Praying for the Miners

Hey All! I realize it has been way too long since my last update, but I wanted to share some thoughts about the mine explosion in Naoma, WV. Perhaps, this is more of my prayer than thoughts, but take these words and use them as you feel called.

Coal runs through the veins of all West Virginians. Like the genealogy of any family, coal has its place in the family tree. Like many in West Virginia, I credit coal for the formation of my family's identity in the Mountain State and know exactly where it lies in the family tree. Any time there is a disaster like the one yesterday the people of West Virginia rally together as a family, because the coal mine that took at least 25 lives is also the same thing that still flows through our blood and feeds our families. Ironically the place where 25 Mountaineers lost their lives, is also the holy ground that contains many others that have been killed over the past several decades in the mines. The mountains that give us life, food, and famliy are also the same mountains that take life and family away. The people of West Virginia truly understand it is from the Earth we were created, and it is to the Earth we shall return. For those that have returned to the Earth, I pray that they rest in peace. For the families left to mourn the loss, I pray, hope, and cry with them. For the rescue and relief agency workers, I pray for your safety as you continue to work diligently to find the missing four and return the bodies of our dead. For the government, courts, and politicians of West Virginia, I pray that you find a way to rise above the political system and grip that coal has on our state and bring justice that has been withheld from the people of West Virginia for years. I pray that the coal company and its owner(s) concede the mistakes that have been made, reconcile the wrongs against the people of West Virginia, and lament with the community that you are also deeply apart of. For the people of West Virginia, I pray for our family and ask for God's comforting presence to be felt as we mourn the loss of our family members. For the people that use the energy that coal produces, I pray that you remember the miners, their families, and the systems that energy is a part of as you use the energy (and I hope you think about how you are using that energy).

Lord, in your mercy - hear my prayer!