Do you remember where you were? Do you remember how you felt on the morning of 9/11/01? I can tell you exactly where I was. I can tell you how I sat and watched in disbelief and shock as it all unfolded on TV. To say that it was hard to fathom doesn't even come close to how I felt. I could go into all of the details of that morning, but I know that you all have your own stories and those are as memorable to you as mine is to me.
.
One thing I will mention about that morning is that it was the very first day of a new Beth Moore Bible study that was being held at my house. The.First.Day. Want to guess which one?! Ok, I'll tell you...the study was "Jesus the One and Only"!! How totally amazing was it that at that horrible moment in time for our country God had already ordained that me and about 5 other women would be meeting together that morning and begin our intimate study of Jesus Christ! I just now went and found my workbook for that study and sure enough, at the top of the introductory session I have the date 9/11/01. (I always d
ate the video sections for some reason) I tried to glance over that page to see if there was any profound piece of wisdom that could apply to that morning. Take it for what it's worth, but that first video session was about God putting his people in a state of "fasting", however it wasn't a fast from food, but a fast from hearing God!! I think that on the morning of 9/11/01, God wasn't putting us on a fast from hearing Him, rather He was screaming trying to get the attention of His people to turn back to Him.Which a lot did.For a while. I don't want to get into any philosophical debates on what God or doesnt allow. It doesn't matter. What matters is that in any and all situations, good or bad, HE is there and He will watch over us through it all. So, no I don't think that it was coincidence that our study of the life of Jesus started on 9/11/01. I think it was perfectly ordained :)
Ok, so now to the not-so-depressing part of my post today. I.Love.NYC. period. There is just something about it that absolutely has captured part of my heart! My first trip was in 2004 when I went w/my sister-in-law, Kayrene. I was excited to go but had no idea that it was the beginning of a life-long love of NYC! I'm pretty sure that the moment I set my foot on the pavement in Times Square a shaft of light shone down and time stood still for a second. I felt like I was "home"...weird, I know.
So that's how it happened. One trip.4 days.Forever in my heart. (not in a Christ sort of "in my heart" way) Our family of four was able to go back in 2007 to take Alix for her 13th birthday and I'm pretty sure the same thing happened to her because she is about obsessed w/it as I am!...well, maybe not quite as much, but still... :)
I'm including a few of my fav pics from both trips. I have a bunch and will show them to anyone who wants to see them and hear me tell about each and every little detail with so much giddiness in my voice that you wonder if I had too much coffee to drink!
So my question to myself is this: why am I not like this with my relationship w/God? He is sooo much greater than a city or a feeling. He is God. He is Creator.He is...I AM. Yet I don't know if I talk about Him and how HE changed my life like I do NYC. And have I passed my love and excitement for Christ, and Heaven, and eternity on to my daughters? It's heartbreaking if I haven't because THAT is what matters. And the good thing is that God is preparing a mansion for me in Heaven, since I am a child of His, that will be far more beautiful than a brownstone in Manhattan. I think I'll wait for that mansion! (however, if anyone has a brownstone they'd let me buy..I mean, stay in...I won't turn it down!!)
What is your NYC? What gets you giddy and excited to share to anyone who will listen?
