Larkin Spivey

Book Award

2011-11-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

I just received notice that Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War has won a Gold Medal in the Stars and Flags Books Awards. Also, Miracles of the American Revolution has received Honorable Mention. The awards and book cover images are on display at www.starsandflags.com. Thanks to my great publisher and many good editors for making this possible.

9/11

2011-08-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

During a radio interview today on WHKW in Cleveland, the host, Glenn Mertz, asked me what I, a Vietnam veteran, thought about the current conflicts in the Middle East. The question took me back to September 11, 2001, the day of the most cowardly attack ever perpetrated against America (in my opinion, even surpassing Pearl Harbor). As my thoughts went back to that day, I was overtaken by the feelings of anger and frustration that came over me and so many others. This declaration of war against our nation required a response. I think I can speak for the vast majority of military men and women, past and present, in expressing the profound belief that such a war needed to be fought on the ground of our enemies, not our own. I think this feeling prevails in spite of the hardship endured by our service men and women during repeated deployments and constant danger. Our modern warriors have been placed under the greatest strain imaginable. Many have paid a high price. We as a nation are blessed that young men and women are still found willing to step forward and pay this price. God bless our people in uniform, and God bless America.

No Stained Glass Windows

2011-08-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

Early in the Vietnam War Lieutenant Ronald DeBock was assigned as one of the first chaplains to the field hospital run by Company C, 3rd Medical Battalion, known throughout I Corps as ‘Charlie Med.’ He made it his duty to meet jeep and helicopter ambulances day and night to be one of the first to offer comfort to the casualties as they arrived. He often stayed with the seriously wounded in the operating room and followed up with frequent visits to the wards, bringing reading material, praying, and just talking with the men. He helped some make commitments to Christ.
On Sundays he held services in the hospital chapel, a fly tent pitched beside a nearby rice paddy. The chaplain had good memories of his primitive but spiritual ‘church:’

It had no stained glass windows or even a single picture, but our blessed Lord was ever present, and the men knew it. They sang and worshipped as they had back home. They gradually adjusted to the sights and sounds of the area, and continued to pray or sing despite the noises of jets, helicopters or artillery fire. Attendance at worship services was generally in small groups. In the hospital area and in nearby troop sites large assemblies of personnel were neither practicable or desirable. Nevertheless, they came to worship God. The Marines seemed to take their religion as seriously as their duties.

There is a small chapel at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island, South Carolina with only one noteworthy amenity. It has a large window over the altar with a view of the Edisto River and Atlantic Ocean. As the palm fronds sway and seagulls coast by on the breeze it is not difficult to go to a deeper level spiritually. God doesn’t require much to enter our thoughts. He waits patiently for us to give him our attention. We can worship him in cathedrals or in tents. It has more to do with our own sense of urgency and our own understanding of how much we need him in our lives.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. ~Psalm 25:1-2, 4-5

(This story is a devotional for August 29 from Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War.)

Devotional for the Day

2011-08-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from my new book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War The story is titled, "Tracers"

Red-orange fireballs erupted wherever mortars impacted, and enemy green tracers crossed paths with friendly red tracers. Seeing the colorful pyrotechnics, it was easy to forget how deadly the attacks could be. The American red tracers poured out in defense, and the enemy tracers converged inward like a million fireflies at war.

His tracer rounds ricocheted in lazy, bright-red arcs, a breath before the first pinging sounds of steel on steel returned to the south bank. Streams of tracer fire converged on the target, bouncing off in a crazy-quilt pattern and joining four times as many invisible rounds in a giant buzzing hornet’s nest of sound. Then the machine guns on the north bank opened fire in short stuttering bursts and the enemy’s tracers, bright green, came vaulting over the river.

Every fifth round in a belt of machine gun ammunition is normally a tracer. These are special bullets with a hollow base filled with a bright burning pyrotechnic material such as phosphorous or magnesium. When fired, they create a red or green streak that enables the gunner to follow the trajectory of his rounds and adjust his aim accordingly.
Unfortunately, there is an old military adage that, “Tracers work both ways.” The bright red streaks that help gunners adjust fire, also mark their position for the enemy. Hence, the converging red and green fireworks described above.
The Apostle Paul described a similar principle governing our behavior by using an agricultural metaphor: “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). He points out the obvious: When you plant corn, you can expect to harvest corn. When you send out indifference or irritation toward others, you can expect the same in return. Conversely, a smile or friendly gesture will usually lead to something good. The people in our lives and God himself will sooner or later follow the tracers we send out—back to their source.

