I don’t think any of us will ever forget that awful day when planes dominated our attention, lives were lost, buildings were destroyed and the skies were silenced overhead.  Fear welled up in each of us as we pondered the future of our country and the fate of our freedom. I know for me, that day was a day that will live on forever in my mind, but not for the reasons you may think.

That awful morning, my baby boy, then 18 months old, was sitting in his chair in front of the TV, eating Cheerios as he watched PBS.  I was talking to my father on the phone who was recovering in the hospital from a staph infection.  Suddenly, I heard him say some explisatives I will not share here and then he told me to turn on ABC.  I usurped the control of the TV from my son just in time to see the second plane crash into the World Trade Center. We have become accustomed to so much shock on TV that the reality about what just happened did not register with me right away.

I got off of the phone with my Dad and watched as the reports started coming in.  As the Pentagon was hit and another plane crashed in the countryside of Pennsylvania, I knew this was no poorly constructed reality TV show.  This was real. This was war. This was the end of an era of peace for the USA.

“USA TODAY”

My heart broke for the family members of those who were taken so abruptly from this world. My spirit crushed within me at the thoughts about what the future would hold for all of us.  Was this the end of the madness?  I lived in a major city at the time.  Would they strike us next?  I fell to my knees before my Father in Heaven and began to cry out to the only source of hope we have. I longed to have my husband by my side to comfort me and to assure me that everything was going to be fine.  As I cried, I forgot all about my little boy who was watching this madness too.  Then I felt a soft touch on my head.  I looked up, tears rolling down my face into the face of my precious son.  He took my face into his hands, wiped the tears from my eyes and kissed me.  This was the first time I experienced the heart of this tender warrior.

9/11 is rolling around again.  As we think on the tragedy of that fateful day, I hope we are reminded of the lessons learned from that experience.  Patriotism is still alive in the USA, this is a country worth fighting for, when we stand together as a nation we can rise from the ashes to become a force to again be reckoned with and true character comes out in times of crisis.

My son is nine now and he is still the tender warrior I met on September 11, 2001. He has the heart of David, the strength of Samson and the love of Jesus pouring forth from him.  I pray those are traits he never loses as we seek in this country for leadership worth following.

Become a leader worth following.  Start today.  Your destiny is waiting!