Lacy Jo

In memory of my great friend, Lacy Jo, who passed away eight years ago today, I wanted to share a prayer that she wrote:

Dear Lord,

First, I want to thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I love you so much Lord. Thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful family. They have been here for me and shown me how to love you, how to have faith and how to be a Christian.

I pray that I would be nice, considerate and treat them the way you would want me to treat them.

I pray that you would be number one in my life, that no person or thing would come before you. I want to be satisfied by your love and grace and not long for other things but you.

Sometimes I don't always know you will in situations in my life but I pray that I would understand that there is always a purpose and you aren't trying to make my life difficult.

I pray that when challenges come up in my life, that I would look to you for your guidance, love and support.

I pray that you would give me comfort knowing that I am going to heaven. It is okay. Nothing matters that much in life except for you.

I pray that you would use me to be "God in the flesh." I want to be a light to other people. I don't want to go unnoticed. Give me strength and courage to be able to share your word to my friends and others that I come in contact with in my life.

I love you.

Amen.

Love,

Lacy

I really love that prayer. I feel like it embodies the childlike faith that each of us should have, but at the same time it addresses some very deep concepts. It is of great comfort knowing that Lacy had a sense of peace concerning death--that she acknowledged the insignificance of this life compared to what we will experience with God in the next.

I also love how she wanted to be a light to others. In an email to me, sent just one week before her death, Lacy wrote this:

so, i was thinking... if you are interested... maybe we could go to some sort of church college group thingy... i have been needing someone to go with! if you are interested let me know... i don't know what is out here but i feel the need to find some nice christian type of people our age and what not!

I think we all have that "need"--that longing for God and for fellowship with others. As Saint Augustine said, "Our hearts were made for you, O Lord, and they remain restless until they rest in You."

And although we never got the chance to explore a "church college group thingy" together, you can tell Lacy was hearing and attentive to the whispers of God in her life, and that makes me smile.

Lacy's story is a hard one to hear. But it is also an important one. There is much to be learned--both from the story and from Lacy's Mom. Wendy and James (Jason's--the man who killed Lacy--brother) have worked together to share this story with thousands of people over the past several years. To listen to the story, you can follow this link to the 2 Hearts 4 Lacy page...and then in the videos section, there is Part 1 and Part 2 of "Both Sides: Lacy's Story."

On this anniversary of Lacy death, I feel compelled to ask you to please be cautious when being pulled over. Educate yourself on ways to ensure that you are not being pulled over by an impersonator.

Finally, please pray for Lacy, Jason (who has been sentenced to life in prison), and for the continued healing of both of their family and friends.