Your faithfulness, reminding me of past storms and how You carried me through them, reminding me that You are the God who sees me, who sees them, the ones I pray for. As You saw Hagar in the desert, when all was lost and hope was gone, when death hovered over her, and the child that she loved so, You saw her, You pierced through the darkness and despair and restored life to her and the child.

    El Roi, the God who sees us, shine Your grace and mercy upon all those who are suffering this morning. Shine upon the ones in pain, pour out grace upon them, bring comfort and relief, whether it be by Your miraculous touch, or through the ministering grace of doctors and medicine. Strengthen them that they might see Your grace even through the pain.

    El Roi, the God who sees my friend with cancer. May Your grace be poured out upon her, like a mighty river, may it be unending, may it be constant, may You grant her all that she needs and more as she walks through this valley. May the Light of You be so overfilling that it spills out of her for all to see. May the valley she walks through end in victory and life, life here is what we all want Lord, we don't want to lose her, we don't want her to leave, but the life she walks into when she exits the valley is in Your hands alone. Whatever comes Lord, strengthen her, shine upon her, give her peace and joy and a sure hope.

  I give thanks today for the sun that pierced through the clouds this morning, and for the still small voice in my heart that said "look child, look how the light pierces through the clouds, behold how even though the clouds cover the sky, day still breaks through, I will always break through your darkness, I will always shine upon you, I am the God who sees you."

Today, while walking to a meeting I passed one of the cleaning ladies in the hallway. She was sitting on a bench talking to someone on the phone. She was weeping. She spoke Spanish into the phone and the words, although I did not understand them, seeped out grief and sorrow.  You could cut it with a knife. The intensity of the grief and her sobs touched my soul. In that brief moment of me passing by, I felt burdened with her grief and compelled to assist her. I wanted to hug her, perhaps I should have, but she was speaking intently into the phone and I did not want to invade her privacy.

   So I prayed for her as I continued on my way. Her face, the emotion poured out into those unknown words stick with me as I go, stick with me through the meeting and as at last I tear myself away, and walk back down that long hallway, I hope to see her, to somehow communicate to her that I felt her grief, her sorrow, and that I cared.

  She was gone, had moved on to some other area requiring her attention. I find her face still haunts me, and I can still feel the intensity of the emotion as she cried out into that phone.

  She was one of the often unseen, the hard working people who clean up after everyone else, how many people walk past her each day and fail to even speak or smile or acknowledge her presence, for she is often seen as part of the fixtures, perhaps even I have walked past her and not noticed her, not seen her. Today I saw her, her face as she wept her hands as they tightly gripped the phone. I saw her. Perhaps I have passed her countless times, and I probably smiled at her, said good morning, or good afternoon, maybe even held a door open for her so she could get her cart through without struggling….but in all these times I had not really SEEN her.

  Lord, today I saw her, and my heart hurts for her, hurts for her grief. I wonder how many people we fail to see each day? Lord open my eyes, open my heart to the needs around me, to the hurt around me. Help me to see, heal my blind eyes and give me sight that I might never miss an opportunity to meet someone in their sorrow, even if it is just a prayer.

 Lord bless this woman, ease her burden, I know not what is afflicting her so but the sorrow was raw, the pain real.

 Friends, join me in praying for this lady, that she might find comfort and peace in the midst of her trial.

    Anyway for the most part, I am able to give my worries, my fears, my yearnings to God, and to pray in faith knowing He will accomplish this thing that I so yearn for, but on occasion, today being one of them, I for whatever reason took all that I had placed into His hands back into my own. I took all the fears, all the worries, and wrestled with the minor setbacks and I just felt miserable. My soul could do no more than cry out, "how long Oh Lord, how long?"

   I awoke this morning at 5:30, the sunrise was beautiful but I was unable to rejoice in it. I simply let the dogs out and went back to bed. I arose again around 6:30, made some breakfast and sat around mulling over whether I even had the energy or desire to go to church today. Fortunately I decided to go and visit a little local church down the hill from us. I was having difficulty praying and all I could manage was a repetition of "I need to hear from You today Lord".

