Virginia Tech pastor offers advice

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Virginia Tech, another community, who suffered a devastating mass shooting, is offering words of support and advice to the community of Fort Hood.

Jim Pace , the Pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship at Virginia Tech and the author of "Should We Fire God?" spoke to KXAN's Mary Lee over the phone.

"I think just to know that so many of us who have been through this are just heartbroken and that we hurt for you," said Pace.

Pace said grieving families should embrace their emotions of loss, anger and sadness, which are all important in the healing process. The biggest thing he and his congregation learned was healing has no timeline.

"The first thing we learned is that there's no playbook for going through this," said Pace.

He also offered this insight.

"I think we also learned that the goal is not to get things back to normal like they were before," said Pace. "Like it or not, when something like this happens, you have a new normal."

More than two years after his community suffered a mass school shooting, Pace shared these words of hope.

"There can be a new normal past this, but it takes awhile," said Pace.

Pastor Pace said the best thing the community can do is listen and be a friend to grieving families.