Posted on 12/10/2007 8:56:33 PM PST by joanie-f
Since the tragic shootings yesterday at the two churches in Colorado I have been intrigued by the story of Jeanne Assam, the volunteer civilian security guard who took down the shooter at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
I watched an online interview with her – her first since the shootings – this afternoon, and came away with the knowledge that standing before me was a genuine modern American hero ... and a true soldier of God.
Many in the media will downplay her heroism, for reasons that are obvious to those of us who are school in their anti-liberty, anti-Second Amendment, anti-Christian bias. But be not mistaken: Jeanne Assam is indeed an American hero.
Assam, and the other dozen or so civilian security personnel at New Life Church, are all members of the New Life congregation, about half of whom are armed, and all of whom have undergone background checks, have successfully completed gun safety courses, and have CCW permits. They all volunteer because, as worshippers, they have a 'sense of ownership' at New Life. It is as if they are protecting their own home and family from intruders.
Senior Pastor at New Life, Brady Boyd, stated that Assam came to his office at 7:30 Sunday morning and informed him about the earlier shooting incident in Arvada. She strongly suggested additional security for the day's services at New Life. Pastor Boyd credits Assam for the heightened security, and for thus preventing significantly more bloodshed.
When twenty-three-year-old Matthew Murray began shooting in the parking lot of the New Life Church a few hours later, all chaos broke loose. Two sisters, Stephanie Works, 18, and Rachael Works, 16, were killed as they were getting into their van following the early service. Their father, David Works, 51, suffered two gunshot wounds -- one to the abdomen and one to the groin -- and is listed in fair condition at a local hospital.
Murray wore body armor, and was reportedly equipped with sufficient firepower (some accounts report that he was carrying as many as five hundred rounds) to bring down hundreds of people. For those who may believe that this estimate is inflated, consider the fact that reports indicate that approximately seven thousand people were tightly packed within and just outside the church at the time, and each round of Murray’s rifle ammo, if properly placed, might certainly have been capable of taking down several people. The potentiality of hundreds of victims was not at all out of the realm of possibility.
During her interview today, Jeanne Assam stated that she attends one of the morning services and then volunteers as a guard during a later service. She has had previous law enforcement experience, has had to draw her weapon countless times in tense situations related to her law enforcement experience, but has never shot anyone before.
I was deeply impressed by her humility, her quiet intelligence, and her Christian outlook. At the outset of her comments she stated, 'I want to extend my sympathy to the families of the victims, and of the gunman. And I mean that very sincerely.'
In describing yesterday’s sequence of events at New Life Church she reflected:
The shots were so loud that I thought he was inside. But he wasn’t even inside yet, he was just entering the church. There was chaos as the parishioners ran in all directions.
I just knew what I had to do. It seemed like it was me, the gunman, and God.
I saw him coming through the doors and I took cover. I came out of cover and identified myself, engaged him and took him down. I knew that I could not let this man harm any more people. I said, 'God, this is you.' I asked Him to be with me and He never left my side.
I want to do His will and not my will. Where I was weak, God made me strong. He filled me, He guided me, He protected me, and many other people.
Assam fired off about a dozen shots, three of which managed to circumvent Murray's body armor, and all of which were fired while he was moving in her direction.
When she was asked whether the previous day’s tragedy had prevented her from getting a good night’s sleep on Sunday night, she replied that she hadn’t slept a wink.
Assam is unmarried, and currently works for Messenger International, a Christian ministry organization. In connection with her affiliation there, she has found herself at a crossroads in her life and has been seeking to know God's will for her ... asking Him to provide direction and guidance. In an effort to clear her mind in that endeavor, she had been fasting for three days, with the support of other members of the ministry. Sunday was the third day of that fast, and she was in a somewhat weakened state as a result.
Toward the end of the interview, she was asked, 'What was in your mind when he went down?' and she responded:
'How awesome and powerful God is.'
She continued ... 'I've had some quiet time with God and have had a lot of people pray with me. I'm even more in awe of Him than I was before.'
It is people like Jeanne Assam -- armed, law-abiding citizens in all walks of life -- church members, teachers, students, pilots, factory workers, white-collar workers, etc. -- who will prevent such future shedding of innocent blood. Law enforcement generally arrives long after such tragedies occur – such as occurred in the recent shooting at the Omaha mall, where the killer accomplished his mission in less than five minutes, and the police didn't arrive until the mall was awash in innocent blood.
The Second Amendment proved its value this weekend when a legally armed, courageous, cool-headed American citizen saved the lives of many of her countrymen.
God preserve the Second Amendment. And God bless Jeanne Assam.
~ joanie
Allegiance and Duty Betrayed
I have passed your narrative and quotes along by email list Joanie.
