Overwhelming Tragedy, Beautiful Resilience...We Are Virginia Tech.

April 16th 2007 is a day that will forever be remembered by the entire Virginia Tech community and many other people not even connected to Virginia Tech. I wasn't there on that horrible day. I didn't officially become a Hokie until 2010. That day changed my university forever. As horrific as this day was for everyone involved or connected in any way, there is something beautiful that came of it. God likes to do that...turn ashes into beauty. 


The question is often asked; "Why does God let bad things happen to good people, if he loves us so much?" I am sure that this question was asked on more than one occasion regarding this tragedy. The answer is simple...because the world is sinful and God allows people to make choices. When the devil attacks us and leaves us with nothing, much like he did on that horrible day, we have two options. The first is to run away and the second is to stand, fight, and become stronger than you ever were before, recognizing that God is the reason you are able to get back up.

I believe that although God allows people to make choices and although the world is sinful, God is there to dust us off and love on us. God helped the Virginia Tech community back to it's feet. He gave us amazing resilience and helped us show the devil that we are stronger than anything that he can throw at us. If we trust him he is faithful to do this in any situation, just like this one, even those that are bigger than anything we could ever comprehend. When we face tragedy and we are hurting so badly that we can't move, God just wants us to trust him. He just wants us to fall into his arms and let him carry us, he just wants us to give it up and give it to him. In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Jesus wants to take our brokenness and heal it, he wants to make us into beautiful creations so that he can shine through us and someone else can feel his love. That is one of the many things I love about him!


Every  April 16th is sad, the entire environment of the campus changes. People suddenly speak more quietly, hug a little tighter, tell their friends how important they are. Yes, there is a certain pride that comes along with being a Hokie, but on this day, that pride takes an entirely different form. It is more compassionate, respectful, and loving. That is what came of this. A beautiful resilience came along with the brokenness. As all of the world watched to see what would become of Virginia Tech, we stood back to our feet, wiped the tears away, wrapped our arms around each other and showed the world that not only are we  going to be okay, but that "We Are Virginia Tech." Our campus of nearly 30,000 people became a tight knit family, full of respect and compassion for one another. God picked us up and carried us forward. 



Only Jesus can take pain like that away. Only he can turn ashes into beauty. I am so proud to be a Hokie! I am so proud to be a part of a university that made it through something so awful and became so resilient! 

"While 32 of our friends and classmates are in Heaven trying to explain what a Hokie is, I stand here sure in the fact that I wouldn't want to be anything else." 

xoxo,
Emily