Archives For fear

9/11: Ten Years Later

September 8, 2011 — 3 Comments

For people all over the world, September 11, 2001 will be a day that lives in infamy in our memory. It was a day that profoundly changed the way most of us think about life — and a day that took so many lives and shattered the hopes, hearts, and dreams of so many others.

On that Tuesday morning I had been in my office at a residential children’s facility for about an hour when the phone rang. The voice on the other end belonged to my wife, Michelle . . . yet there was a timbre in her tone that instantly conveyed the message that all was not well. Immediately my thoughts rushed to my then eight-month-old son, Jackson, who was in the house with her. But before I could ask about him, Michelle interrupted and asked, “Have you seen the news?”

“No,” I replied, puzzled. I quickly clicked onto a news website and saw ‘BREAKING NEWS’ in bright red.

“A plane has crashed into the World Trade Center,” she said, her voice shaking. “It’s bad, Garrick.”

I quickly headed to the TV room to turn on the news. Of course, finding the news wouldn’t be a problem, since it seemed to be on every channel. Within a matter of minutes, I, along with the rest of the waiting world, would soon discover that this was no accident. When the second plane hit the South Tower at three minutes past the hour, I remember my heart just sinking. Those of us gathered around stood speechless, in total disbelief of what our eyes were telling our brains.

In those moments the world as we knew it changed forever. Freedom turned to fear and anxiety to agony as the full scope of this attack on America unfolded in what seemed like slow motion. Within the hour another plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Reporters on the ground struggled to explain what was happening. They couldn’t quite wrap their minds around it all either.

By the time United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, I remember thinking to myself, “When will it end? What’s next?!” Continue Reading…

In Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , ,
permalink

Discovering new life

April 11, 2011 — 1 Comment

Where has the time gone? My last post was in the throes of winter . . . a winter that brought central Arkansas five snow events in the space of four weeks! It truly seems that we just turned the page on a new calendar year, and yet here we are in mid-April.

I’ve always been a real fan of fall. I love the colors and the transition from hot temperatures to cooler, more bearable weather. However, the older I get, the more I love springtime. Having grown up in the deep South, the return of spring was hailed by frolicking wildlife seemingly celebrating the end of the hunker-down season. I remember watching squirrels at play, almost overnight shedding their poofy winter coats for something a little more tailored. The red robins do a similar change of wardrobe that I’ve always found fascinating.

Having returned to the real South from Texas (which I dearly love) nearly two years ago, I’ve again fallen in love with the sights and sounds of spring. Just in the past few weeks, the hills of Arkansas have come alive with flowering trees and shrubs, beautifully brilliant daffodils and tulips (my wife’s favorite), and mysteriously majestic dogwood trees, all of which announce the end of winter. I absolutely love my backyard because of the dogwood that for a period of just a couple weeks transforms the landscape with its bright white blossoms.

Not everything is so cheery in life. If you’re anything like me, you’ve largely given up on finding any good news on TV. In fact, too much time with that can make me quite depressed. I’ve found though that while man is destined to disappoint, God is faithful to do just what He says He will do. Just as his eye is on the sparrow, we can be assured that He is watching over His children. My recent visit to Israel was filled with so many amazing sights. I think my personal favorites were the lilies of the field (seen at left). Jesus himself said that “even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matt. 6:29, ESV) As you can see, judging from this photo, who could argue that?

In a world filled with so much hurt, pain, sickness, calamity, brokenness, grief, and loss, it helps me to look around and again “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8, ESV). When you feel all alone and begin to  think all hope is lost, lift up your head and cast your eyes on the evidence of our Creator — and know that He cares for you. If you’re reading this and don’t know what it’s like to have peace in the midst of the storm, I encourage you to contact me, and let me help you discover new life today. Whatever you may be going through, God can give you just what you need to persevere.

IT’S YOUR TURN!
What is your favorite thing about spring? How do you stay focused on good in a world full of evil?

Share

In Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , ,
permalink