Never Forget....

It was cold in the office that morning, and there was a stack of papers a pile high. I was feeling rather lazy as I sat cuddled up in my jacket. I was the only one on my side of the building that morning, and it was rather quiet and a little creepy.

I worked in a large warehouse at the time answering phones and doing other clerical type work. I had my radio on that morning while I was entering data into the computer;  in a drastic attempt to keep myself from falling asleep!

I have to admit; when the music was interrupted to broadcast that the first twin tower had been hit by a plane, I thought I was hearing things...or going crazy! I sat in awe as I continued to listen and quickly realized this was no joke.

My husband was at home with our sick one year old, and I felt scared, alone. I quickly made my way to the other side of the building where there was some form of human life and found everyone gathered in a conference room watching the twin towers live on T.V. It was about that moment that we all sat and watched the second plane hit.

My heard sunk. I was only 21 and could not help but wonder what this meant for our country, my family? Within the hour we were all sent home to be with our families. The whole country watched in fear as hundreds lost everything.

I look back now and I wonder how many people started the day just like me? Going to work and never dreaming that their whole world was going to change in the blink of an eye. We all live assuming that nothing bad will ever happen to us. Cancer, death, an accident.....we never expect the unexpected, but God knew.

God knows every step before we take it. He knows every fall before we fall. But if we never took a step, then we would never walk, and if we never fall then we could never get back up. Without falling we have nothing to learn from. We cannot live life waiting for the unexpected, but can live life prepared for it; armed for it.

So many willingly gave their life so that others could be free. Christ willingly gave His life so that we could be free, and yet so often we take that freedom for granted.

I believe that the true warriors in the face of tragedy are those who face it with peace. Those who fall to their knees in the midst of darkness and say, "God is in control."

9/11 changed our nation, but did it change our story? God is still the same today as He was then. I believe that those who are changed by 9/11 and any tragedy are those who are changed by the blood of Christ.  

We will never forget 9/11, but...Never forget....that God already knew!