Jason's 30th birthday! :)

"Thank God for His promises, and the hope we have of heaven if we know Christ. Thank God also that someday we will be reunited with those who have entered heaven before us. But most of all, thank God that in heaven we will be with Christ forever." -- Billy Graham

30 years ago today (on May 16, 1978), Jason Scott Allen was born... the firstborn child (and only son) to his parents. :) I imagine that they had no idea the impact that his life would have on the world. I know that when I was little, I had no clue what the future held for him or myself or any of us. I just assumed that life would happen and that we would all be happy and live until we were old. When Jason died, it shattered that thought process for me. I thought that I would never be able to recall my precious childhood memories without being overwhelmed with sadness because of what happened to him. We had SO much fun when we were kids. Jason and I and our sisters (as well as other friends on the street and in the neighborhood) were incredibly blessed. We were safe, had loving parents and families and had no idea the capacity for evil that the world held. I pray that all children grow up like that... completely carefree and full of life! :) We were and are continually blessed because of it.


L to R: Jason, Sara (my sister), Elizabeth (his sister), & me...
filling up the kiddie pool. :)

It amazes me that this is already the 4th birthday for Jason that has passed since he and Lindsay died. I wonder how he and Lindsay would have spent today to celebrate this milestone birthday? I wonder if they would have had children by now and if their dream of starting an adventure camp for kids would have come to fruition? There are so many possibilities. Yet I know that they fulfilled God's plan for their lives even though they died so young. God could have stopped it from happening but He didn't. He knew the great things that He could bring from this horrible tragedy... that He could reach lost hearts and change the eternities of countless people! This is not something anyone would have volunteered for, of course -- but God's ways are always bigger than ours and we have to trust Him. I remember hearing the story of a woman who experienced something similar when her husband was martryed in Turkey last year... and God used that to bring about glory as well. She said something to the effect of, "I would never have chosen to go through this... but I will never regret the things that God has taught me because of it. I will always be grateful that He used this to do significant good in my life and in the lives of others." What incredible faith! One of the greatest reasons why Jason & Lindsay's deaths had such an impact on my own life was the faith lived out by their families. Instead of being angry at God, they fell right into His loving arms when they were in the midst of that storm. They praised Him for His faithfulness and sovereignty instead of scorning Him for allowing this to happen. I witnessed in them faith that I had never seen before. So my gratitude is as much to them as it is to the lives of faith that Jason & Lindsay lived by. These families are remarkable. They may never know how grateful I am to them for their example... and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

I think that we also need to remember that God's perspective on death is so much different from ours... especially the deaths of those who have received Jesus' gift of Salvation, because it is actually the beginning of eternal life in heaven. He sees the whole canvas (the eternal perspective)... we only see a tiny part of the painting (our human/limited perspective). He took Jason & Lindsay home -- and because of Jesus they are still alive, not in flesh but in spirit. One day we WILL see them again and that is awesome to think about! At the same time though, we all know that it is heartwrenching for anyone to continue living here after losing people they love so much. And because of the horrific way in which Jason & Lindsay died, I can't imagine how hard it is for their parents, sisters and other close relatives... especially on days like this and on other holidays. This is a reality they live with all the time... it's not something that just goes away or fades into the background. But they do understand as much as is possible of God's perspective. They hold dearly to the promises of God because He is always faithful... even in the depths of grief. If nothing else, this has made them keep their eyes and hearts focused on heaven and has given them a kind of eternal perspective that many others miss.

Jason's 26th birthday... the last one he celebrated before
he and Lindsay were killed 3 months later...

If anyone out there reading this knew Jason and/or Lindsay at some point in their lives and would like to share a story, please e-mail me or leave a comment to let me know. I would LOVE to offer this website as a place where everyone who knew them could share their thoughts and memories. Or... if you only knew Jason & Lindsay from afar or never met them at all, but their lives have had an impact on your own, please feel free to share your stories as well! Thanks!

Happy 30th Birthday Jason! :)

You will never ever be forgotten. I am so grateful to you for the friendship that we had when we were growing up. I am blessed to have known you.

My 6th birthday party... me and Jason are sitting in the middle.