Virginia Tech

Here is a wonderful story of Gods Grace to share with your congregation. Please share it as you see fit. This is Mark Cox, (Gay's Son, and Wanda's Brother).This story will get no press in the main stream media. It's a story a little too religious. It's a story that might be a little too politically incorrect in certain editor's boardrooms; nonetheless it's a story that must be heard. It must be told. On Sunday morning on April the 15th 2007, Jarret Lane was attending services at the First Baptist Church of Narrows, Virginia. It might have been a Sunday service like any other Sunday morning service: Sunday School followed by opening comments followed by Praise and Worship, followed by the Sunday sermon, followed by an altar call, followed by the benediction and dismissal.

But on this particular Sunday, during the altar call Jarrett Lane responded to a stirring, to a still small voice in his heart telling him to go forward. He stepped out of his seat, walked down the aisle to the front of the small Church and prayed with the pastor to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Jarret Lane had doubtless heard many times in his lifetime the admonition "this might be your last opportunity to accept Christ." It might have been easy to override the still small voice and leave for Sunday lunch, but instead he listened, No! He heard. He heeded. He obtained forgiveness. He experienced the Love and Grace of the Son of God. It was a glorious day for Jarrett. Less than 24 hours later Jamet Lane was killed along with 31 other innocent victims by depraved and angry shooter Cho Seung-Hui on the campus of Virginia tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.At my place of employment, the news of Jarrett's salvation came to me via E-mail. With tears in my eyes, I spread the news to several more friends who also wept with joy. Then I told some other friends from my Church in Pearisburg, Virginia. We all wept together! I watched very undemonstrative people become demonstrative and utter "PRAISE GOD!" as tears filled their eyes. There was something very special about this story, for you see this entire community has heard nothing but darkness, sadness, and news of despair and despondency. The repetitive scenes and endless discussions of death, injury, and insanity kept appearing on our television sets.This blackness was followed by conversations, E-mails, phone calls and endless debates at work, home and play of the same darkness, which has so pervaded our community. This tiny pinprick of light, this story about Jarrett Lane has helped roll back the clouds, which have been hanging over us. It has brought us a ray of hope. Brought a smile to our faces. Replaced tears of sorrow and horror with those of joy and inspiration. May all of Christendom read this Story. May all Christians everywhere hear and rejoice. Grace, Grace, Sweet Grace!

Some one mile from the tiny town of Narrows, Virginia (where Jarrett was from), I along with about 100 other parents and friends had gathered at 9:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 18 2007 to send our High School kids on a 5 day Symphonic Chorale trip to Orlando Florida. The Virginia Tech shootings were still fresh and raw in every mind. I was moved beyond words to watch the students, faculty, and parents slowly form one huge circle, hands enjoined, in the Parking lot for prayer. Later I noticed that parents were hugging their kids a little tighter, a little longer, a few more times. They said, "I love you" and looked their kids in the eyes. I think Jarrett smiled. The darkness is lifting from our community. My prayer is that Parents and their Children everywhere will come to know Christ so that in the event that they send their Loved ones out one day, and it turns out to be the last day, that they will have obtained that beautiful hope that says "We shall embrace again one day". Jarrett Lane's dear mother has that hope. She has that assurance.Jarrett is home now. He's home. Thank God almighty He's home.



Please pray for our community.



Everything I write this letter is verifiable.



Mark Cox



We will never know when our time left in this world. Maybe 100 years or 50 years or 25 years or 12 years or maybe we are not that lucky maybe we only have less that 24 hours just like Jarrett.. Trust your life to God right now and have that assurance that you will be forever with the God almighty. May God bless all of you always...