Fifteen years later, I still remember walking into my living room and my mom staring at the television in horror. She always watched Fox News it seemed, but this time I knew something was wrong. She had kept me home from school that day because I wasn't feeling well. I was only five when I watched that plane run into that really tall building. I remember not fully understanding what was happening but knowing it was something terrible. The following days held an abundance of conversation about that image in my head and it has continued for the past 15 years. It was a pivotal point in America, a critical time.
I remember in history every year from 7th through 12th grade we would watch a film on 9/11. It was always different too which I found amazing that filmmakers could have developed so many different angles from the same story. I suppose the impact it had on people was immense and therefore, so were the differing stories.
One thing always stood out most to me regarding 9/11. People, whether they believed or didn't, turned to God for prayer, for comfort, for help. It fascinated me how a tragedy could bring so many people together and how in their time of desperation, they turned to a God that many of them didn't even believe in prior to the occurrence. I thought it was astounding the impact that 9/11 had on families, parents, children, brothers, sisters, friends, etc. Even though I was only 5 years old, I still recall that pivotal moment in America's history. I was raised in a Christian home and in a Christian school so praying just seemed like what we did. Something tragic happened so you pray. It wasn't until I was older and years afterwards that I realized through those films in history class that millions of people who didn't pray normally, began to pray. I have heard testimonies of people who became Christians after 9/11. It blows my mind how God worked even in such a terrible and terrifying time.
Although I didn't lose anyone close to me in the attacks on 9/11, I am an American and I felt the impacts although they were smaller. I prayed for family fighting overseas. I prayed for my friend's parents who fought. I wrote the Christmas letters to soldiers when I was in elementary school. Some people were impacted much deeper than I. It fascinates me that many people turned to faith and scripture in this dark time. I find it amazing how God worked in that situation and how He changed lives to follow Him and how people turned to God and prayer for comfort in their time of need.
"I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because you alone, Lord, let me live in safety" -Psalm 4:8