  The call to worship was 2 Samuel 22;4, " I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to  be praised, and I am saved from my enemies."

I cannot describe the range of thought and emotion that went through my mind in that short brief time that the pastor read those words, but for me they spoke directly to my heart. It was if the Lord was saying, I heard your cry, I heard you child, and I will save you from the enemy of doubt, fear, worry and disappointment.

  Now all this past week my husband, God bless him, has been teasing me for singing the same song. It's just been stuck in my head and as I go about my work in the house I have been singing "How Great Thou Art", well low and behold, the very first song we sang today was just that.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the *worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the *rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

  Oh Lord, was it not just yesterday afternoon that I stood on my front porch, with the thunder rolling, and the skies opening up with rain and hail, and the wind whipping the trees and declared to the heavens "How great Thou Art!"

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze

Oh Lord, was it not just yesterday morning that I stood in my yard, watching a dove splash in the bird bath, marveling at a roadrunner hunting lizards under the bushes, feeling the sun on my face and the gently breeze on my skin, beholding those majestic mountains and marveling at how wondrous Your creation is?

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Oh Lord, at this point I can barely sing, nor see the words through my tears, how can it be, that I could stand here in this church, raising my voice in song to You, I who stood against You in my youth,I who did so much wrong, I a sinner saved by Your grace, and how can it be that for a moment this morning I forgot it all!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then *I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!

 Oh Lord, You are faithful, Your promises are truth and life, and I proclaim them to the heavens! I will yet see the desires of my heart come to pass! It truly is all going to be alright one day therefore I repent of my downcast heart and I eagerly await Your message.

  And the pastor spoke from the book of John, the 17th Chapter, verses 11-19, and the message was my Lord's prayer, as He faced the cross, as He looked to the brutal torture and treatment that He would soon receive.........He prayed for me. If your are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ then He prayed for you also. What an awesome thing! Our Lord, on His knees before the Father praying for us! He knew that He was leaving His earthly walk with us, He knew that the world hated Him, and would soon turn that hatred to us, He knew that the enemy who sought at every step to destroy Him, would soon seek our destruction. He prayed that the Father would keep us, and help us. He called us the gift that the Father had given Him. He prayed that I, that we, would have the joy that He had, despite our circumstances, despite our worries or troubles.  He prayed for our sanctification, that we would be strong in the purpose for which He has called us. We are a source of light to a broken and troubled world. We are His. How glorious is that, how amazing!

  The gospel message that He has given each of us who call Him Lord, is verified by our lives, how we live is important, so very important. Unbelievers need the truth, but they need to see that truth in the testimony of our lives. How we live paints a painting, writes a book, sings a song, and it is so important that it be painting and writing and singing gospel truth, not despair, not discouragement, not downcast hearts, not fearful worries.

   And one of the last points the pastor made, was regarding verse 19, where Jesus prayed " And for their (mine and yours) sake I consecrate (set Himself a sacrifice) myself, that they (you and me) also may be sanctified in truth".

  We concluded the service with communion, and I felt and received the grace.

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me
Underneath me, all around me
Is the current of Your love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Your glorious rest above

 Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Spread His praise from shore to shore
How He came to pay our ransom
Through the saving cross He bore
How He watches o’er His loved ones
Those He died to make His own
How for them He’s interceding
Pleading now before the throne

 Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Far surpassing all the rest
It’s an ocean full of blessing
In the midst of every test
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Mighty Savior, precious Friend
You will bring us home to glory
Where Your love will never end

 How can I possible be discouraged or disappointed or worried or fearful? My Lord Jesus Christ prayed for me (and for you if you too are a believer) and my Father in heaven has heard His prayer, and He has answered it, He will continue to answer it and my call, my purpose, my all is to live gospel truth. To keep loving even if it is not returned in kind, to keep reaching out, to keep praying, to keep believing, no matter what my circumstances may be and regardless of any visual setbacks or concerns.

