Remember….

So much of my time lately has been spent looking forward. Counting the days until this morning all-day sickness finally passes so I can spend more time sitting up rather than lounging in my bed or on the couch. Looking forward to getting my house back in order.  Getting back to blogging regularly and getting my half prepared freebies up for you. Looking forward to holding a sweet new baby. Forward…

But, today. Today, I look back and remember.

September 11, 2001. I lived in a house with several other graduate students. We didn't have a TV. Who has time for that when you have a 7:30am Biblical Greek class to get to! My house was right outside campus and I'd walk past Josh's dorm on my way to class. He'd usually meet me and walk at least half way to class with me on his way to breakfast.

That's when I heard. Josh's dorm was already buzzing with the news. A plane had hit one of the towers in New York. It seemed so far away from us in LA, but the news was sketchy and the threat for us in California was real. There was confusion and misinformation everywhere. There were rumors of planes missing and possibly headed to LA. Of course, it got worse through the morning in the east, but fears slowly subsided for us in the west that it appears we were “safe”… whatever that means.

There was fear, but there was prayer. We didn't do any Greek that morning in class. We just prayed. And prayed some more. We tried to go about our week with as much normalcy as possible, but it was obviously difficult. There were many hours spent doing homework while watching and listening to reports on TV.

Today, I come back to remembering. And to prayer. When we're facing unimaginable obstacles ahead, God calls us to look back and remember. He called the Israelites to mark events in their lives with stones on many occasions. A physical reminder of God's provision. It's boosts our faith and hope in what God will do today and tomorrow in whatever circumstance we face.

God has provided for me over the last decade in unimaginable ways. I look back at a God who cares and provides. Because of that, I can look forward at a God who will continue to do the same.

Today, I remember.