9/11 Remembered

Today we mark the 7th anniversary of the tragic events that took place on American soil on Spetember 11, 2001.

It's become ritualistic to say "I'll never forget..." when beginning to describe that horrible day and it's impact on the world.

In addition to paying tribute to those innocent and brave men, women, and children who lost their lives that day (and those who have lost their lives since), I would also like to take a moment to briefly share my account of that day especially since it's the very reason I am able to write this post in this type of forum.

It was a Tuesday morning that began much like any other for me with one exception. I had to take my dad to work that morning before heading to class (I was in college at the time) because he didn't have his car. It was strange because he car was newer and strange because our lives were so busy and out of sync at the time that it was the first chance we had in awhile to sit together and talk one-on-one without having to rush somewhere separately.

I also remember how beautiful and peaceful it was outside that morning. The sun was shining brightly in the big blue sky and there wasn't a single cloud to be seen anywhere! The weather was absolutely gorgeous for a morning in September. Little did I know that in a few short hours it would turn from a gorgeous morning in September to a day of mourning in September.

My procedure when I arrived at school was just as it had been every other day that semester. The first class of the day was Mass Media 101, which began around 9:15am. Typically, I went to the Student Union, bought myself a coffee and a small snack, and then went straight to the Library to check my email. Like I said, no different than any other morning.

Yahoo! will also always hold a special and eerie place in my heart because that was the medium that first alerted me to the tragedy that was taking place a few hundred miles away. When I first opened and Internet Browser window so I could check my email I read the "Top Stories: Headlines" section first. The lead headline was, "Small Plane Hits World Trade Center Tower" and my first thought was, "That's awful! I wonder how a trained pilot could miss a building that size and accidentally crash into it? I feel sorry for all those people affected by it. I guess this will be on the news tonight so I can find out more then." I then logged in and checked my email. By the time I logged out and was taken back to the Home Page (not long at all because I only had 1 or 2 new emails) the headline had changed to something like, "Second Plane Hits Other Tower: Terrorism Suspected" and now my first thought was, "Oh man! Whoever's responsible for this is going to pay really soon!" and I proceeded to head to my Mass Media class.

The next series of events is where things become surreal.

I remember walking from the Library through the Student Union to get to the building where my class was held because it was the quickest route. Walking through the Union was an experience in itself because the place was absolutely buzzing with people standing around talking about this, people running, others on their cell phones frantically trying to place calls to loved ones in New York City. Just before I reached the exit doors I heard someone shout, "They hit the Pentagon too!!!" My heart skipped a beat.

Hitting two civilian towers was bad enough, but targeting and successfully attacking the symbol of our nation's military prowess was "crossing the line" in my book. "All's fair in love and war..." might be an accepted concept in Western Culture even if it's accepted subconciously, but there was a part of me that felt scared for a moment as I contemplated what this could mean. Were we being attacked all across the country? Why wasn't our government and military able to prevent the attack on the Pentagon? What country or organization would be gutsy enough to attack us in such a fashion?

Before I entered the building where my class was being held I even thought to myself, "Whatever country is responsible for this today will no longer exist tomorrow!" Call it fear, anger, nationalistic pride, whatever it was all those feelings and emotions became wrapped up together and that's the sentiment they created within me.

When I entered the building where my class was I saw something I had never seen before or ever seen since. The lobby area had 4 TV's mounted around the room. They were NEVER in use for some reason, but today all 4 were tuned in to the local and national media who were reporting on these unfolding events. The weirdest part was standing there with about 50-100 other students while all of us had our heads cocked back and looking at at whichever TV was closest and none of us said a single word or even moved if I remember correctly. I didn't think of it until years later, but we were almost mimicing the very same body language and actions of those who were on the streets in NYC witnessing things live and first-hand. Let that imagery sink in for a moment. Prophetic foreshadowing of the Rapture and other things to come?