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~Galatians 6:8-9

North to Alaska

2011-08-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Its good to be home, but we're sad its over. After a three week adventure in our northernmost state Lani and I saw a continuous display of snow covered mountains and few signs of civilization. We rubbed elbows with old friends, naturalists, geologists, and a lot of hard working, down-to-earth people. We have come home with attitude adjustments and a new perspective. First, we have been weaned off cable news and hope to stay that way. The problems of the world are still there, but we might just check the headlines now and then. I'm sure we won't miss anything important for too long. Second, we've been uplifted spiritually, with a total immersion in the beauty of God's magnificent creation. We have plenty of that at home, but we often forget to take it in. Truly, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."(Psalm 19:1-3) We are feeling closer to God and pray that we maintain that condition in our now-again daily lives.

The Miracle That Led to Independence

2011-06-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

On the Fourth of July we celebrate Independence Day, the day our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and committed themselves irreversibly to a cause for which they truly risked their lives and fortunes. As with all of history, this great event now has a certain sense of inevitability about it. We know now what happened, and it seems that it was ‘meant to be.’ Only when we go back and look at the details, however, do we see how uncertain this seminal event was and how God’s hand was involved in it.

The Continental Congress in 1776
During the early months of 1776 representatives from the American colonies continued a protracted and frustrating dispute with King George and the British Parliament. After armed conflict at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill the year before, a tense stalemate had developed around Boston. The king had rejected the so-called Olive Branch Petition, approved by Congress in 1775, and had declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion. British reinforcements continued to arrive in Boston. The situation seemed to be growing worse as the tenuous military stalemate went on in Massachusetts and problems mounted keeping a colonial army in the field.
There was also a stalemate within the Continental Congress between radical and conservative factions. The radicals talked of independence from England and formation of a new nation. The conservatives favored efforts to redress grievances and return to ‘normal’ times. There was a great fear of war and probable ruin, and continued expectation of reconciliation. The conservative approach had prevailed so far during the Congress’ deliberations, even to the point where delegates from six colonies were under specific instructions to vote against independence.

Washington Takes the Initiative
On March 4, 1776, General Washington took a bold and dangerous move to break the stalemate in Boston. During that night he moved a large force onto a hill known as Dorchester Heights, overlooking the waterfront and main shipping channel into Boston harbor. A similar move the year before on Bunker Hill, on the other side of Boston, had caused a violent and devastating retaliation from the British. This move was no different. The British commander, General William Howe, had to respond to the challenge. Both generals knew that a decisive defeat of these colonial forces would quickly end the so-called ‘rebellion.’

The Miracle
On March 5th the British mounted an all out attack on Dorchester Heights, moving troops by ship and boat across Boston harbor. At this crucial moment the weather took control of events. An unseasonal and violent storm came up that a local observer called a ‘hurrycane.’ The storm increased in violence during that day and into the night. Even though the harbor offered protected waters, torrential winds and rain scattered the British invasion force. Three ships were grounded on Governors Island and numerous boats were lost. It became impossible to carry out the attack.
On the morning of March 6, Howe assembled his subordinates. He feared that the rebels had so strengthened their positions over the previous day that an attack had become too dangerous. Since the opportunity had passed for offensive action, he ordered his forces back into garrison. There would be no British effort to take Dorchester Heights. Instead of an attack, Howe ordered an evacuation. On March 17 the British army and navy sailed out of Boston harbor. The eleven-month standoff was over.

Independence
In Philadelphia the mood took a new turn on March 23 when word arrived from Massachusetts that Washington’s troops had forced the British to abandon Boston. Celebrations broke out in the streets. The tone of the debate in Congress changed. In April the delegates from South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina received instructions permitting a vote for independence.
The momentum of events gathered from this point. In early May Congress passed a resolution that individual colonies assume all powers of government. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee from Virginia rose before Congress to move “That these United Colonies are, and of a right ought to be, free and independent states.” Lee’s motion was taken up on July 1, and the issue addressed that Adams called “the greatest question ever debated in America and as great as ever was debated among men.” On July 4 Congress formally ratified the Declaration of Independence, and each of the fifty-six delegates individually signed the document.

