Why I Don't Like SYATP

OK, so that title is a little much. It’s not really that I don’t like the See You at the Pole events, per se. It’s just that every year, SYATP reminds me of 9/15/1999.

That’s the day someone walked into my church and shot and killed seven people while they were having a “Saw You at the Pole” rally.

I can’t tell the whole story now, but here is just a sample of Baptist Press links to follow if you are interested…..

Gunman Kills Seven… (9/16/99)
Southwestern Mourns Loss… (9/17/99)
Wedgwood Reclaims Sanctuary… (9/20/99)
Pastor on Larry King… (9/20/99)
Pastor Responds to “Where Was God” (9/24/99)
Words of Love on Sanctuary Floor… (10/14/99)
Teens Gather Back… (12/2/99)
Life Changes Since September 15 (12/30/99)
Christ is Still King… (6/13/00)
Healing and Release in Worship… (9/20/00)
Widow Finds Unexplainable Peace… (9/15/04)

To say it was an awful day is to grossly minimize the trauma and grief many people suffered during that time. But I don’t know many other words to use. It was awful.

And yet God was and is good. Simply calling God good grossly minimizes his grace and mercy to all of us during that time. But again, I'm often at a loss for other words. He was good to us. He still is.

I have my own story to tell about 9/15/99. In fact, one of the only ways I know to make sense of those events is to periodically tell my story to others. So, while I won’t be posting my story now (if you’ve followed the links, you’ve read enough already), I will be sharing it here soon.