In the first episode of the Remembering 9/11 series, Sarah Zylstra follows the story of Christina and Brian Stanton, who were blown back into their apartment and knocked unconscious by the impact of the second plane hitting the south World Trade Center tower.
Christina and Brian Stanton on their apartment terrace a week before September 11, 2001 / Courtesy of Christina Stanton
The couple raced to evacuate Manhattan as the beautiful blue, cloudless September sky turned black above them.
Four miles north, the staff of Redeemer Presbyterian Church climbed out a window onto a balcony. From there, they saw both towers collapse. Four hours south, the staff of Capitol Hill Baptist Church could feel the reverberations of the plane slamming into the Pentagon.
Half a country away, John Piper looked at the staff of his Bethlehem Baptist Church and told them, “This changes everything.”
In these stories of loss, trauma, redemption, and eternal hope, we see that God was, and is, and always will be at work—even in the darkest moments.
Resources and references from this episode:
“Truth, Tears, Anger, and Grace” (Tim Keller’s sermon to Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 16, 2001)
“A Service of Sorrow, Self-Humbling, and Steady Hope in Our Savior and King, Jesus Christ” (John Piper’s sermon to Bethlehem Baptist Church on September 16, 2001)
“When Bad Things Happen” (Bert Daniel’s sermon to Capitol Hill Baptist Church on September 16, 2001)
“Terrorism, Justice, and Loving Our Enemies” (by John Piper on September 12, 2001)
“21 Ways to Comfort Those Who Are Suffering” (by John Piper on September 12, 2001)
“Boatlift, An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience” (video documentary on the boat rescue evacuation September 11, 2001)
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The Gospel Coalition