God is showing us through this woman...is testifying to each and every one who hears this story that:
1. HE is aware of us and is involved in our lives, and
2. That there is a way to address and face the terros of the day when they manifest themselves in this manner...the same way that He inspired our foundersto enumerate to us.
Thanks thanks.
In other eras, I would say you were practicing overkill. In this precarious day and age, I'd say your congregation is very fortunate to have you among them -- for this reason and probably many others.
~ joanie
You’re welcome, Kim.
Well said! And therein lies the worst kind of negligence perpetrated my the mainstream media, and our 'education' system.
We live in a time when many of our young people -- especially, but not only, in our inner cities -- are lacking in direction and commmitment to anything meaningful.
Their hearing or seeing the specific particulars of Assam's story on television or radio, or reading about it in a future textbook or other classroom assignment, might provide them a glimmer of what life is all about, and a epiphany-type recognition of the fabric from which a genuine 'legacy' is crafted, even if unintentionally.
But Assam's heroism is destined to be virtually ignored by those unelected tyrants who have the power to use it for honest, and positive, good.
Why will her story be ignored? Because it involved the powerful and entirely legal use by a citizen of her Second Amendment rights, and because, after doing so, she stood as a faithful and powerful witness to the effect that the Lord's goodness and grace can have in a life that has been turned over to Him.
~ joanie
I perfect summary, I'd say.
You’re welcome, Cindy.
Sad ... true.
Amen.
He already has, and we know He will continue to do so. She is, after all, one of His soldiers.
This interview needs to be played over and over...it should be required reading in every civics class across this nation, and every self-defense course.
Therein lies the worst kind of negligence perpetrated by the mainstream media, and our public 'education' system.
Our textbooks and our television screens are filled with fabricated ‘heroes’ – sports figures and entertainers who are nothing more than glorified criminals, news stories that ignore the Jeanne Assams, and focus on the Brittney Spears, of the world, and history textbooks that dedicate half a page (if that) of information to the life Robert E. Lee and ten times as much space and time to Madonna and Marilyn Monroe.
Partly as a result of that grotesque media and education ‘oversight’, we live in a time when many of our young people -- especially, but not only, in our inner cities -- are lacking in direction and commitment to anything eternally meaningful.
Their hearing or seeing the particulars of Assam's story on television or radio, or reading about it in a future textbook or other classroom assignment, might provide them a glimmer of what life is all about, and a epiphany-type recognition of the meaning of faith, personal character, and the fabric from which a genuine, meaningful role-model 'legacy' is crafted, even if unintentionally.
But Assam's heroism is destined to be virtually ignored by those unelected tyrants who have the power to use it for honest, and positive, societal good.
Why will her story be ignored? Because it involved the powerful and entirely legal use by a citizen of her Second Amendment rights, and because, after doing so, she stood as a faithful and powerful witness to the effect that the Lord's goodness and grace can have in a life that has been turned over to Him.
What a powerful service to our republic, and to those of our young people who are directionless, the mainstream media and the public education system could perform if they functioned as they were intended, rather than as an arm of the leftwing propaganda machine.
~ joanie
Thanks for the kind words, Bigun. :)
A female hero is a heroine, just like a female actor is an actress, political correctness be damned to Hell!
That wonderful comment beautifully reflects the 'ripple effect' of Assam's actions!
Hopefully, those who read about what she did will be inspired to incorporate a portion of her courage into their own lives. But, even more importantly, those whose lives she may have saved through her heroism must now dedicated to God, who worked through her to keep them here with us. Only He knows what those spared lives can now accomplish.
Thank you so much for pointing that out!
So beautiful, and even more meaningful to those who would understand. Thank you!
Amen.
I had not even considered that aspect of her fast. Very beautifully said!
As the Shamnesty proposal went down in flames due to the public cry over it, we can serve as instruments in God's hands in raising the type of awareness this information, this occurance, this witness before God and man, deserves.
Emails, forums, talk shows, cell phones, the internet as a whole...avenues have been opened to us at this time in history precisely, I believe, by that same merciful God, to allow us to circumvent and get around the tyrants and corruption around us as surely as Jeanne's footsteps were guided to circumvent the tyrant that she faced. If we will have and then exhibit the faith that she did, then He will also guide our footsteps and there is no telling what good will come of it.
God bless you Joanie for doing so on this thread. Here's another you may find interest in where the discussion continues on the same topic.
If you can, read all the many responses.
There are untold lukers who are watching on all of these threads...and who knows but that God will, and perhaps has raised them up to carry this message forward in uncounted ways.
None of will ever know when the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, will call upon us to do HIS bidding, but we must be ready at all times. HIS call may come at the most inapproaite time, but we must be ready! Thank you oh LORD for the many Blessings that YOU have bestowed upon me, including the many challenges that YOU have place before me to teach me a lesson & using me as YOU see fit to...... AMEN
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