ANYTHING, LIKE SUICIDE?

Jack,

Do you ask if God can use anything for his glory? ANYTHING, LIKE SUICIDE?

Read on.

At Creationfest in Hershey, PA, Saturday, June 2, 2003, I was walking along the
bridge over the expressway between the indoor and outdoor arenas at
Hershey Park. At the east end of the bridge was a tram that would take me
to Hershey Stadium and the Park. As I got on the bridge, I noticed a
teenage boy wearing a T-shirt. The back of the shirt had a picture of a
cross. Underneath the cross was the message of a young man's birth and
death dates. His death date was 4-23-03. R.I.P. "Don't remember me as I
am, remember me as I used to be."

Immediately I was grieved for the boy and his three friends. I began to
pray for them. I asked God if I could get a chance to talk with them.
When I got off the bridge, I was able to get on the tram right in front
of them.

"I read your shirt," I said to the boy, "What happened?"

"He shot himself in the head."

"Were there any signs of depression?"

A friend piped up. "He didn't talk with any of us."

"Was there any history of trauma?"

"His mother did the same thing three years ago."

I said, "It's no mistake that I'm here. I lost my 21-year-old nephew to
the same thing in February. He was knocking down all "A's" at University
of Baltimore but he was depressed. I think his bar of self-expectation
was raised too high. The good news is that I am completely healed of the
grief, depression, anxiety and everything that goes with all of that. God
healed me, and I want to pray with you. Can I pray with you?"

"Yes!"

"We're going to ask God to forgive us for the trauma, great distress,
more fear and wrong responses to what happened to us. We're going to ask
God to restore us and do a miracle. Does that sound good?"

"Yes!"

I prayed, not caring who was around me. When I was done, I said, "It is
no accident that I am here. I am part of the Official Creation Prayer and
Evangelism Team. Here is my badge. I have talked to more than 500 people
about Jesus this week. God is going to redeem this and do a miracle. I
want each of you to come up to Creation next year and tell me what God
did in your lives."

I asked them if they knew beyond the shadow of a doubt if they knew they
would be with Jesus if they were to die that day. They responded with a
"yes." I made some small talk with them until we got to the Stadium.

As I got off the tram, I thanked them and began to weep when I realized
that God would take something so tragic like my nephew's death and use it
for good in the lives of other hurting people. Praise His name!

If you know other hurting people, I am more than happy to help them with
the help I am comforted with by God.

Sincerely,
Rick Szalecki
rszurrected@juno.com