Trusting in God's Sovereignty...

I just found the article below online today. Although much of this is general information that has been posted previously, I thought it was well worth including. I am continually humbled by God's grace in light of what has happened to Jason and Lindsay. To those who do not know Jesus as their personal Savior, I'm not sure this would make much sense. In fact, I'm sure it would not. My entire perspective on life has changed ever since God became a part of it. Quite honestly, I cannot imagine trying to live without God in my heart. He gives me so much hope and peace, without which I would not be able to cope. When I found out about the murders of Jason and Lindsay, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I was completely in shock and deeply heartbroken over the senselessness of it and the pain that it was causing to such wonderful families. But very quickly, God revealed to me that even in horrific situations such as this, His Plan is at work. I do not pretend to know what God's Plan is... if I knew, I would be more than human... and I am not. But I believe with 100% certainty that God has a plan for all of those who believe in Him... and even if evil touches your life... it has a purpose. I have seen so much GOOD come from the tragedy that took Jason and Lindsay's lives. Not that I don't wish for them to still be here... but God has brought more people into His Kingdom through the tragedy. Evil did not triumph. It never will. God is GOOD and His Will is always better than ours.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Parents of slain couple still hope killer will surface.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

By JESSI MARTIN, Staff writer
Mountain Democrat Online

Some belongings have been returned to the Cutshalls since their 22-year-old daughter Lindsay and her 26-year-old fiancé Jason Allen, river guides in El Dorado County, were found murdered on a beach in Sonoma County in August 2004.

Other possessions were taken into evidence and have not yet been released to the family in the case that Sonoma County sheriff's detectives continue to investigate.

"We're still working the case full time," said Steve Freitas, supervisor of the violent crimes unit for the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. "We still have leads we are working; we are still analyzing evidence, but we have not identified a suspect at this time."

The couple, who planned to marry in September 2004, were working as outdoor youth ministry counselors at the Rock 'N Water Camp in Coloma when they went on a weekend trip and failed to return. They were later found shot in their sleeping bags on a lonely stretch of beach near Jenner. Their bodies were found Aug. 18, but authorities said they probably were killed between Aug. 14 and 16.

Now Lindsay's father, Chris Cutshall, a pastor at the Fresno Bible Church in Fresno, Ohio, has been taking the time to sit down with one of the items that has been returned to him and his wife, Lindsay's Bible.

As he began to thumb through it, Cutshall said, he found that the book of Phillipians had the most underlines, highlights, circles and notes in his daughter's handwriting, but one note in particular struck home for him.

Next to Phillipians 3:20, which states that "our citizenship is in heaven," Lindsay, 22 when she was slain, had written, "I'm just a pilgrim," Cutshall said.

For her father it has brought both consolation and inspiration in the wake of the six-month anniversary of his daughter's death.

"There's a deep sense of loss, of longing and desire to see her and be with her," Cutshall said. "We cry a lot, and we still grieve a lot."

But, in his Sunday preaching, Cutshall has begun a series of sermons from the book of Phillipians as a tribute to his daughter, her fiancé, and their desire to make a difference in people's lives.

"God is still using their lives and deaths to influence people," Cutshall said. "It certainly has impacted our church family. When we lost a daughter, they lost a sister."

The counselors at Rock 'N Water, 23 of whom traveled to Ohio for the couple's memorial, have also felt the loss of Cutshall and Allen, and are also continuing to honor the memory of the couple.

Plans to dedicate and unveil a memorial to Cutshall and Allen at a central location at Rock 'N Water sometime in mid-June are being discussed, and a non-profit memorial fund called "Kids in Creation" has been set up in their memory, a camp director who asked to remain anonymous, said.

"Both in their life and in their death they have inspired many of us to be more dedicated in our commitment to the outdoor youth ministries," the camp director said. "The last thing we want to do is forget about what happened last fall."

At Rock 'N Water, Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen were known for their dedication.

Cutshall was known for the selflessness with which she prayed for others, while Allen was known for the attitude of "go big or go home," a philosophy Allen applied to his rafting as much as his spiritual life, the camp director said.

"They were very clear about their mission," he said.

Though the murder of the couple is seemingly without motive, both family and friends of the couple continue to keep their faith.

"We trust in God's sovereignty," Chris Cutshall said. "There are reasons for this, even if we don't understand them."

And, despite the fact that the person responsible for their daughter's death still has not been brought to justice, Cutshall praised the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department for its dedication and persistence in working on the murder case.

"We only ask these guys do their best, the rest we leave to God," Cutshall said.