Weekly Devotions - Sowing Seeds of Faith

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“Remembering 9/11"

This week we remember and honor the families of the victims for the tragedy that occurred three short years ago. The column below represents just a few of the hundreds of emails sent to our ministry sharing where they were on September 11, 2001.

This week we also pray for the victims and their families of the terrorist attack on a school in Beslan, Russia. At least 335 people of which half are children are believed to have been killed. It is a horrible tragedy and our hearts and prayers go out to the people of that city.

We also pray for those who live in the state of Florida in the United States as they recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Frances. The damage combined with Hurricane Charley which struck just a few weeks ago has inflicted untold billions of dollars damage and several lives lost.

If you would like to contribute to any of the causes mentioned above, we have set up a way for you to do it and our ministry will simply forward the donation on. You will find more information below.

“I took a trip to New York and remembered seeing the World Trade Center and being in awe of its massive size and how intimidating they looked as they towered over other structures.” Jessica

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? How do you think our country and our world is doing now? Hundreds of our readers all over the world responded… many were involved or knew someone:

U “I helped with recovery efforts. 9/11 changed my life in more ways than one. I questioned how this can happen and why did it happen. It also affected my marriage and brought me into a dark depression which took a long time to overcome. I learned to accept we must forgive those who commit such acts for they are lost souls who need to be prayed for.” Juan

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U “My friend's nephew worked there so I called her. His remains were the last found.” Peggy

U “We were in the world trade center two weeks before they were destroyed. My sister lost friends and neighbors who worked there. My brother was two blocks away when it happened and was part of the fleeing masses. Some of their stories are absolutely chilling.” Bryan

U “I worked at a nursing home. I'll never forget the looks on their faces: such horror and fear: Horror from what they were seeing and fear realizing how helpless they were.” Karen

Many were moved by our nation’s generous and compassionate response to the tragedy:

U “I was assigned to New York a few days later: Chaos, Crisis and Conflict everywhere. As you walked into the city closer to the tragedy area, everything got quieter - literally. Every street corner had WTC RIP stamped on the sidewalk. Pictures of missing loved ones, candles, paper clips and office clutter, ash and smoke, emergency and security personnel....and the ever-ready Vendors, selling their WTC pictures are the memories that still haunt me. Restaurants closed due to being too close to ground zero were opened to serve workers - Free.” Paula

U “The fairgrounds were silent that day and for much of the rest of the fair. But what really stuck out was the number of exhibitors who immediately donated money from sales to the Red Cross Disaster Fund. They raised over $24,000.”

U “I am 83 years old and been through other tragedies: the death of FDR, Pearl Harbor, the death of JFK, Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy and remember where I was. People pulled together and became one and many a prayer went up for lost and survivors.” Corinne

Others were frustrated or concerned about our continued response to the tragedy and to the terrorists:

U “I thought this would pull us all together and bring families back to church. It did for a short while, but not for long enough. We need to get back to basics and care about GOD and family and church. We have lost our roots somewhere and need God to bring us back.” Cindi

U “Because I teach some children who are Muslim, I had to protect them in the weeks that followed by pointing out that the terrorists were not average Muslims, but fanatics.” Anne

U “I don't think we have come very far trying to catch Bin Laden. We have so much technology but we can't seem to find one man.” Catherine

What should our response be? The Bible says: “Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

God urges us to “live in peace and seek a clean and holy life.” So, what do we do? 1. We continue praying for the victims, for those who protect us and even the terrorists themselves. 2. We seek justice not revenge because that is our witness. 3. We reexamine our priorities about life and about God. 4. We remember and continue to honor those who died. As for the terrorists and others who would harm the innocent: they will receive judgment from God. Most of all… we do not lose faith or hope in God.

U “Three years have gone by and I still haven't visited ground zero.” Mary

U “I remember going to bed afraid and uncertain. In one day, our lives and world were forever changed. I don't know that we will ever feel truly "safe" again. I THANK the men and women who are fighting for our nation and I pray for them and our government daily.” Susan

More articles on 9/11...

9/11 Remembered 2003

A Day of Terror

Terrorists & Forgiveness

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Sowing Seeds Ministry in cooperation with the church I pastor, Timberlake United Methodist in Lynchburg, Virginia will forward donations to UMCOR which is the United Methodist Council on Relief. Like the Red Cross, they are often the first on the scene at disasters but what is terrific about this fund is that none of your money goes to expenses. Churches across the country have already paid them so every dime you send will go directly to those in need. Just click here... and make your donation by charge card or you can send a check to Sowing Seeds Ministry, 47 Greenwell Ct., Lynchburg, VA 24502. Please let us know in the comments section or on the check where you want the donation to go.

From: Deb [mailto:deb4jc2@telus.net]
Subject: Just a Thank You.........

Larry! I signed up on this site about 3 to 4 years ago. I was in a real crisis and in the middle of a messy divorce. (I have since remarried.) You were so kind to me and even personally emailed me and sent me a booklet on divorce, and your book. I receive the prayer requests every week faithfully (which I love!) but hadn't been to the home page in a year or so. So today I was interested in looking at it again and I was looking through all the links and accidentally took myself off the list! I was so disappointed when I went to my mailbox just now and saw that I had been removed. I quickly signed up again and I thought; "ok God" "I WILL write Larry this quick email that I had on my heart". I can't imagine NOT getting the weekly prayer requests. I can't honestly say I pray for them all. But I do pray for the ones that God puts on my heart and I DO write encouragements to those that God also tells me to write. I just needed to thank you again for your site Larry. I know that you probably get a lot of thank you notes (and you better! LOL) but I felt the need to do that again today. Your site is so special and unique and I don't know of another quite like it on the whole internet. You are doing such a wonderful job for the Lord, please keep it up. Blessings, Deb

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Last modified September 7, 2004.

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