Remembering 9/11/01

I'm sure we all remember that terrible morning when we woke up to what we were sure was a nightmare. I remember standing in my living room, unable to comprehend the pictures that I saw on the TV screen. There was simply no category in my brain with which to process what was unfolding in real time before me.

I remember wondering if I wanted to send my children to school that morning; there was a part of me that simply wanted to huddle them close and shut out the world. I did end up taking them to school because I thought it would be a refuge from what was being shown and played on every television and radio station. I wondered what would happen next. Would there be other attacks on our nation at other locations? Were there other attacks being planned, or carried out, while I sat in my living room? There was so much uncertainty and unbelief on that day.

Although I don't remember what particular scriptures I read that morning, I'm sure my heart was drawn to scriptures like these:

"My SOUL waits in silence for God only; from Him is my SALVATION. He ONLY is my ROCK and my SALVATION, my STRONGHOLD; I SHALL NOT BE GREATLY SHAKEN!" Ps. 62:1-2

Or the words of Jesus: "Peace I leave with you; MY PEACE I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do NOT let your heart be troubled and do NOT be afraid." John 14:27

God's word is that Rock that brings comfort, peace, and security in the midst of turbulent, violent, and uncertain times. I remember needing to look to the truth of God's word on that September morning in 2001, searching for those promises which I could grab hold of. Like most of you, I'm sure we all prayed and wondered that day, having to place our trust in the Lord over and over again as we tried to make sense of the insensible.

Today I prayed for those individuals who lost their lives and for their surviving families just as I prayed for them on 9/11/01. There are survivors with permanent scars or disabilities which live daily with the reality of the horror of that day. There are children who still cry over a mom or dad who isn't there for Christmas or birthdays, or even just Saturday breakfast. There are wives and husbands trying to survive as single parents, wanting to step into each day, but feeling trapped and defined by that moment in time. We owe it to them to not forget.

Please join me in honoring and praying for all of those affected by the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Thank you.

By the way, I caught just the last moments of the Oprah show, but it dealt with the children that lost parents in the 9/11 attacks. You can check it out HERE.