By Don Thomas, Senior Pastor at Central Christian Church

Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Three years ago, Chelsie Kryst won the Miss USA Pageant as Miss North Carolina, becoming the oldest winner ever at age 28. She had already graduated from University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree, then an MBA…and went on to Wake Forest Law School where she graduated with honors! She was working for a large law firm in North Carolina as a Civil Litigator when she decided to enter the pageant. She was well liked by everyone…and won the title!

She was such a hit with her work with the pageant, she became a correspondent for the news show “Extra”. Just 2 weeks ago, she was doing an interview with Denzel Washington where they were both laughing and smiling.

This past Sunday, she jumped to her death from a 29-story building, leaving a note giving all her possessions to her Mother.

Accomplished. Beautiful. Talented. Educated. Opportunities. Seemingly had everything going for her.

We never know all of the burdens others are carrying. We don’t know how much people are hurting. We may never know what pain or trauma she went through that led her to make that decision, but it shows that we never know the extent of the suffering or heaviness with which our neighbors deal. We are called to be a People of Prayer…and that means praying FOR others and WITH others! And we need to be the people that speak HOPE into broken lives and hurting hearts.

If you are hurting, we want you to know that you are not alone. We want you to know that all is not lost. There is hope in connection. There is power in togetherness. You see, God cares for you deeply. In fact, if you were the only one on this planet, Jesus would have hung on that cross just for you. Our doors, here at Central, are always open and we are always willing to listen. Don’t let your circumstances steal your joy or drown out your hope.

Please reach out and share with Franklin or Raegan or Jennifer or Don…or your Connect Group leaders, or someone on the Praise Team…or a professional counselor. Please don’t keep it to yourself. We want to stand WITH you…because we ARE in this together. It’s not just a slogan…it’s a mindset. And we care.

May God’s Peace Rest Upon You – Shalom
Don