Man holding pistol, neighborhood

How God Gave me Grace through Darkness

Hi! My name is Lisa Reeves, and my life took a drastic change when my 55-year-old father died on February 6, 2006. Even though I was married I lived in the family home to help my mother take care of my elderly grandparents/ One was 80 and the other 79 suffering with late-stage Alzheimer’s. We also ran our business out of our home which was a photography/video business.

I did everything I could to help my mother get through the loss of my dad. They had met in church when they were 12. And married in 1971. I made funeral plains and phone calls and did everything just so she wouldn’t have to. Anything to get her through it.

On February 13, 2007, in the early morning hours my husband broke into my family home totally out of control. I had never seen him this way and I had known him since I was 4. He began beating and choking me till I was convinced he was gonna kill me.

At that point I yelled for my mother. She got up and came to where we were and told Randy that if he didn’t leave, she would call the police. He told her to go ahead and call them. He followed her and I him. All the time he was cussing and acting out of control.

Before we got to the phone, he attacked me again. My mom tried to stop him and then he started beating her. That is when I jumped him and got him off her long enough for her to get away. He turned and hit me so hard that it knocked me down, but I got up and followed him to where she was at. I noticed him taking something out of his pocket and it turned out to be a gun and, in an instant, he shot and killed her.

I then ran to my grandparent’s room hoping to protect them someway. I heard him chasing me down the hall and as soon as I got to there door and got in, he started beating on it. All I could think about was getting help for my mama. Finally, the beating on the door stopped and I opened it just a crack, but something told me to close it.

At that point my grandpa was up, and I told him Randy shot mama. All he said was no he didn’t. I then told my grandpa that I had to go next door and get my brother Travis for help and call 911. I told him to keep the door locked and make him bust it down. I went out the window and told him I would be right back. I had promised him that I would be right back.

Once over at my brothers Travis got his gun and I called 911 and they told me to go outside to see if Randy’s truck was still there. Travis went out back and I went out front. Travis was now at the fence line that separated our yards. As I looked to my left, I noticed something that turned out to be Randy. And at that point a 35-minute gun battle ensued between my brother and Randy. Travis yelled for me to get back in the house and if Randy came in shoot him.

It ended with my brother being shot ten times, Randy fleeing to Laredo, Texas where he was caught 24 hours later and my mother and grandparents all three shot in the head. Since then, I have lost my business, my home and at times have lived in my truck.

My life has been destroyed. I’m financially ruined because of all this, and my family has no idea how to get over this. Right now, I’m living with my attorney and his wife. This was the first triple homicide that ever happened in our small town.

In a year I had buried everyone that lived in my house. My mom who was my best friend was murdered the day before her birthday which was on Valentine’s Day. She would have been 52. I had always been very close to my family and losing them in such a manner was more than I could take at time, but I kept praying and begging God to give me the peace and forgiveness that I desperately needed.

I wanted God to somehow bring glory to his name out of this situation. And now it’s been 19 months and God did finally give me the peace and forgiveness I needed. I now talk and share my testimony to church’s and women’s groups. It hasn’t all been highs through this, but God never left my side.

I have truly forgiven Randy. It was God’s grace that has given me the peace and forgiveness that I needed. My goal is to help others that have been through a tragedy like this. And let them know that even though life will never be the same. You can still find joy in the middle of the storm.

I’m also trying to help Randy get through this. I believe that is my Christian duty to do this. God allowed me to no longer see people through the eyes of the flesh, but to see them through the eyes of the spirit. I realized that he was a lost and broken soul that needed prayer and forgiveness.

I realized that I had to lay my life down and give it to Christ. And in turn he would take care of all my needs. I praise his sweet and precious name. He gave his only Son to die in my place for all my sins to mark my debt as paid in full, cancelled. And what he has done for me he can do for you if you just believe in Him and give your life to Him.

Thank you and God Bless,

Lisa L. Reeves

4 Comments

  1. Phakama 10/7/2008
  2. Debbie 4/22/2010
  3. John 6/4/2010
  4. Mis A 5/31/2011

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