Friday, August 8, 2008

Lifting up Will Franklin

I'm sure many of you have followed or at least remember hearing about the Steven Curtis Chapman family tragedy back in May. They lost their 5 year old daughter in a tragic accident in their family driveway when their 17 year old son accidentally ran her over. They did their first public interview this week on Good Morning America. I watched it yesterday on my DVR and was just so heartbroken for the pain they are going through. They were on Larry King Live last night, which I DVRd, but haven't seen yet. I am so thankful for their faith and their love for each other, but the immense pain that they still deal with and grieve with is just truly unbelievable.

As I was running this morning, I was overwhelmed and burdened to pray for their son, Will Franklin. The pain and scars that he wears is something I can't even comprehend. I was so burdened to pray especially for him and lift him up. Such a tragedy for a young man to bear. Praying that Satan would NOT gain any foothold in his young life. Praying that God's purpose in his life specifically would be fulfilled and that his passion for Christ and faith in Him would only be made stronger through this.

A song came on the IPOD that David had recorded for our Kinetic band to do this fall. It's called Lift High by a group called Fee. The lyrics sort of smacked me in my face and were so powerful:

Broken people call His name
Helpless children praise the King
Nothing brings Him greater fame
When broken people call His name

Lift high, your chains undone
All rise, exalt the Son
Jesus Christ, the Holy One
We lift our eyes to You

The Chapmans all spoke of the faith they have that is getting them through this tragedy. About grieving with a hope...that they know they will see Maria again. Still, the pain is still so fresh and truly they are still broken people. And so my prayer is that these broken people will continue to call on His name so that He will be exalted and glorified somehow in this tragedy.

4 comments:

anthonyandbeth said...

so true Katy! i've only seem snipits of the Larry King Live interview and when I flipped over to start recording it for the later time Steve Curtis Chapman was talking about Will Franklin and looked in the camera and said "Pray for Will Franklin." He was truly calling out for Christians to lift up his son. We need to lift him up!! What he must be going through. I remember us talking about it when it happened and discussing the burden of a parent to grieve the lost child and still comfort the child who had caused the loss. They talked of that on the interview and were very honest about their desire to support and be there for their son through his grief. WOW!!! so hard!!! can't wait to watch the full interview...

Jonathan and Missy Wetherington said...

I saw some of the interview on Larry King's website. They have an amazing story. I had almost made it through the segment without crying until they got to the graduation ceremony of one of the boys. He spoke in front of his classmates about the accident (the graduation was 1 day afterwards I believe). What an amazing family!!

Jen said...

I was just popping on the blogs real quick to catch any updates and was caught by yours. I literally just finished watching the Larry King interview taped from Thursday night. Although I completely understand how they can have peace in such a grim situation, it still amazes me. My heart breaks for them for their loss, yet they can already SEE so much of what God is doing in their lives. Will Franklin does have a long road ahead of him, but God has a big plan for that road. Look at the testimony already this family is bringing to the Lord. How much greater will Will's triumph over this grief be when He gives all the glory to the Lord. Praise God that He never lets us go!

Judy said...

Every time I hear a SCC song I pray for Will. I can't hear SCC's voice without thinking of their family and the grief they are enduring right now. I just pray that God will use this tragedy for Will's good and that Satan won't succeed in his plans to destroy this young boy's life.