Trolley Square

Trolley Square

Monday night there was a shooting at Trolley Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Like most people, I was glued to the TV watching details come out. I didn’t find out about the shootings until 3 hours after it started. The women of the Rock had their “Ladies Night Out” and we all had amazing revelations from God on being a woman of God through Discipleship. As we were leaving, one of our leaders husbands came in and gave her the news and it floated through to others. We all were calm as we left.

As I watch on the news, I prayed that none of my friends or acquaintances were in the path of the rage of the young shooter. There were stories of everyone on how brave people were and their quick thinking which saved a lot of people. I wondered if I would be able to do that. If someone were to come and start shooting, could I be brave? I thought how many lives had been shaken up and how I know I couldn’t survive that tragedy without Jesus at my side. Did those people know Jesus? Had anyone taken the time to invest in the kid that had fired at everyone?

As the week went by and I heard more and more stories, I started my healing. I knew that I didn’t want Trolley Square to become a place of abandon because of the shooting. I saw so many people who went down to support the mall and seek healing. I went with my best friend Kira last night to try to seek healing myself. It was eerie going into the mall. Everyone had quiet voices in reverence of those that had died. The stores that had the most tragedy were closed or boarded up. Cabin Fever, a simple store had keepsakes people had dropped off. In another section of the mall, there were flowers left along a fountain. News Reporters were there to tell the latest of the developing story.

I still don’t know why this teenager thought there was no other option but to shoot people, but does the pattern of people being together have anything to do with it? It is sad that some people don’t have anyone to share their lives with or to share their stories with. Is that why he did it?

As Kira and I left the mall and headed to my car, I saw something that made me nervous. A man headed towards the mall in a trench coat with an eerie grin. Will the trench coat forever be a sign of a difficult life? Why do people want to hurt others?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.- Romans 8:35,37