Monday's Mourning Ministry - On the Late Massacre in Alabama on 8/2/2006 - Victory ~Yolanda Adams

Monday's Mourning Ministry

On the Late Massacre in Alabama on 8/2/2006

~

Victory

~Yolanda Adams

Warning: The following poem is of a graphic nature, so it may trigger some of you. Please read at your own discretion. Thank you.

On the Late Massacre in Alabama on 8/2/2006

Avenge, O Lord, Thy slaughtered saints, whose bones

Laid scattered on the bank of Fort Payne, cold;

Even them who loved my Lord, so sweet consoled,

When man'y others worshiped egos 'nd thrones,

Forget not: in Thy Book record their groans

Who were Thy sheep, and in that highway fold

Slain by impaired driver's 'scapt Tahoe, full tilt unscrolled

Child with friends down to ground. Their moans

The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To heaven. Their sacred blood and ashes sow

O'er hallowed Fort Payne bank, where still doth sway

The terrible Tyrant; that from these may grow

A hundredfold, who, having learnt Thy way,

Early may flee the Vile One's devious woe.

*****

Tommy and I first visited the fatal crash site at Fort Payne, Alabama in December of 2006. Even though our visit was 4 months after Merry Katherine's death, we experienced several graces of God while we were there. As we each wandered around the crash site, we found sweet reminders of our child that actually brought smiles to our faces. For instance, we could just picture Merry Katherine scrounging around in our pantry before her trip and taking a box of "South Beach" candy bars with her as we began to find several empty "South Beach" wrappers. We could just imagine that after she and her friends stopped for supper at Kentucky Fried Chicken, that she had a candy bar for dessert and then passed out the candy bars to all of her friends. There were several other personal items that we found that made us feel so close to her. These were all wonderful graces of God as what could have been a terrifying process turned out to be a sweet connection with our baby.

The next visit to the crash site was in December of 2007. Our family (Tommy, Rollin, Nathan, and I) was "escaping" from home for the Christmas holidays and going to the beach in Destin, Florida. Merry Katherine's crash site was enroute to Destin, so we decided to show our sons, her brothers, the site.

This time however, as we began going through the towns before reaching the area, terror began seeping in bit by bit.

Tommy and I had enjoyed watching the dvd "The Gospel" and had bought the soundtrack to it, and thankfully we had the c.d. with us. Tommy wisely slipped in the c.d. and played the following very inspired song by Yolanda Adams, full of the vital truths from the Bible that remind us,

Death is not all there is,

because for her and for us . . .

"He died but He rose on the third day,"

and

"That's why (for her and for us, we) have true victory everyday!"

Tommy turned the stereo up as loud as it would go, and put it on repeat so that we would hear it over and over and over, so for the next twenty or so minutes, we sang the words of faith along with Yolanda, giving us the courage to face the depths of pain that would be coming with viewing this fatal crash site again. God once again provided what we needed in giving us this boost for our faith, so this song has held great meaning for us ever since amidst this journey through our deepest grief.

*****

Victory

~Yolanda Adams

[Chorus]

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus, Yes I do!

He is our mighty Conquerer,

In Him I will trust, all my battles He'll fight.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus.

For me He died but He rose on the third day

That’s why I have true victory everyday!

[Verse 1]

Truly I've been through the storm and rain.

I know everything about heartache and pain.

But God carried me through it all

Without His protection I'd surely fall.

I’ve been broke without a dime to my name.

But all my bills got paid ‘cause I called on Jesus name.

You can't tell me that God isnt real 'cause

I've got the victory and that's why I’m still here.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus, Yes I do!

He is our mighty Conquerer,

In Him I will trust, all my battles He'll fight.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus.

For me He died but He rose on the third day

That’s why I have true victory everyday!

[Verse 2]

I'm not worried about material things I don't have

I just rest cause I’m sure in my Savior’s care

Because I know my blessing is on the way

I can't see it right now but I stand by faith.

I've fought many, many battles in His name

I held up the blood-stained banner and proclaimed

That Jesus is the truth and the light:

Believe me when I say He will make it all right!

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus, Yes I do!

He is our mighty Conquerer,

In Him I will trust, all my battles He'll fight.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus.

For me He died but He rose on the third day

That’s why I have true victory everyday!

[Bridge]

Yeah I got the victory yeah

I got the victory yeah yeah yeah

[And if you have the victory sing along with me]

Yeah I got the victory yeah

I got the victory

Yeah yeah yeah

[And if you've got the victory

Sing along with me]

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus, Yes I do!

He is our mighty Conquerer,

In Him I will trust, all my battles He'll fight.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus.

For me He died but He rose on the third day

That’s why I have true victory everyday!

Oh Yeah, I got the victory yeah

Yeah, I got the victory yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, Yeah

Whoa-oh-oh-oh yeah

I got the victory yeah

I got the victory yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Sing along with me

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus, Yes I do!

He is our mighty Conquerer,

In Him I will trust, all my battles He'll fight.

I've got, got the victory

I've got the sweet, sweet victory in Jesus.

For me He died but He rose on the third day

That’s why I have true victory everyday!

That's why I have true victory!

Picture - St. Etienne de Bulogne / cross on the side of the road

Poem - On the Late Massacre in Alabama on 8/2/2006 - 12/17/08 as

inspired by John Milton's "On the Late Massacre in Piedmont" (See poem below)

Video of Yolanda Adams in "Victory" - http://youtu.be/B3mINTjVyEw

John Milton (1608-74)

On the Late Massacre in Piedmont

Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones

Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold;

Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old,

When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones,

Forget not: in thy book record their groans

Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold

Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that rolled

Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans

The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow

O'er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway

The triple Tyrant; that from these may grow

A hundredfold, who, having learnt thy way,

Early may fly the Babylonian woe.