A New Authority
Thanks to a miracle in Boston, a new nation was created on July 4, 1776. On that day, the founding fathers took one of the greatest steps of faith in history. Cutting the ties of royal authority, representing centuries of law and tradition, they turned intentionally to God. They declared that all men are, “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Samuel Adams rose in the assembly to state that, “We have this day restored the Sovereign, to Whom alone men ought to be obedient.” The United States of America would be under the authority and protection of God and based on God given rights.
In Boston, George Washington did not have a victory celebration. Instead, he called for a church service and thanksgiving. He heard a sermon concluding with the passage: “The Lord is our King; it is he who will save us.” Washington himself firmly believed those words. He knew that God had saved his army at Boston and brought a great victory. He would later state as President that, “Every step, by which (the people of the United States) have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.” He knew better than any other human being the role of God’s hand in winning a war and creating a new nation.

A Fathers' Day Message

2011-06-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

Jerry’s father joined the Army in 1944, a few months after she was born. After basic training he was sent to the war zone in Italy where he served for two years. Jerry had memories of getting together with other service families and playing with the other children. She also remembered her mother’s letters that she always sealed with a freshly applied lipstick kiss. On one occasion Jerry was allowed to wet her own mouth with orange juice and apply an ‘orange juice kiss.’ She had generally pleasant memories of her wartime experience because her mother was so good at sheltering her from the tension and anxiety that she experienced. She did clearly remember the day her father came home.
At last the day arrived when my father was due to come home. Yes, he had survived combat and the attendant challenges of being away from home and family for so long. I was staying with my grandparents while Mom went to the train station to pick him up. When they arrived, I was upstairs in my grandparents’ bath tub. I remember hearing large footsteps bounding up the stairs two at a time, followed by this tall, young man entering the bathroom. To this day I can vividly hear my grandmother saying “This is your daddy.” He grabbed me out of the tub, and we began our bonding process that had been delayed for more than two years.
We know that there were many unhappy endings to family separations during this and every other war. That fact is what makes this heartwarming story of reunion so uplifting. We have a little reminder from history, if we need it, of how precious our families are. We should look at them every day with the eyes of a returning soldier and a long-separated daughter.
(This story is a devotional for August 23rd from Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II.)

A Prayer for D-Day

2011-06-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

During the evening of 6 June 1944, as American, British, and Canadian troops were fighting to establish a beachhead on the coast of Normandy, President Franklin Roosevelt went on the radio to address the nation, saying, “In this poignant hour, I ask you to join me in prayer.” His appeal to God at this pivotal moment in history addressed the concerns of families across the nation for their troops in danger on the beaches of France:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest—until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

These words of a great President from the past are very relevant today for the countless mothers, fathers, wives, and husbands with loved ones serving abroad in harm’s way. Men and women in service today also fight to bring liberty to oppressed people, and yearn constantly for one thing: to return safely to loved ones at home. May God bless and keep safe these worthy descendents of the great heroes of D-Day.
(the complete prayer can be seen on p. 280-281, Battlefields & Blessings, Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II.)

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-24T07:31:00.002-07:00

Several recent events have acutely focused my attention on the upcoming Memorial Day. Two weeks ago I attended a Memorial Dedication at Camp Lejeune, NC for Force Reconnaissance Marines who were killed in action. As the roll call was read, I heard the names of my good friends Jud Spainhour, Brad Collins, and J. J. Carroll. I heard the names of many other great Marines called that I knew personally or by reputation. It was a sobering and thought provoking experience. I can’t help but think of the lives not lived and the families not started. These personal examples are multiplied by the thousands when we consider all the patriots of the past who have given all in service to their country. God bless them and their loved ones, who will forever have voids in their hearts.
The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. ~Isaiah 57:1

Wall Street Journal Article

2011-03-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

On March 4, 2011, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled, “Americans Don’t Want a ‘Truce’ on Social Issues,” by Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. In a very thought-provoking piece, Mr. Land reminded the Republican Party that social-issue voters have been strong supporters of the Party and still look for progress on issues such as abortion and traditional marriage. I found myself agreeing with Mr. Land’s sentiments while disagreeing with his agenda. I don’t know if the following will be published, but I sent a ‘Letter to the Editor’ on March 5.

