Let's Roll by Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd Beamer, a 9-11 Hero on Flight 93that crashed near Somerset, PA is an excellent, easy faith filled read that was released in 2002. I marvel at this young woman's strength, she, who is living proof of the benefit of a life long faith. Only a few pages into the book reveal that her strength comes from her very deep solid Christian faith. To lose her husband that way while she was pregnant with their daughter and raising two young sons and to remain steadfast in faith in God is her testimony. The book is simply written , assistance by Ken Abraham, a professional writer. However, Lisa is not just a simple stay at home mom as she claims; she is an educated woman who has traveled to foreign countries, a professional who was employed by Oracle as was Todd before they had their first son. They met when both were attending Wheaton College. She has joined that elite but Job like club of those of us who have been tested by a loss beyond what we life long believers should have to endure and she has pulled on her strength from her faith, the only way we make it.
I have seen Lisa on TV interviews and admire her. I know she will survive and thrive because she has it all pulled together with strong support of wonderfully close family and outstanding church friends. True friends in faith are the best kind! The book is 312 pages and at the end she scripts the names of all those who were on Flight 93. Romans 11:33-36 is one of her spiritual sources; she has memorized much scripture being a lifelong believer.
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My heart went out to her reading the book. On pg 287 she asks "why would God allow the baby to be born without a father?" Or why did God allow her to get pregnant when He knew Todd would not be alive? She answers that, again with faith, pgs. 287 and 288 " I know the only answer was to trust God to provide everything I needed. .....He was teaching me that I could trust Him moment by moment even for mundane needs....." She shares the story of weeding and her friend showing up just when she needed her, an example of how God can answer in the smallest way. I have had that same experience many times through my life from a phone call at the right time to an email to a card in the mail to an old friend from long ago showing up again in my life. Serendipity of faith rewarded..
More than 45 widows of the September 11 attack had given birth by the time Morgan Beamer, their daughter was born. This is striking to me because you know I was born to a young widow and never knew my father. But I know that Lisa and her children will be more than OK in life. She is balancing sadness with hope. She has established the Todd Beamer Foundation
http://www.beamerfoundation.org/ which has as its purpose "seeks to equip children experiencing family trauma to make heroic choices every day.
This is an excellent book for Christian women to read. I picked it up at Book Sale and will share it with others now. I have kept special prayers for all the surviving families of 9/11 victims. Don't even get me started about the mosque proposed to be built there.
