I pen this note with a heavy and grieved heart. Many of you attended our New Years Eve watch night service and personally witnessed or heard about the tragic event that transpired. Shortly after midnight, one of our dear children, Marquel Peters, was struck by a stray bullet while sitting next to his mother, Sister Natalee Peters. The minutes that unfolded seemed unimaginable and unthinkable, but were real. Marquel went home to be with the Lord New Years morning. Now, I ask the church to stand with the Peters family during this time of such a GREAT loss. Please let us love, support, and hold the entire family in our prayer. To those that acted quickly and bravely that morning, I express my sincere thanks for all that you did on behalf of Marquel and the Peters.
As we deal with the tragedy of that morning and our loss, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the after shocks radiating through the church. We are left to process what happened, trying to find logical ways for it to make sense. Love ones know that God is in control. While we may not understand His reason for allowing the events of that morning what we do know is that God is wise and all knowing; He is Just, He is Love, His mercies endure forever. We know that He was in our midst during service that night. He was there for Marquel. He is here for the Peters and He is here with right now. We know that God’s love for us is unfailing and unwavering.
Is 55:8-11 says,
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
I encourage everyone to draw closer to God even now. We have seen how fleeting life is, how uncertain. My prayer is that you would know Jesus as your Savior and live a life fully committed to Him in this New Year, being ever ready. I ask for everyone to commit to the 21 day fast, to continue to hold the Peters family up in prayer, and watch the mighty move of God.
