A Shooting Survivor’s Perspective on Prayer
Taylor Schumann was shot in the New River Community College shooting in Virginia on April 12th, 2013.
In an article for Christianity Today, Schumann states that her relationship with the phrase “thoughts and prayers” is complicated. After her experience, she believes in action after these tragedies. However, she also acknowledges the power of prayer. Often, it is all the average person can do. In this article, she lists specific ways to pray as “one part of our response to gun violence”.
In the article, Schumann instructs us to pray for all wounds. Bullet wounds affect the mind too, and healing is slow. We should ask the Lord for successful rehabilitation and scientific developments in medicine. Additionally, she instructs us to pray that the shooter’s information will not spread and re-traumatize survivors.
Related on Third Hour: 25 Ways to Pray
To a survivor, the years after a shooting pose many obstacles. These include court cases, physical and emotional setbacks, and financial burdens. Schumann asks us to pray for the survivors to access financial, legal, and emotional support. We must pray that we and those with power and proximity will know how to help.