Bryn and I had been married less than a month.  We had just returned from our honeymoon and I was just a few weeks into the fall semester at JU.  On that morning, 12 years ago, I had gone to school, and was in the administration building taking care of some business.  I knew something was odd when I walked up to the counter – the usually bustling sounds of work had all but stopped.  On the TV was the World Trade Center ablaze.

I soon found out what had happened, Terrorists has hijacked two aircraft and deliberately flown them into the Twin Towers.  It was no accident, as previously thought, but an act of villainy and evil our generation had never seen.  It was nothing short of shocking.  As a result, I returned home to be with Bryn and for the next 12 hours, we watched the coverage – we saw the towers fall – we saw footage from Washington, Pennsylvania and New York – we saw an endless line of people walking out of New York City – and we grappled with the staggering number of dead.

Twelve years later, as we again remember the attack and those who selflessly risked and lost their lives attempting to save others, may we never forget the cost.

As much as this day has impacted all Americans, please take a moment to remember and pray for the thousands of families for whom this day is a bitter and stinging reminder of loved ones lost. 

As a Christian, it is times like these that call to remembrance the Lord’s Prayer, and Christ’s request: “Your kingdom come”.  There is hope in this reality.  There is coming a day, by the work of Christ on the cross, where pain and sorrow will cease, fear and death will be no more, and joy will be forevermore.   IF we are in Christ – this is our certain future:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4 ESV

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” -Revelation 22:1-5 ESV

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