I hadn’t planned to write today, I had just planned to take a break for a day. Unfortunately a tragedy occurred that I feel warrants a few words.
Today, as many of you here in Fredericksburg already know, two young men lost their lives in a traffic accident. Two twenty year olds, Brandon Strackbein, and Hayden Pfiester, with their whole life ahead of them, left this world early this morning, in an instant.
There are no words for this really, only shock and despair. I know that when we finally heard the names, my heart dropped into my stomach and my soul just literally ached for them and their parents and families. No parent deserves to live through such a tragedy.
My heart and prayers go out to both boys’ families. I can’t even begin to know what they are feeling, I only know that I wish I could give some sense of peace and understanding which I know is hard right now.
As a community, I know there are literally hundreds of us that are here, crying with them, and lending them whatever support we can that they may need.
Their children’s friends, and their parents loved and miss the boys, and we are all here as a community to surround these families and help. Lean on all of us. Lean on your family, your friends, your boys’ friends, and your community.
As hard as it is right now, because I know understanding at a time like this is near zero, lean on your faith and your Lord. He is here, and He is holding you up in His arms giving you strength, peace, comfort, love, and even joy at knowing His promises are real. Lean on Him, and lean on Him hard, as you gather together and lean on each other.
Friends and community, put aside what you may know or think you know about things and just be there to support and help these families. They are all good, hard-working, families that need every ounce of whatever good you can show them right now. Just be there for them, however you can.
To the Strackbeins, and Pfiesters, and their extended families, may God bless and keep you, may He give you His strength, may He bathe you in peace, and the joy that comes from knowing that your boys are with Him now. Even though, they are physically gone from your sight, they are forever in your hearts and memories, and in the hearts and memories of everyone that knew them.
Share those memories with each other and keep the good things alive through these memories. Share your love for them and one another with their families. Nothing else matters now except supporting these families and each other through these next few weeks.
God bless them and all who knew and loved them.
On the Wings of Angels 