A habit I have is to pray for needs answered at the sound of emergency sirens. My experience with First Responders and their sirens is no less than that of sheer gratitude. An emergency is chaotic as your adrenalin pumps, but once they come through the door there is a sense of relief watching the professionals take over. So upon hearing sirens, I affirm help is on the way, or already being provided.

On Tuesday, November 30th, I heard sirens for what seemed like hours. Doing my usual process I not only blessed the abilities of the First Responders, but their destinations. I held a vision in my mind’s eye that wherever they were going only good things would be happening. And, as a result of their work, people would be receiving the assistance and support they needed. With each siren heard I continued to affirm that only good would be the end result. Plus, being grateful for skilled people, able to handle emergency situations, creating the good I was praying to see.

Just after 2 p.m. a prayer request alerted me about Oxford High School. This answered why so many sirens were heard, but how was this possible in our little quiet area? We have heard about this type of tragedy happening in other states, but this was close to home! In a quiet rural town just to the north that many visit regularly. We have never experienced a situation like this, but the students were trained and did an excellent job.

I cannot even begin to understand what it was like for a student, teacher, parent or grandparent. My insights come as someone living a few miles away. I know the thoughts and feelings of a member of a nearby community after seeing and hearing it live. It was a day of disbelief. Questioning how this was possible, I had to find a way to ground myself into the thoughts that God exists but is above this level of humanity.

As a spiritual person, when bad happens I look for any good I can find. Because I know that where good is, God is. Where God is, the light is. When you remember the light of God is always present and within all of us, you have hope. So I prayed that the light of God was seen and felt by anyone touched by the day’s events, providing them hope and strength to walk through this awful time.

There is no doubt prayer was the action chosen by many to support all those involved and the extended communities. Looking for it as I watched the news coverage, I saw the love of God being expressed through heartfelt gratefulness when parents met their students in the Meijer parking lot. God was there in action as the students, teachers and administrators found ways to protect themselves and each other. Shown again, as the emergency teams did their good work – God energy was being expressed through their actions.

For those wounded and recovering I affirm the healing energy of God continues to flow through each one. And, for the beautiful souls who are now with us in spirit, I hold them in a special light of prayer. Seeing, knowing and affirming the words of James Dillet-Freemans, Prayer of Protection – “The light of God surrounds them, the love of God enfolds them, the power of God protects them, the presence of God watches over them. Wherever those beautiful souls are in spirit, God IS, and all is well.”

Days have passed and as additional reports have been released; let’s remember to pray for more good to come.

Many tears were shed that day and in the days that followed. Tears are healing and their release opens up new pathways for something better to come into our lives. Let us pray that the communities’ heartfelt tears awaken our country to solutions, never before created, putting an end to mass tragedies.

My prayer is that in this darkness anyone whose heart was touched by this can and will use the light of God to renew their hope in life. May each find strength in knowing that they were not alone that day and are not alone now. You are in our prayer energy and we hold the light of faith and hope for something better to come.

Charles Fillmore wrote: “Prayer is the most highly accelerated mind action known. It steps up mental action until man’s consciousness synchronizes with the Christ Mind. It is the language of spirituality; when developed it makes man master in the realm of creative ideas.”

Remember to continue praying for the Oxford High School, students, staff, families, and the larger community. Jesus said our prayers are stronger when two or more are gathered. So a small group of us gathered at Unity of Lake Orion with a special service centered on hope. Love donations were gifted to Oxford Community Memorial and Victims Fund at Oxford Bank.

And, yes, I am still looking for more good and praying for something better to come out of this. Great things have come from our state. Let us pray good solutions come through our creative ideas stopping future events like this before they become thought.

Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, constant in prayer.”

Blessing you with the peace that passes all understanding,

Linda La Croix

Linda La Croix is Prayer Chaplain & Unity Director at Unity of Lake Orion.

Look for La Croix’s column, A Spiritual Walk, regularly in The Lake Orion Review, and visit her Facebook page, A Spiritual Walk, to find more positive thoughts.