And Then Everything Changed

by Josh Atkins

I was 18 and I just started my freshman year in college. I had just finished my fitness test in Lancer Gym (RIP) for my Healthy Lifestyles class at Grace College. I finished early and went back to my dorm to get ready for chapel. I threw my stuff on the ground (where else would I put it?) and hopped on IM (does anybody still use this?). I ended up talking to my friend Ben, who I knew from high school and he said, “Can you believe it?” Confused, I responded, “Believe what?” He said, “Open up the internet, you’ll see.” It was 9:15 AM, I opened up Yahoo, and then everything changed.

I saw that planes had hit the World Trade Center and so I went down to the lobby to catch it on the news. There were already about 8 guys watching it and catching me up on everything I missed. I stood there stunned and not really sure what I was looking at. And then, since I was a freshman and didn’t know any better, I went back to my room, got ready, and went to chapel.
I sat by myself to the right of the sound booth in McClain Auditorium a few rows from the back. Jack Rants (our Chaplain) caught everybody up with what had happened, and then we proceeded to try and have chapel. Periodically throughout the rest of the service, he would come up and give us updates about what had happened.

Another plane has crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

The South Tower has collapsed.

Another plane has crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

The North Tower has collapsed.

It was impossible to focus. We were led in a prayer time, and given a two hour “break” from classes and they would resume at that time. I went back to the dorm, along with a bunch of other guys on my hall, and we just watched the news unravel on tv; trying to make sense of it all.
It’s been 7 years, but I can still put myself in the chair in chapel as they gave us the updates. Where were you? Do you remember what you were doing? Let’s remember the families of those who lost loved ones today and pray that their pursuit of peace would lead them to a relationship with the only one who can truly bring peace, Jesus Christ.