Today is a day of remembering and so, I remember…
Ten years ago, I woke up early (because at the time I was a bit high maintenance and took at least two hours to get ready in the morning) and I grabbed my robe and shower stuff and walked down the hall of my dorm like I’d done everyday since starting college – two weeks prior. My friend Amy Mig saw me and said “Shanda. You need to go turn on the news. Something hit the World Trade Center… and there’s something about the Pentagon…” I don’t wake up quickly so I incoherently said, “Okay…” and kept walking. I turned on the shower, hung up my towel… And then it hit me what she’d said. “Wait, WHAT?” I turned off the shower, grabbed my stuff, walked BACK to my room, turned on the tv, woke up my roommate and we watched … and sat stunned trying to figure out what in the world was going on. We spent the day glued to TVs. Classes were canceled for the morning and in the afternoon we did nothing but talk about what was happening.
I was young – just beginning my “adult” years. I was unaware of the world in SO many ways, but I knew… This would change everything. And it did. It set the stage for the realities of the rest of my adult life. It’s surreal that it’s been 10 years already. But at the same time, ten years worth of life has definitely happened and changed me…
Today, as this different version of myself… 10 years later, I’m watching again as TV specials review and remember that day. But now, I understand the world a little bit better. And now I think about the world on a different, more global, scale. And I feel sad. Sad for the lives lost, sad for the friends and family it affected, sad for the kids who have never had the chance to know one of their parents… I know this day must be SO very hard for them… sad for the wars that have occurred and are occurring, and sad for all the lives that have been lost on BOTH sides of the world… for the BROKEN state of creation.
Yesterday, I saw this on a friend’s twitter… “Dear USA, Your 9/11 is our 24/7. Sincerely, Palestine.” That, my friends, is perspective and it makes my heart ache. Because it’s true. I can’t think about this day without thinking about people in other parts of the world too – because it isn’t just OUR story. There’s always another side. I’m learning more and more about our world… and it’s challenging to learn to love THE WORLD like Jesus does… And it doesn’t matter who we are, or which part of the world we live in, we’re all God’s creation and we’re all made in His image and for His glory, and Jesus came and lived and died and LIVES for people who have/do/will believe(d) – in ALL nations. And if we’re followers of Jesus, we have to face the realities of the WORLD and live passionately and purposefully to change it and to make His name known, among all nations – to bring his mercy and grace and love and truth and justice and hope to those who need it.
So, here’s our world. What are we going to do?
... this grace in which we stand ... 
Today, at church I was so overwhelmed. When 9/11 happened, going overseas wasn’t on my radar. I didn’t have Gods heart for the nations & I hadn’t developed a passion for Gods glory. I had never been overseas, much less to a Muslim country.
Now 10 years later, I have been overseas a dozen times, my heart for people has been enlarged and the Father has revealed His deep deep love for all peoples! I have been to several Muslim countries and have a desire to see the Muslim world know Jesus intimately. Its crazy…not only is the world different, I’m different. Its crazy. And I love it.
Praying for my dear dear Muslim friends today.