Tag Archives: 9/11/01

When Your World Has Been Shaken

Posted on March 28, 2020 by expressyourself4him

Some reporters have compared the Coronavirus to the millennials 9/11. Since my youngest two children were born after September 11th, 2001, I understand this comparison. For me, I remember exactly where I was when I first received news of two airplanes crashing into the Twin Towers. At this time in history, I was an independent contractor and regional staff writer for Travel Golf Media. Both of my positions were impacted as air travel ceased until new safety standards were implemented. Yet, as the Coronavirus continues to reap havoc throughout America, life as we know it has been disturbed and shaken.

There he came to a cave and lodged in it; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He replied, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away, 1 Kings 19:9-10.

The Old Testament details a story about a prophet whose own world had been shaken. According to the passage above, the Israelites had turned their back on God, turning a deaf ear to Elijah. Beside feeling useless, altars dedicated to the Lord were discarded from mountain tops. In addition, Elijah’s friends were all killed at the hands of Jezebel. Without any signs of improvement, this former spiritual leader had lost the will to live, giving up hope that God could alter his situation. As a way to get Elijah’s attention, a series of natural disasters struck the land. Taking notice, Elijah did not see the Lord as the source behind the tornado, earthquake and fire. Yet, after these storms, Elijah was ready to hear God’s still small voice.

And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice, 1 Kings 19:11-12.

Well, if you live in a state like Delaware, you are now under a stay at home order. Normal outdoor sports are now out of the equation, on hold until the Coronavirus fades or dies out. Sure, you can go to the grocery store, get gas and take a walk around the block, but that’s it. So… what is one to do with their life when your world has been shaken? Well, after you binge watch your favorite show or series, dusting off the Bible would be a step in the right direction. The great aspect of free will is that God doesn’t force you to anything. The choices that you make throughout life will shape who you become. May this forced time at home due to the Coronavirus draw you near to God as the world around us continues to be shaken.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

If the Lord had Not Been on My Side

Posted on February 20, 2015 by expressyourself4him

If human beings could catch a glimpse of the spiritual dimension, a preview of what lies behind the scenes in life, perhaps souls would have a greater appreciation for divine intervention.  An individual loses their keys momentarily, only to escape a fatal car crash.  Someone wakes up with an uneasy feeling, deciding not to go to work at the World Trade Center on the day of 9/11/01.  A sluggish woman has a premonition to go to a doctor, finding a deadly disease in its infant stage, saving her life through early prevention.  Looking back on numerous miracles, if the Lord had not been on my side, I wouldn’t be alive today to write about it!

We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. – Psalm 124:7

The Bible would be just another book if the boat God told Noah to build didn’t float.  If the flood waters of the mighty Nile decided to break as Israel was crossing upon dry land, Moses wouldn’t have survived to complete the Pentateuch.  Meanwhile, if Mary choose to abandon her new born babe before the Magi arrived, the Savior of World would be like all the aborted babies, a distant memory of what could have been, but never was.  Despite all of these scenarios, somehow, someway and for unforeseen purposes, the Lord of the heavens and earth choose to protect his people.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, – Psalm 124:8

Like a scene from Groundhog Day, lives have been altered forever.  Unfortunately, not everyone has been saved, spared or protected.  Many have become victims, dealt a knock out blow, sending any hopes for life to the grave.  Many of those left behind on earth never recover, bitter at God for months, years and decades.  Feeling betrayed, few overcome the heartbreak and suffering of seeing wonderful souls eliminated from society by accidents, bloodshed and demonic influences.  May this piece give readers a new appreciation for life and faith to overcomes moments in time when God doesn’t appear to be on our side.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

When Winning Isn’t As Important

Posted on November 29, 2014 by expressyourself4him

In the days following 9/11/01, many Americans used professional sporting events as a vehicle for healing.  In Major League Baseball, the singing of Talk Me Out to the Ball Game was replaced with God Bless America.  At the first Monday Night Football Game in the NFL, a sense of patriotism swept through the crowd, causing tears to flow from my eyes as a giant flag, shaped like the United States of America was stretched across the entire field.  During this period in time, winning wasn’t the only thing.  Rather, playing these games symbolized a sense of normalcy to proclaim to the world, “America will carry on.”

Meanwhile, another community experienced a similar tragedy, placing sports into its proper perspective.  The 2006 film We Are Marshall is based upon the death of 37 football players, 5 coaches, 25 boosters and other staff who perished in a plane crash near Huntington, West Virginia.  Despite wanting to remain competitive, winning had to be placed on the back burner.  To honor the memory of these people, the school president was nudged by students to field a team to fill the void left behind.  In a stirring scene, Matthew McConaughey, who plays head coach Jack Lengyel, redefines winning to include playing with all your heart for 60 minutes.  “If you do this, we can not lose!”