A ‘Truce’ on Social Issues?

As a politically conservative citizen and voter I find myself agreeing with much in Richard Land’s article (March 4). I am one of those Americans he refers to with “a deep longing . . . for a restoration of a morality that emphasizes personal obligations and responsibilities over rights and privileges.” As a Christian, however, I am also deeply troubled that this call comes from an official within a major denomination of the Christian church. Jesus commissioned his followers to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) Christians are best at accomplishing this mission when they act on the personal and community level to share the Gospel and demonstrate the joy, purpose, and peace that permeate their own lives and churches. They are less effective, and in fact turn many away from Christ, when they are perceived as trying to coerce others in matters of conscience or morality, especially through the pursuit of a national political agenda. Christians today should remember the lessons of our Founding Fathers. As individual citizens, we have an obligation to participate in the political process and work for a better society. As church members and disciples of Christ, however, we are on dangerous ground when we seek power through the political process, no matter how worthy the cause.
LARKIN SPIVEY
Author of God in the Trenches, Miracles of the American Revolution, and Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War IIMyrtle Beach, SC

President's Day

2011-02-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

On President's Day we have an opportunity to remember our greatest founding father, George Washington. His service to America is epitomized in a story that came from the last days of the Revolutionary War when he had to defuze a growing mutiny:

After Washington’s resounding victory at Yorktown in 1781, a period of uncertainty settled over the Continental Army. After six years of war the national treasury and foreign credit were exhausted. The soldiers of the army continued to be undersupplied and underpaid. They received promises of pensions, but it became increasingly apparent that these promises might not be kept. It was also apparent that the soldiers’ power to resolve these problems would disappear once the army itself was disbanded. This situation led to one of the defining moments in the life of George Washington and the United States.
With a ‘mutiny’ brewing within the army, Washington called a meeting of all his field grade officers and representatives from every company of the army. On March 15, 1783, he walked alone into a packed and tension filled room. For the first time in eight years he was not leading his men in a great cause, but was facing them as a potential adversary. In a remarkable speech he identified himself closely with the concerns of every man of the army. He explained the political process and all its delays. He reminded them of what they had accomplished in fighting for a new nation and that they were all now citizens of it themselves.
At one point he brought out a letter, and, after a hesitation, made the poignant remark, “Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country.” Tears flowed freely as the assembled officers voted unanimously to stand with their great leader and to forego a confrontation with civilian political authority. If Washington were a man with other personal ambitions, he could easily have led his army in an entirely different direction. Many implored him to assume the role of dictator or even king. How many times in history have successful generals used situations such as this to install themselves in power? Unlike his contemporary, Napoleon, George Washington possessed a God-given humility that led him to relinquish his power for the good of the nation and future generations.

This story and others about George Washington come from Miracles of the American Revolution.

The King's Speech

2011-01-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Lani and I recently saw The King’s Speech, a movie masterfully portraying England’s King George VI and his struggle to overcome a lifelong speech impediment. The climax of the movie comes with his successful delivery of a radio address early in World War II to fearful subjects around the world needing inspiration from their king. In researching George VI for my book on World War II, I learned only that he was not “an eloquent speaker.” I had no idea of the struggle that he went through to encourage his countrymen during some of the darkest days in history.

Another fact about George VI was not so well concealed. That was his faith in God and his belief that God would see his nation through the crisis of that time. In another radio address at the very darkest period in 1939 he quoted an English poet with an amazing message:

…I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I would to say to you: “I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.’”
May the Almighty Hand guide and uphold us all.

There is a source of ultimate safety in this world, and there is nothing more important that any leader can do for his family, employees, or subjects than to show his or her own faith and reliance on God and his eternal promises.

For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ~Ephesians 5:8

(More about this story can be found in Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II, page 6)

A Poem for the New Year--2011

2010-12-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

A British soldier of the Northhampton Regiment spent much of World War II in prisoner of war camps. During his many trials he was comforted by a short poem written by Mary Gardiner Brainard:

NEW YEAR’S DAY
I see not a step before me
As I tread on another year,
But I’ve left the past in God’s keeping
The future his mercy shall clear,
And what looks dark in the distance
May brighten as I draw near.

