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9/11 Ten Years Later

Jennefer and I, ten months before the Towers fell.

Today marks ten years since 19 terrorists infamously attacked Americans on American soil – Pennsylvania, Washington, and New York to be exact. It changed both the nation and the world.

Watching the South Tower fall on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001

One of my wife’s friends called Jennefer and told her something horrible was happening. She then hurriedly woke me up. I rushed downstairs with our baby boy in my arms, turned on the television and heard Peter Jennings’ voice. It was only moments later I witnessed United Airlines Flight 175 strike the South Tower at 9:03 AM. There were no words. All I could do was just watch. Within the hour, the towers, and the world as we knew it, came crashing down.

My middle brother Jodey, then Special Assistant to the President of the United States, was in Washington during the time of the attacks. Not knowing if he was in the White House or not, I remember calling to see if he was okay. With no immediate answer, my mind began to race. What was going on? What would be next? When would we respond? Needless to say, it was a crazy time for everyone. One I will never forget.

With a decade behind us, I still feel deeply about 9/11. I can hardly bear to watch the images (be they still or moving) of the planes screaming through the towers. The carnage, the tears, the horror – it remains a tender wound. But I’m glad, that instead of hopelessness or despair, my eye has found glory for a brighter day. Not because I have faith in the government or even mankind (both can remain inspiring but still deeply broken), but because of the One who has suffered for me so that I might, one day, live without any semblance of suffering…at all.

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. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
– Revelation 21:3-5 (ESV)

Picture of Yancey Arrington
Dr. Yancey C. Arrington is an eighth generation Texan, Acts 29 Network and Houston Church Planting Network fan, and Teaching Pastor at Clear Creek Community Church in the Bay Area of Houston. He is also author of Preaching That Moves People and TAP: Defeating the Sins That Defeat You, and periodically writes for Acts 29 and The Gospel Coalition.

3 thoughts on “9/11 Ten Years Later”

  1. Wow..I can not imagine having had family near there and not knowing..my heart aches just thinking of it. I was at San Jac college we were headed out for a break and they had tv’s in the commons area.. I am sharing what a friend of mine wrote today .. we were in Alaska together and remained good friends afterwards (navy) He is now a Lt with the FDNY and this is what he shared about that day that just moved me to tears 10 yrs later .. he had never shared that .. just wow..

    ?10 years later and it feels like yesterday. many feelings and thoughts run thru my mind. to my 9/11 partner Roland Diaz i will never forget when we were running and then cloud of ash hit you and knocked you to the ground i tried to find you and then you appeared out of the dust out of the ash like an angel. brother i love you and i will never forget my 9/11 partner.God bless you and the USA.

    Lt.Attanasio FDNY

  2. I find myself still trying to find a context for the events of 9-11. I was reminded of it again yesterday in Bruce’s sermon on peace making. I remember being irrate that week ten years ago when a woman I barely knew suggested that we had created an enemy that had become determined to destroy us. Now I wonder if she wasn’t right. I’m afraid we have not been the peace makers. Our family has lost members and has still got skin in these wars. It certainly has not created peace for us. Do you think biblical principles should apply to nations and corporations as well as individuals? Jesus died for individuals…his creation. So I suppose that’s the answer. Sometimes it’s just plain ugly living in a fallen world.

  3. 9-11 is personal for me, but not what happened 10 years ago. 4 years ago on 9-11, I discovered to lumps on my neck. After going to the doctor and having surgery to do a biopsy, I was dianogzed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. By God’s grace, I went through Chemo for six months with no radiation. I have been healthy ever sense. 9-11 reminds of the suffering I went through but also the suffering others have endured.

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