David Works

This biography has been written by a couple who tragically lost two of their four daughters during a random stranger shooting at New Life Church in America in 2007. David (their father) was also seriously injured and spent months recuperating, a lot of the story is about that.

The write an honest account of their trials and struggles as a family both before and after the incident. Their story was heavily featured in the media after they met with the parents of the young male offender who was also fatally wounded by a security guard during the initial incident. The family speak candidly about their faith in God and how it enabled them to show grace, love and forgiveness towards the family of the shooter. Clearly the other family were also suffering as they had no idea that their son was about to do anything like this, he was responsible for his own actions. The love and willingness to forgive that was demonstrated is a strong testimony of God's grace in action.

I was a bit confused by details of a prophecy and vision that were given in detail at the start of the book. Apparently a church leader told a 14000 person congregation before the shooting that some of the youth were going to be "martyrs" for Christ. The family believed the shooting was a fulfillment of that prophecy because they were shot in a church car-park and the shooter was unhappy about being refused to be allowed to go on a Short Term Mission trip with YWAM from a different church in a different area. Clearly, the deaths of these girls were tragic but I would not describe them as "martyrs" as there isn't really any evidence that they died for/because of their faith. It appeared to be a case of wrong place, wrong time. The family even said afterwards that they knew the shooting was not personal.

David (the father) then details an experience that he compares to John's visions in Revelation. He pictured a globe and five or six specific cities on that globe (all in different parts of the world.) He initially believed this meant that God was going to send his family as missionaries to these places but that didn't happen. The result; every time any of these places are mentioned by anybody at anytime he jumps as if it is the fulfillment of his vision....even when this book was published and sent to various other countries he suggests that maybe that was the fulfillment. It seemed to me to be very subjective and trying to fit circumstances into his vision. I believe that if God did send a vision to someone that there would be no mistaking the fulfillment. I hope this family aren't confused by this continually.

I truly hope that both of these families are Christians with a personal relationship with Jesus. I would have liked to see the Gospel message somewhere in the book. This is a sad story; maybe it would be helpful for someone going through a similar situation especially in relation to forgiveness.

I would recommend it. It is clean; free of bad language and sexual content. There is obviously violence which some readers may find difficult especially in light of the tragic deaths.… (meer)