Another Tragic Loss at CSF : Janet Devaty

Last night while jogging near her uptown apartment, Janet Devaty, 28, was hit and killed by a car. Janet was an incredible young lady who lived for and loved God with all her heart. Last year, after moving here from New Jersey, she came to know Christ as her personal savior and I had the privilege of baptizing her here at CSF.

Many know her at CSF as she has been serving in our Student Ministry with the high school kids since January. She was also our Student Pastor's girl friend, a great friend to all of the people who served with her in our Student Ministry and those in her Home Team. About 25 people gathered at her apartment last night once they heard the news to comfort Brad and each other. This is very tragic...very sad.

As the news of Janet's death passes around the phones and emails of CSF today...I wanted to share with you the same thing I told Brad Saab last night and all those who gathered. In no certain order....here is what you need to know when faced with such a loss.

A tragic and senseless death like this is just plain and simple...crappy! Don't try and make it anything else.....it stinks.

Don't even try and make sense of it by asking "why" to God? There are no good answers or reasons. It is an untimely death and it hurts.

Take comfort in knowing Janet is with Christ...and then pray for those here who will miss her.

If you knew her personally feel free to talk with others about your pain, confusion, anger and then take comfort with those from CSF who also knew and loved her.

We have had three untimely deaths hit our Fellowship in a pretty direct way in the last 2 weeks. I feel like I have been saying the same thing when it comes to why we do what we do at CSF. Janet is a perfect example of someone who was reached and then developed into a fully devoted follower of Christ here. As Brad told me last night, she was special and her devotion to God was stronger than many people who have been Christians for many more years than Janet had been.

The Charlotte news had this on all channels last night and it is in the paper this morning. Please forward this BLOG site to anyone at CSF you know. This is why we have a daily BLOG at CSF...it is our way of using technology to help us be an informed and missional Fellowship.

We are unsure about any funeral services as her family all lives out of state.

Psalms 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and you staff they comfort me."