AMERICANISM PROJECTS
Dear Heavenly Father,
I believe You want us to talk to You about everything. I believe that when we hurt; You hurt. When our enemies attack us, even if we may not see it, You are fighting for us. When we are afraid, Your voice whispers to us, “I’ve got you. Do not be afraid.”
What You must have felt on that day, twenty years ago, I can only imagine. Death was never your plan for humanity. War was never your plan for Your people. Hate, enmity, and strife are the very things You never wanted for us.
How many tears did you shed, while America’s enemies planned the attacks of 9/11? Tears for those who would surely die. Tears for those who would lose loved ones. Even tears for the souls of those walking the path of hate.
How many tears did you shed the morning of? As four planes left the runway with men, women, and children aboard, did You fall to the floor to grip Your heart over the pain? Were You tempted to stop the attacks because with You all things are possible, yet Your nature keeps You from interfering with the free will of individuals? You must have suffered unimaginable pain as your creation moved to destroy our nation.
After hearing the stories of individuals who said they had a feeling they listened to that kept them from being in the towers, or on a plane, or at the Pentagon; I believe You warned every person who died that day. Those spared weren’t necessarily lucky, they just happened to be the few who followed their gut warning.
Knowing You how I do, I picture You holding the hand of every person sitting on those four planes. I see You imparting bravery into the hearts of those who took down the plane that never reached its intended destination. I imagine You sitting with those who waited for help to rescue them while debris kept them trapped under the buildings. Did You whisper to the first responders to lead them through the rubble, in order that they might save as many lives as possible?
I may not know the names of the civilian heroes who crashed the plane so that our enemy would not use it as a weapon, but You do. I may not know the names of all the first responders that lost their lives attempting to save people, but You do. I may not know all the names of every innocent person who senselessly died because of this act of terrorism, but You do. I may not know the name of every person lost in the days, weeks, months, and years following who lost their lives because of what happened on 9/11, but You do.
There is so much to remember that day, and while it may cause pain—we ask that You help us never forget. We want to remember not only the heroes that saved so many lives, that ran into the face of fear with no hesitation. To remember the tragedies of the lives lost, and the pain and suffering many endured at that time. To remember how our country was hit at home by terrorists that hate us and want nothing more than to bring us down and eliminate us. We need to remember they did NOT break us down. And recognize that we are still here. America is still the best country on earth—a country worth standing up for and fighting for. We still have our flag flying that continues to represent the colors of red, white, and blue. We are the United States of America, and when push comes to shove, we all have the same common enemy. We must show the world just how united we are.
While it may look like some of the leaders of the United States of America have forgotten that day, we can trust that You have not forgotten it. When our hearts cry out, “God Bless America,” we know You hear us.
Before our ancestors stepped foot on American soil, forty-one men aboard the Mayflower made a covenant with each other and with You. They decreed their sole purpose for coming to this land with the words, “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.” While these men gathered to sign their names in Your presence, I believe You signed the covenant, too. May we rest assured knowing that You do not break a covenant.
As citizens of this great nation, Father God, we ask You to join us as we take the oath, “I do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the citizens of the United States against all enemies, foreign, domestic and even within the government; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the nation whose people put their trust in Me.”
In Your Name, We Pray.
*Written by Tiffany Parker, with comments from Michelle Hirstius and Peggy Seeley
I believe You want us to talk to You about everything. I believe that when we hurt; You hurt. When our enemies attack us, even if we may not see it, You are fighting for us. When we are afraid, Your voice whispers to us, “I’ve got you. Do not be afraid.”
What You must have felt on that day, twenty years ago, I can only imagine. Death was never your plan for humanity. War was never your plan for Your people. Hate, enmity, and strife are the very things You never wanted for us.
How many tears did you shed, while America’s enemies planned the attacks of 9/11? Tears for those who would surely die. Tears for those who would lose loved ones. Even tears for the souls of those walking the path of hate.
How many tears did you shed the morning of? As four planes left the runway with men, women, and children aboard, did You fall to the floor to grip Your heart over the pain? Were You tempted to stop the attacks because with You all things are possible, yet Your nature keeps You from interfering with the free will of individuals? You must have suffered unimaginable pain as your creation moved to destroy our nation.
After hearing the stories of individuals who said they had a feeling they listened to that kept them from being in the towers, or on a plane, or at the Pentagon; I believe You warned every person who died that day. Those spared weren’t necessarily lucky, they just happened to be the few who followed their gut warning.
Knowing You how I do, I picture You holding the hand of every person sitting on those four planes. I see You imparting bravery into the hearts of those who took down the plane that never reached its intended destination. I imagine You sitting with those who waited for help to rescue them while debris kept them trapped under the buildings. Did You whisper to the first responders to lead them through the rubble, in order that they might save as many lives as possible?
I may not know the names of the civilian heroes who crashed the plane so that our enemy would not use it as a weapon, but You do. I may not know the names of all the first responders that lost their lives attempting to save people, but You do. I may not know all the names of every innocent person who senselessly died because of this act of terrorism, but You do. I may not know the name of every person lost in the days, weeks, months, and years following who lost their lives because of what happened on 9/11, but You do.
There is so much to remember that day, and while it may cause pain—we ask that You help us never forget. We want to remember not only the heroes that saved so many lives, that ran into the face of fear with no hesitation. To remember the tragedies of the lives lost, and the pain and suffering many endured at that time. To remember how our country was hit at home by terrorists that hate us and want nothing more than to bring us down and eliminate us. We need to remember they did NOT break us down. And recognize that we are still here. America is still the best country on earth—a country worth standing up for and fighting for. We still have our flag flying that continues to represent the colors of red, white, and blue. We are the United States of America, and when push comes to shove, we all have the same common enemy. We must show the world just how united we are.
While it may look like some of the leaders of the United States of America have forgotten that day, we can trust that You have not forgotten it. When our hearts cry out, “God Bless America,” we know You hear us.
Before our ancestors stepped foot on American soil, forty-one men aboard the Mayflower made a covenant with each other and with You. They decreed their sole purpose for coming to this land with the words, “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.” While these men gathered to sign their names in Your presence, I believe You signed the covenant, too. May we rest assured knowing that You do not break a covenant.
As citizens of this great nation, Father God, we ask You to join us as we take the oath, “I do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the citizens of the United States against all enemies, foreign, domestic and even within the government; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the nation whose people put their trust in Me.”
In Your Name, We Pray.
*Written by Tiffany Parker, with comments from Michelle Hirstius and Peggy Seeley