 Our call is to paint with our very lives a picture of the grace and mercy of God, to write a book upon our souls of the power of God to change people forever and ever, to sing a song of constant praise with our hearts to the One who has redeemed us and called us!

 He is faithful. Give the worries to Him, let Him deal with what we perceive as setbacks, hand Him our disappointments and hold onto the joy that is set before us.....He is faithful.

  And as for that thing for which I yearn, for which so many tears and prayers have been offered, will be offered until my dying breath, well He's got that too. He is able to save to the uttermost. He saved me, and that in itself is a major miracle.

  We His children are not of this world, we are just passing through, as lights in the darkness, called to be His voice, His hands, His feet.

 May your day and your life be ever blessed with the true presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to Him be all glory and praise and honor forever and ever. Amen

  Then sings my soul! My Savior God to Thee! How great Thou Art! How great Thou Art!

 It was a beautiful day, a glorious day, as I walked along the Atlantic shore. The gulls were swooping down upon the waves, the sun was shining and the breeze was heavy with the scent of salt. 

 I was at peace and rejoicing in the beauty, giving thanks to God for the peace and joy that filled my heart. As I bent to study an interesting shell I noticed an old bottle partially buried in the sand. It was old, but perfectly preserved and as I dug it out I was overcome with a strong need to write a message of hope, place it in the bottle and cast it into the sea. The feeling was so powerful that I immediately turned, bottle in hand and returned to my car for pen and paper.

   As I sat contemplating what I should write I again felt a strong pull that it was to be a message of hope to strengthen some soul unknown to me. So I began.

Dear Friend,

  I hope it is okay to call you friend. I do not know who you are, whether you are brother or sister, I only know that my Lord has burdened my heart greatly to write to you a message of hope and strength, He has even provided this beautiful old bottle, complete with airtight cork to place it in, so I know your need must be great and your heart greatly troubled.

   My friend how He loves you, how He cares for you, you are most precious to Him that He would orchestrate all this, me upon a beach, the bottle and Him pressing me so hard to write words of hope and cast them in the sea, all for you, that you might know how greatly you are loved!

  Take heart my friend, rest in His love, rest in His peace, Oh how He loves you!

   As you read this I assume that you are upon some distant beach. I pray that the sky is as vivid blue for you as it has been for me today, that the gulls are swooping and splashing upon the waves, that the mighty ocean sings solace to your soul as it does mine. I pray you also take delight in the feel of the wet sand on your feet. I pray You feel His presence strongly, sense His delight of you, and know in your heart that all that you see and feel in creation was made for you. 

  Be strong in the Lord my friend, cling to Him in this trial you face. He will grant you all that you need to endure. Hold on to the promise we have in Him, life eternal, a new heaven and a new earth and Him to be the light there.

 Go with God my unseen friend. I hope to meet you one day, if not in this life then in the next.

 Your sister in Christ.

 I placed the letter in the bottle, sealed it with the cork and cast it into the sea.

   Upon the distant shores of Tripoli  near the waters edge a man dressed in an orange jumpsuit kneels upon the sand. A masked man in black stands behind him. 

   The man in black notices a partially buried bottle in the sand and yells at the kneeling man, instructing him to pick it up. Upon seeing that it contains paper he commands the man to remove the note and read the message..............

  Minutes later the ocean waters swirl with blood as angels descend to receive the soul of the man who had died upon the beach, died for the crime of loving and following Jesus and for refusing to renounce Him. He died with the name of His Lord upon his lips, under a vivid blue sky, with the gulls swooping down upon the water, with the scent of the salt air in his lungs, and the feel of the wet sand between his toes. He died rejoicing, he stepped into glory while giving thanks.

 The man in black is left with the memory. 

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree

Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy

When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me.

 The short story you have just read was wrote in response to a prompt that said " While at the beach you decide to write a message in a bottle. What would it say? Who would you like to find it?"