On September 11, 2001, I found myself near the bottom of the Twin Towers in New York City.

Back in 2001, I was a 19-year-old student attending New York University, who had walked away from the Lord. Despite my rebellion against God, the Lord mercifully saved me and called me back to Himself through the tragic events of September 11, 2001. That morning I found myself running from both towers and spending the day serving alongside New York City’s firemen. This personal testimony video was partially filmed on-site at the 9/11 Memorial in New York.

In God’s providence, it was directly because of what happened on September 11 that I met on the same day the only two pastors that I would serve under to date. At an outreach in Union Square Park, a few days after the towers fell, I met, for the first time, Pastor Lloyd Pulley of Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in New Jersey. After I graduated from NYU, I was invited to join CCOB’s staff and served there as the youth pastor for eight years. It was also at this same outreach that I met Brian Brodersen of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. I’ve had the privilege of serving under him as the director of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. I love serving the Lord, and that God orchestrated for me to meet the two pastors I would eventually serve under on the same day, is a reminder to me that God is always working behind the scenes, even in terrible situations. He used this devastating event to call me back to Himself and into the ministry.

I couldn’t have gotten through that day without the Lord’s help. If you would like to know more about having a personal relationship with God, watch a video explaining the good news of Jesus Christ!

As I tell you my story of God’s mercy, I do not forget that there are still thousands of stories of pain and loss. Please join me in continuing to pray for God’s comfort on those who lost loved ones years ago.

“…God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain…” (Revelation 21:4). “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

-Andy Deane, Director of CCBC Murrieta