The soldier wrote in his diary:

Through the difficult days of captivity this verse was constantly before me, suggesting, as it did, a brighter path in the distance, to which the course of time—with faith—must ultimately lead me. The full beauty of these words came to me at the close of my last hour of freedom.

This poem is appropriate for any day, but is especially perfect for the first day of the year. This is the time to look forward and not back. The past cannot be changed no matter how hard we wish it, and is truly in God’s hands. Neither do we know what lies ahead, and it is just as useless to worry about that. Jesus’ instruction on this point is crystal clear: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34) What we can do is concentrate on our actions in the present and look forward to the future with a joyful hope. Even though we have problems looming ahead, we don’t have to face them alone. Our Savior walks with us and guarantees us the strength to endure and to overcome. There is no darkness that will stand against the light of his presence.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5,7)

(This story is from a daily devotional in Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II)

Christmas at Khe Sanh

2010-12-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

There is no good place to be away from home at Christmas. A hill outside the perimeter of the Marine combat base at Khe Sanh in Vietnam would surely rank high among the worst. On Christmas day, 1967, Sergeant James Oyster stood duty on this far away outpost. Thankfully, it was a quiet day and hot food was brought up to the hilltop by helicopter. The same aircraft took away three friends rotating back to the states, after a sad farewell for those left behind. An airplane flew overhead playing Christmas carols. When the Marines heard “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” several half-joked that they should shoot the plane down. Sergeant Oyster noted his thoughts about all this in his diary:

We’ve been outside all day just kind of messing around and we had a spotter plane fly over playing Christmas carols. Sitting there listening to that was kind of sad: kind of melancholy I think. You know that back home the family is opening the Christmas presents and I hope they are thinking of me. But it is just not the same. This is not the first Christmas I have spent away from home. This is the first Christmas that I was in a position I couldn’t at least get on the phone and call them. But I’m sure they are thinking of me. I hope that they are praying for me, too.

I spent a Christmas day in Vietnam at the Phu Bai combat base with a lot more amenities than those enjoyed by Sgt. Oyster. On Christmas days now, I am surrounded by friends and family with all the comforts of home. For all of us in safe and secure places, it is a time to remember those who are not so blessed. At this moment there are men and women on alert at lonely outposts far from home. Some are in danger. All are lonely. All are missing their families and loved ones. They deserve our thoughts and prayers.

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” ~Luke 2:10-14

(This story is a daily devotional from the soon-to-be published Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War.)

A Christmas Story from Vietnam

2010-12-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

Silent Night (2)

Just before sunrise a torrential rain soaked the Marines and half-filled their foxholes with water. During the day temperatures soared above one hundred degrees, subjecting the men to a tropical steam bath and unremitting heat. As the sun set that evening, Navy corpsman Bob Dirr thought to himself that this was a heck of a way to spend Christmas Eve. He was on watch, leaning against the back of a muddy foxhole, trying to keep his feet out of the water. Arrayed around him were his medical bag, M-16, and three hundred rounds of ammo.
As he gazed at the North Star, he thought of another star long ago and of other Christmases from his past. His heart ached with loneliness as he thought of home and loved ones, and contemplated the desolation around him—no presents, no decorations—only doubts, if he would see another Christmas at home.
As he stared idly into the darkness, a green flare streaked across the sky, fired from a distant fire support base. Quickly, another flare went up, and then another. As he watched, the sky above the horizon was crisscrossed with red, blue, yellow, and green flares. Dirr glanced at the luminous dial on his watch. It was one minute after midnight—it was Christmas. Faintly at first, he heard singing in the distance. It grew louder as men along the line picked up the familiar melody. Soon, the hills resounded to the quiet but firm voices of hundreds of men. As tears ran down his face, the young corpsman joined the chorus:

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. ~Luke 2:8-9

(This story is from soon-to-be published Battlefields & Blessings, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War)

A Christmas Story from World War II

2010-12-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

Silent Night
On December 24, 1942 the 7th Marine Regiment was relieved from the front line on Guadalcanal after 96 consecutive days of combat. Edward Andrusko and his battle-weary comrades marched to the relative safety of the beach area to wait for embarkation. That night he and many other Marines attended a memorable Christmas Eve service in a coconut grove beside Henderson Field. The makeshift altar was covered by a tent, and coconut logs served as pews. Bomb shelters were close at hand. Andrusko observed, “It was a beautiful service with candles, caroling, prayer for peace on Earth, and memorials to our dead and wounded.” Suddenly, however, the air raid warning sounded. The chaplain, a seasoned combat veteran himself, calmly asserted that he was going to continue with the service, but pointed to the air raid shelters for all who wanted to seek a safer place. Most of the Marines stayed in dark outdoor church, illuminated by a single candle. An amazing scene unfolded, as recounted by Andrusko:

