Something like that

I was thinking back to that day fifteen years ago. This is what came to mind to write. I am posting it now because Sundays are super busy for us.

Then…The Towers Fell

Preface: September 10th, 2001

The night was blissful, almost too much now that I look back. I remember lying down, curled up next to my husband on a pillow as soft as clouds, warm and safe. I think all of us had a different definition of safe on that last night of peace. I choke back tears now as I reflect on that night. I think of the families who were safe with their spouses and children. I think of the comfort they had…not knowing that the next day would be their last.

September 11, 2001.

The sun was there to greet us that morning and the skies were a beautiful blue. The birds met this day with a merry song as they did every morning. This morning however, would be different than any we had known before. Little did we know as we lie sleeping, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda  would hijack four airliners and carry out suicide attacks against targets in the United States.   Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.  The attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters. (History.com)

I remember watching in disbelief as the second plane hit the other tower. What was once before thought to be an accident, was then known and confirmed,  to be an attack against the United States of America.  The news anchors were, as we all were,   flabbergasted at what we had just witnessed. The extreme amount of lives lost not only on board the planes, but in the buildings as well, hit us all at once. The stories of last phones calls that would follow, were too hard to swallow. The missing posters and pictures of family and friends, were soon to come. Then…the Towers fell. People who had went up those stairs knew that they wouldn’t come back out but yet they went anyways. People ran screaming for their lives as everyone and everything on the streets below became covered in ash and soot. People lie bleeding on the curbs. EMS, Firefighters and Police were doing everything in their power, trying to help the fallen, knowing that their brothers and sisters were lost.

What was the main question do you think that people asked during that day? Where is God and why did he allow such a heinous act to occur? He was There, amidst the rubble, the tears, the screams, the heartache and misery. Many people flocked to churches, started to pray not only for themselves, but for others also. They joined hands and races that day, at America’s worst time, we were by God, brought together again. God states in the bible in Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. We, on that day, were extremely afraid. I know I was. I hadn’t ever seen anything like that in my life. I was afraid to leave our home. The airport by our house was silent; so silent it was eerie. Terror had struck our great nation and we needed to see our need for the Lord. To be honest, we still do.

But God has taught us that He is our rock, to whom shall we be afraid? I’ve heard through the course of my life, the only thing you have to fear is fear itself.  Satan worked in the lives of those suicide attackers that day but in the end…God won. We have a war going on to this day from that fateful morning and We need to turn our faces and our hearts to God.  We need to fervently pray for our military every day. We need to call on God, not only in our time of distress but always.

Tiffany  S. Doran