LITTLETON - Seven years after the deadly shootings that claimed 13 lives, students and teachers took Thursday off in honor of those that lost their lives on April 20th, 1999. 

It was on that day that teens Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold attacked their classmates before killing themselves.

No organized events marking the anniversary were held, but a groundbreaking for the Columbine Memorial is planned for Saturday.

The following is a list of the victims:

Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, he dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched the "Star Wars" movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy and refereed to earn pocket money.

Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. The former wrestler had taken a maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. He had been frustrated to miss school because he had his wisdom teeth removed.

Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. A recent arrival in Colorado from Phoenix, she had been eager to get her driver's license and a part-time job.

Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior with an A average, he had hoped to start for the football team. The year after the attack, the Columbine football team won the state championship after dedicating the season to him.

Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, he excelled in math and science and earned straight A's on his last report card. Ran cross country and joined the debate team. Had spent two weeks in Paris with French club.

Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father's electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems. Shot while holding an exit door open for fleeing students.

William "Dave" Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, in business and science. Coached girls' basketball and softball; in his first year as basketball coach, 1997-98, team posted winning record after finishing next to last the previous year. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in the chest while directing students down hallway to safety.

Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, "Smoke in the Room." Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. In drama class the day of the attack, she drew in her journal thirteen tears falling from 13 victims in red blood drops to a rose. Her younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in school library and helped lead others to safety.

Isaiah Shoels, 18. Had been expected to graduate in May, just a few weeks after the attack. Suffered health problems as a child and had heart surgery twice. Wanted to attend an arts college and become a music executive. Small in stature, but lifted weights, played football and wrestled. Witnesses said he was shot in the head because he was black and an athlete.

John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after-school in a gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico with family the year before the attack and built a house for the poor. Planned to enlist in the Army.

Lauren Townsend, 18. Senior, was captain of girls' varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Other players said she was "consumed" by the sport. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology at Colorado State University.

Kyle Velasquez, 16. The sophomore was a gentle giant, growing to 6 feet by the time he was a sophomore. Loved his older brother, Daniel, ice cream and the Denver Broncos.

Cassie Bernall, 17. A born-again Christian, she was active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Had recently visited Britain and loved Mel Gibson's "Braveheart."

photo & text courtesy 9news.com, 04/20/06

⁷I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ ⁹and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. ¹⁰As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!
Pressing toward the Goal

¹²I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.

WHAT WAS PAUL'S PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AFTER DEATH?

The apostle Paul did not know if he would die by executon or by natural causes, but he was totally confident of Heaven, because his trust in the risen Savior guaranteed his own eternal resurrection.

Today's scripture was the basis of what Columbine victim, Cassie Bernall, wrote just two days before her death.  

"Now I have given up on everything else. I have found it to be the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought Him back to life again, and to find out what it means to suffer and to die with Him. So, whatever it takes I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead."

Imagine the reality of this scriptural truth for Cassie, the moment she died and came face to face with Jesus Christ, her Savior! 

DO YOU HAVE THE SAME CONFIDENCE ABOUT ETERNITY THAT PAUL AND CASSIE HAD?  DO YOU HAVE PAUL'S AND CASSIE'S WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IN CHRIST'S SUFFERING? 

None of us may ever have to sacrifice our lives for Christ, but are we willing to sacrifice what this world offers in order to know Christ in a deeper way?  Consider your values.  If you currently place anything above your relationship with Jesus, isn't it time to change your priorities?

Remember to say yes to Jesus every day.

photo courtesy images.crosswaybooks.org

• Evaluate your schedule.  Are you planning and keeping a personal appointment with Jesus every day so that you can focus on really knowing Him as Lord?
• Pray for God to continue using the Columbine tragedy to draw people to Jesus.
• Pray for comfort and peace this weekend for the families and friends of those killed at Columbine.
• At school or at work this next week, look for ways to reach out to someone who seems lonely. 
• Learn more about the life story of Cassie Bernall by reading SHE SAID YES.  This tract is available by going to:   images.crosswaybooks.org/ ?product=663575723684

Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG.  Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college.  He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.