Precious 5yr Old Maria Chapman tragically killed this past evening

Update:

The memorial service is scheduled tomorrow (Sat) at 11:00am. Take some time around then and pray for the Chapman's, especially their son Will, who was driving the vehicle involved in the tragic accident. Pray for God's sustaining Grace upon all of them. Also, pray that the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel be made much of during the service and that lost people will have ears to hear the gospel as well.

(posted May 22nd)
"Please pray that God would grant His Grace to the Chapman Family, needed to endure this tragedy and that they would find Peace that only Christ can give."

This article just saddens my heart. We do not always understand why these things happen. We just trust in the fact that God is in complete control.

Throughout this week, please continue to pray for our dear brother and his entire family. Here are the details of the accident.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 5-year-old daughter of contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria, was hit in a driveway on the family residence Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.McPherson said no charges are expected."It looks like a tragic accident," she said.She said several members of the Chapman family witnessed the accident, which happened in Williamson County just south of Nashville.

The brother apparently did not see the little girl, McPherson said. She did not have the name or exact age of the brother, only that he is an older teenager.The girl died later at Vanderbilt Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.Chapman, originally from Paducah, Ky., and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria.Chapman has won five Grammy awards and 51 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association.

The singer's Web site said that Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, were persuaded by their oldest daughter to adopt a girl from China. The experience led the family to adopt two more children and create Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist thousands of couples in adoption.The Chapmans did missionary work at Chinese orphanages in 2006 and 2007, according to the Web site.

"After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing — our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman says on the Web site. "We've really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don't think so.

I believe God is saying, 'I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world."'Chapman also has released a book about being a father entitled "Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess."