This is a transcript of a speech given by the speaker, who reflects on their life journey and experiences, particularly the loss of their husband in the September 11th attacks. They discuss the impact on their identity, both externally and internally, and the importance of rooting their core identity in God's goodness and greatness. They emphasize that our true identity is found in our relationship with God and how it shapes our purpose and outlook on life.
1. The speaker starts by expressing gratitude for the privilege and responsibility of being in the room.
2. The speaker reminisces about the time when she and her husband, Todd, graduated from Wheaton in 1991.
3. Todd earned his MBA and they got married, moving to New Jersey.
4. They had two sons and another baby on the way, who turned out to be even cuter.
5. They lived between their extended families in New York and Washington D.C.
6. Todd was a dedicated employee and was up early to catch a flight to meet a client at his company's headquarters in San Francisco.
7. The plane was one of four that day, which was overtaken by terrorists and crashed, killing everyone on board.
8. Todd was on a call with an operator in Chicago who spoke to him for about 15 minutes as he described what was happening and tried to get information that might help them.
9. The operator eventually prayed with him, and he and a team of other men plotted and executed their plan.
10. Todd became a national hero within 72 hours of his death.
11. The speaker found herself in the media spotlight, with constant phone calls and visits from the news crew.
12. The speaker was called a widow and a single parent, roles that made her physically sick.
13. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
14. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
15. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
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21. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
22. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
23. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
24. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
25. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
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40. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
41. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
42. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
43. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
44. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
45. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.
46. The speaker found herself in a significant identity crisis, forced into a significant identity crisis.