Yesterday, George Sodini entered a Pittsburgh L.A. Fitness gym aerobic’s class, turned off the lights and opened fire. The 50 rounds of bullets killed three women and injured 10 other people. Sodini then turned the gun on himself and killed himself. Sources say that Sodini left behind a diary that documented his plans for yesterday’s event and detailed his desire for female companionship, his loneliness, and his discouragement with women.

It’s heartbreaking that one man’s inability to find love, led him to take lives instead. I beseech anyone who reads this to not only pray for the family of the victims and Sodini’s family, but pray for those people who you know–and even those you don’t–who are living alone and feeling lonely. Please join me in prayer and add your own.

Heavenly Father,

I am praying for the family and friends of the victims of last night’s L.A. Fitness Club shooting. These victims were innocent bystanders whose lives were taken too soon and I pray that your comfort would be with each family member, each friend, and the L.A. Fitness Club staff and members who had an opportunity to interact with these people. Healing will take time as they are confronting with the days to come without their loved ones. Help them to seek solace and understanding from you. For George Sodini’s family and friends, I pray Lord that you would comfort them and that you would allow them to have an opportunity to understand what was going on with him during the last days of his life. Protect his family and friends from the people who may try to lash out at them and seek vengeance upon them for what he did to their loved ones. I know that at this time it is hard for anyone to imagine interceding in prayer of behalf of a killer’s family, but Lord, help people to recognize that this is a moment for compassion to be extended to his family and friends. There are needs that I haven’t even addressed in this prayer, but you are a God who addresses the concerns of your people’s hearts. You know their concerns before they are even voiced, so Lord, attend to your children. Let each one of us turn our hearts toward prayer and when we run out of words to say, intercede for us.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen