Let's Roll: Exclusive excerpts from Lisa Beamer's book about Flight 93

World ^ | August 17 issue | Lisa Beamer

[Jim Scott]

Thanks for the ping.

Lisa Beamers' words brought me to the very brink of tears. Not for sadness, although the loss of her husband, Todd, and the rest of the passengers on Flight 93 is certainly sad enough, but tears of joy at seeing her faith put to work in such a beautiful way.

I loved reading Lisa Beamer's beautiful understanding and explanation of a merciful God who gives us life and a world to live in and asks nothing of us but to renounce sin, recognize, accept and honor Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. God offers his creation a promise to sustain us through life's trials and to share His home - heaven - with us forever, beyond time and mortal constraints.

Her comparison of a well-intentioned memorial service performed without God as it's center and Todd's Christ-centered service is striking, especially for those of us who've attended both types. One is sadness, wan hopes and thin comfort, although well-intended.

The other is sadness for our personal loss mixed with the joy of understanding that the departed soul is with Christ, not a lump in the ground or someone to be mourned, but simply remembered and their life celebrated as we know God keeps His promises of eternal life for those who love Him and do His will on earth.

Lisa Beamer knows this and expresses it beautifully. She should - and will - be an inspiration to many in time to come.

[swarthyguy]

Thanks Jeff. We should never be allowed to forget this.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I am sorry you missed Lisa's entire uplifting message of hope.

I too have rage at the evil organization behind the New York City Massacre. I have rage at all like them. But hatred and rage were the furthest things from my mind as I read the precious truth in her words.

Have hope.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

The devil doesn't need to claim them. They have already abandoned God.

[Jim Scott]

I basically agree with your premise that God is in control and uses men for various purposes, as scripture clearly shows.

I believe that men who ultimately commit evil acts still have the free will to not do those things, including the September 11th hijacker-terrorists. They choose evil when it's presented to them as an option. God does not present this evil, Satan does, but God - as he did many times in the Old Testament - turns the evil act into ultimate good by re-directing the consequences of the act, as we saw after 9/11.

There is some argument about this but from my understanding of scripture, I believe that although Satan has his run of earth and humanity - that should be obvious by a simple observation of humanity around the world and the evil things done every day - God has the ultimate power and can thwart Satan or, more often, change the expected outcome of evil acts committed by men through the urging of Satan.

I fully believe that men can resist Satan by 'fleeing' from him (scripture tells us this) but unfortunately, few do.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Bump. Heavenly Father, thank you for brave men like Todd Beamer.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

The terrorists had no bomb aboard the plane. They stated they had a bomb to scare and control all aboard the plane rather than reveal their plan to crash the jet into the White House.

[glorygirl]

"I made my way to my bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, staring out the window in a near-catatonic state. I didn't move; I didn't speak. It was as though time had come to an abrupt halt, and I no longer existed. In a desperate, futile attempt to make sense of it all, my heart and mind had temporarily shut down. I was numb. I could see and hear, yet I simply continued to stare straight ahead."

"For days I would struggle to deal with the shock. And yet, in that dark moment of my soul, I first cried out to God. I knew without a doubt that my hope wasn't based on Todd or any other human being. Nor was it based even on life itself, when I got right down to it. My faith wasn't rooted in governments, religion, tall buildings, or frail people. Instead, my faith and my security were in God."

"A thought struck me. Who are you to question God?"

This woman is blessed. She is blessed because she is beautiful, because she had some understanding of the media before all this happened as a marketing executive, because she had a Godly husband who had the courage to act on his faith and whom God allowed to act as his instrument, because she has children to remember him by,but mostly because of her deep-seated faith in Christ.

Lisa Beamer is no opportunist. She is a Christian. And the lesson she provides in the above paragraphs should be a lesson for us all. Who ARE we to question God?

Her message is NOT a vendetta, not a call to hate, or for revenge. It is a simple message of faith, of openness, and of willingness to follow the path God set for her and her family.

There's a part of me that wishes mightily she had a little more anger -- or was more willing to express whatever anger she does feel. Perhaps that will come in time. Or perhaps not.

The saddest thing of all is that our nation still not recognize the hand of God in all this. How much more of a wake-up call do we need? And just what are we supposed to do to bring us to the place God wants us to be? Is going to war really going to accomplish that? Is reforming the government? Or reforming our own lives, to whatever degree possible?

I think Lisa Beamer sees her role as becoming an activist for God and Christ, and I hope someone forwards this thread to her. I hope she has the courage to take up "the cross," to continue promoting the "message" day after day, year after year, for as long as God allows her to do it.

There was a reason for all those blessings, including her latest pregnancy. When she spoke, people -- whether they believe in God or not -- stopped to listen, and were affected by what they heard.

"Let's Roll" Lisa. Keep on going, just as your husband did.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

God gave free will to man. The terrorists are indeed evil. They made a choice.

[hoosiermama]

God HAS blessed Lisa Beamer and thru her all of us.

[Mr. Mulliner]

One of the better things I've read regarding this idea that God didn't just "allow" 9/11 is by one of my favorite writers and preachers, John Piper. If you haven't read this, please take the time to digest it. It was written, I think, less than a week after 9/11.

Why I Do Not Say, "God Did Not Cause the Calamity, but He Can Use It for Good"

By the way, there was a discussion thread here on FR, an editorial written by someone from World Magazine who believed 9/11 was God's doing and called for repentance as a nation. I pretty much agreed with that assessment, especially that the correct response would be national repentance, although I struggled, and still struggle, with the idea that God "caused" it. (This article by John Piper helped.) But that discussion was anything but peaceful and now I think it was because it was too soon after it all happened. I wonder if there are people who have changed their mind now that they can better see the positive things that have come out of 9/11.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

I see your point but respectfully disagree. I think that God, being omniscient, knew of the event and knew the consequences, but I do not believe He directed it.

One can argue that His plan included this act, but I believe that His plan does not include the acts directed by Satan.

Thank you for posting your thoughts - you always express yourself so well.

[lawdog]

Hero's don't seek it, it is thrust upon them. "Ordinary" men, rising above the confusion and fear while doing the extraordinary. May God bless them.

[jern]

I thought you guys might want to read the contrast of Ted Ralls' article today
Ted Rall: The Truth About September 11th

QUOTE: Was United Flight 93 shot down over Pennsylvania? The Pentagon ( news - web sites) has neither denied shooting down United 93 nor confirmed that its heroic passengers caused the flight to crash while trying to wrest its controls from the hijackers. The flight was airborne some two and a half hours before crashing outside Shanksville, leading many to speculate that it was fired upon to protect the White House or other likely targets in Washington. It seems unlikely that a cockpit voice recording of a struggle between passengers and jihadis exists; if it did, why not release such an inspiring artifact to a public hungry for inspiration? All 9-11 flight information, including any Flight 93 recordings, ought to given to the media. And it's time for the military to indicate whether or not they, rather than the passengers, brought down the jet.

Don't forget what we are up against. This guy is a comic who thought the below was funny.

[McLynnan]

Thank you so much for pinging me on this. Lisa Beamer's strong faith gives her the same serenity that we see in our President and First Lady. Publicly the lady has been a rock. Todd chose well.

[COB1]

We are essentially in agreement.
As you both can guess, I'm trying to make sense out of a seemingly senseless tragedy.
The only way to reconcile these events with my Christian beliefs and to impart value to the lives lost that day is to believe that it was part of God's plan; otherwise it's useless and senseless.
The heroism of Scott Beamer and the many thousands of heroes that day only has lasting importance if it leads to something beneficial to the rest of us.

In my interpretation of the Word of God, it is necessary for me to believe that He approves events before they occur, otherwise, He is not in control.
Therefore, these tragedies of 9/11 are tragedies only from our perspective.
In God's perspective they make perfect sense.

[COB1]

Sorry, Texas Girl.
I didn't see your post.
I love to debate these things with you.
I always come away with a different perspective.
Thank you.

[COB1]

YES!!
John Piper said it much better than I could hope to say it!
This sentence sums it up:

"Yes, Satan is real, and he is terrible - and he is on a leash."

Thanks, Yank!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Aw shucks, does that mean we won't have a down and dirty fight? lol