Today, competition has a wide scope from school districts who have banned keeping score to the hard core who keep score in everything they do.  For me, sports was a refuge, a place where I excelled.  The more success I tasted, the cockier I became.  Yet, like many things in life, athletic competition has a way of humbling the proud, bringing each star back down to earth.  However, when I finally gave up my pursuit of playing professional golf, only then did I understand winning isn;t everything.  Whether you have the talent or not, give your dream a shot and let the chips fall where they may.  In the end, winning isn’t as important as knowing that you did everything you could to maximize your God given talents.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Where Liberty and Church Street Meet

Posted on July 4, 2014 by expressyourself4him

Shipping Wars, a reality television show on A&E debuted on January 10th, 2012.  Simulating the competitive nature of this trade, I spent 2 years of my life pursuing this career back in 2000 and 2001.  In order to make money, you have to be willing to spend it up front.  In fact, I once made $2000 in 24 hours, driving an overnight delivery from Wilmington, Delaware to Chicago.  Unfortunately, this never happened again as like most Americans, I struggled to make a living.  Nonetheless, as I drove a weekly route up to East Rutherford, New Jersey, the World Trade Center was always there to greet me in the sky as I drew near.  This beacon of light stood where Liberty and Church Street met.

As the summer of 2001 faded into fall, I made an emergency trip to New York City, passing the twin towers for the last time.  After 9/11, lights lite up where this grand building once resided, but approaching New York was never the same.  When the United States was attacked on our own soil, the pursuit of life and liberty took on an entirely new meaning.  In the aftermath of this terrorist attack, churches experienced an initial awakening, packed for prayer vigils and services.  More than 10 years later, church attendance is declining and liberty is under a different kind of battle, invisible to the human eye.

On the Atlantic Coast of America, most downtown areas are filled with centers for worship.  The further west you travel across the fruited plains, the less this scene is repeated.  As progress occurs in society, traditions tend to fall by the wayside, surpassed by modern thinking.  While atheists are still trying to have the steel cross found in the Twin Towers remains removed from the 9/11 memorial, this relic is a symbol for a lost and dying world, John 3:16-17.  As the Freedom Tower replaces the World Trade Center at Liberty and Church Street, may this day in history never be forgotten, especially on this Independence Day, July 4th.

by Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Deja Vu

Posted on December 8, 2012 by expressyourself4him

This morning I awoke to an awkward feeling’, like I am reliving 2001 all over again.  Unlike Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, my life has become synonymous with the classic Yes song Roundabout written by Jon Anderson and Steven James Howe.  Instead of going on vacation to a lake in the mountains, I have completed a 12 year cycle which has brought me back to where I was in 2001.

The eerie sensation known as deja vu has been attributed to the paranormal, neurological disorders and our own understanding of human recognition memory.  From a psychological perspective, the brain fluctuates between 2 different types of recognition memory: recollection and familiarity.  When our mind processes the here and now, it can trigger emotions from previous times in our past, identical or similar to what we are currently undergoing.  Thereby, producing the phenomena deja vu.

I believe people are born to do certain occupations and professions in life before they die.  Like Doc Graham in the movie Field of Dreams, if he decided to play professional baseball his entire life, he would have never impacted people like he did as a doctor.  In the same way, God has made it painfully clear in 2012 that God has designed me to be a teacher.  The events of 9/1/01 paved the way for me to become a Bible teacher for a decade.  Now I am waiting to be rescued from a pile of debt, shattered dreams and a wounded heart.

Emergency workers, fighter fighters and police who laid down their lives on that  fateful day, ran into the World Trade Center as others were fleeing the scene to save as many people as humanly possible.  Likewise, as Jesus’ disciples tried to fight for his life in Matthew 26:51, Jesus surrendered, laying down his life as a ransom to pay for my sin, Matthew 20:28.  Although I may not be where I feel called at this moment in time, God can, has and will lead me to where I need to be.

by Jay Mankus

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

9.11

Posted on September 12, 2012 by expressyourself4him

Eleven years ago today, I was a successful independent contractor making close to $40,000 per year.  My wife and I were home schooling our first child tag team style; I took the mornings and she spent time with him each afternoon.  Life appeared to be going great until early Tuesday morning.

After receiving a package from UPS, I was informed to turn on my television.  As I spent the next hour glued to the aftermath, worked called to tell me not to come in.  Since I had a contract with a bank across the street from the Liberty Bell, the entire block was shut down.  Every site I visited daily closed their doors by noon, leaving me time to ponder what  on earth just happened.  While over 2,000 people lost their lives, I lost several contracts overnight leading me to pursue a career in teaching.

The Sunday after 9/11/01 inspired many people to seek God.  More Americans attended church on September 16th, 2001 than any other day in the history of our country.  Each Sunday since, church attendance has gradually declined.  Does America need another 9/11 to wake them up again?  I am afraid America is suffering from complacency like the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:14-18.  God continues to knock on the door of our hearts, Revelation 3:19-20, yet you and I must let Jesus in.  The choice is yours.

By Jay Mankus

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.