When class finally started and we all filed in our instructor somberly explained to us what had happened because he had been watching and recording the news' coverage since the story first broke. Between the time it took to enter the classroom, find our seats, and sit down to get ready for our class to begin that's when the towers fell so nearly all of us who had just been outside in the Lobby together watching TV had no idea that things just got much worse until our instructor filled us in and showed us the video. Many people screamed out loud, others cried, others ran out with their cell phones to their ears. I sat there in complete shock.

Class was obviously dismissed and I immediately went to my car and headed home. I remember being frightened listening to the local news talk radio station because there was still so much that we didn't know. One local report warned people to be cautious and on the lookout for white, unmarked moving vans kind of like the U-Haul van used in the Oklahoma City Bombing years earlier. When I got home I just sat there and stared at the TV without saying a word. I had to work that afternoon and I remember bringing in a small TV so that we could still watch the news and stay informed.

I didn't know anyone who personally lost their life on that day or who lost someone, but I do remember how depressed I became. That entire week I spent most of my time in front of that TV feeding on asteady diet of destruction, pain, and a loss of life. It wasn't until my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) suggested we get out of the house and do something that I stopped that process, and even then I felt guilty doing anything that I enjoyed.

Now to the important part. That one life and and world changing event was the catalyst that set me on a path that ultimately resulted in my finding salvation in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

After 9/11, I began searching for answers. At the time, I was big into Nostradamus - as were a lot of people. While I’m not exactly sure when or how it happened, I just sort of stumbled onto books and writings that people had done regarding Biblical prophecy.

At that same time, I was like most people. Sure, I believed in "a god" of some sort, but with all the different choices out there how would I know which one was the right path? In addition, I too believed that "Heaven" and "Hell" were nothing more then the figment of some person’s imagination. Plus, 9/11 proved to me that life on earth could easily be considered Hell.

So, like most people, I just figured that I was a pretty good person and that no matter who God was - if there was one - I would end up in Heaven. The reason I mention this is important. I wasn’t a skeptic, but I was pretty objective and took everything with a grain of salt. However, as I began to read more and more and study Bible prophecy and what respected scholars from many different time periods had to say about it a trend emerged.

I quickly picked up on the fact that a lot of what the Bible talked about - and I mean a lot - had already happened or was happening right before my eyes!

What made it all surreal was how specific the prophecies were. I mean, I tried to remain as objective as possible, but I soon realized that anyone with a brain, and common sense, and the willingness to take the time to research it all would see for themselves just how incredibly amazing world events were lining up with what the Bible predicted thousands of years ago with such specific detail!

Needless to say, this was about the time I began to put more credibility in the concept of God - as Christians saw Him - and likewise, began to look at the Bible more seriously.

Prophecy is what finally convinced me that there was something to this God and Christianity thing. It's interesting because millions of people will put their faith in the writings of Nostradamus (and many did, myself included, after 9/11) even though his accuracy and success rate are nothing compared to the Bible!

Heck, we'll even believe in aliens, crop circles, and ghosts, but not anything religious or related to God. Why is that? I mean, if the Bible says something will happen it will happen EXACTLY the way it's described. I now had the proof, saw it with my own eyes, and analyzed it with my own brain. I think that if people really took the time to research things they would be amazed to find that the Bible is 100% accurate and 100% right - all the time.

If you really want to make your head spin consider this...If prophecy proves that there's truth to Christianity, God, and the Bible then why wouldn't we want to see what God has to say about other things by reading the Bible?

This is what first led me to a foundational faith in the existence of God. Soon after, I entered into a personal relationship with Him as well and the rest is history.

So, as you can see, while 9/11 is an important moment in the lives of many it is truly the one moment in my life that I can point to and say with absolute certainty that had it never happened I may not be here writing this to you today. I may not even be a Christian forgiven and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ if it weren't for 9/11!

What's your story?

RECOMMENDED READING:
9/11 Anniversary: We Must Never Forget
When Flight 77 Struck
Working To Remember Forever The Victims Of 9/11

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