Soon we heard the drone of enemy planes and the whistling of their bombs and explosions approaching closer and closer.
Instantly the dark night was brightly illuminated by our large searchlights . . . nearby batteries of our anti-aircraft cannons blasted away…The guns fired loudly and rapidly, and their high overhead explosion bursts would light up the sky…Our bright red tracers added to the awesome fireworks display. More bombs fell, but soon passed us by.
We sang “Silent Night, Holy Night. All is calm. All is bright,” as the enemy planes passed slowly overhead. After a while their bombs fell further and further away from us. Our prayers and carol singing must have been heard through the din of battle, and answered, for soon the all clear was sounded. No one was hurt at our church service. That was our first and last Christmas Eve midnight mass on Guadalcanal Island.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” ~Luke 2:9-11

(This story is a daily devotional from Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II, Page 428)

Anniversary

2010-12-10T06:06:00.000-08:00

Lani and I just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Kiawah, where we had a few days together to reflect on the countless blessings of marriage and family. To commemorate the occasion we pledged to write lists of forty reasons why each of us loves the other. The idea was a little intimidating when we first discussed it, but I quickly found the task easy and fun. I finally had to edit down to keep my list at forty. It was an occasion to reflect back on our early days together, remembering that she had a Mustang when we met, that she told a Marine general that she would take care of ‘happy hour’ for her Marine, and how she waved her Redskin pennant in the midst of hostile Rams fans in the LA Colisieum. I remembered how she took charge and kept going during long separations. I recalled her heroic commitment to natural childbirth, motherhood, Outward Bound, mission trips to Egypt and Rwanda, and so much more.

In recalling these past events in our marriage, I couldn’t help remembering some of our fights and disagreements, although these have blessedly faded into the past. Our arguments seem to get ever shorter and shorter. At every stage of our marriage, we have tried to stay focused on our home, our children, and all the positive attributes that we love in each other. We have seen other couples focus on the things that irritate them and watched these irritants grow under constant scrutiny. In their wedding ceremonies, many couples include the oft-quoted scripture on love from First Corinthians. On our 40th anniversary we would like to take the opportunity to suggest that every couple make this passage a daily focus in building a stronger marriage:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs . . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

2010-12-07T13:26:00.001-08:00

DECEMBER 7th PEARL HARBOR DAY

Today is the day we remember Pearl Harbor. It is a day to remember the woeful lack of readiness on the part of political and military leaders who should have known better. Any degree of alertness, coupled with minimal dispersal of ships and aircraft could have saved countless lives and invaluable equipment. Pearl Harbor, the movie, was released in 2001. In a thoughtful review of the movie Ken James compared the state of military forces then to our spiritual condition now:

Being reminded of the true story behind Pearl Harbor I can’t help but think about the spiritual parallels. While the majority of people live their lives in relative peace, thinking everything is just fine, how many of us will be blindsided when death comes? And yes, I’m talking to churchgoers too. What have you done to ensure you are ready when the end comes? There’s a statistic that says death is 100% fatal. Sooner or later it’ll happen. I hope you have put your trust in Jesus Christ. He’s the only way to a bright eternity. Trusting in your own good works will get you nowhere. The USS Arizona and other members of the fleet at Pearl Harbor weren’t ready, and they sadly found that out too late.

Therefore keep watch. Because you do not know the day or the hour. ~ Matthew 25:13

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’ ~ Matthew 25:34

(This story is an excerpt from Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World II, p. 46)

Faith in the Vietnam War

2010-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

My next book (due out in 2011) is about the Vietnam War and is a sequel to Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II. I recently received an e-mail from a reader who asked if it was difficult to write about the Vietnam War from a spiritual perspective. Since this question might interest others I thought I would respond by blog.

First, I have to say that writing a book about Vietnam was difficult personally, since I was involved in that war and have strong feelings about it. I was not a Christian at the time and had my own questions about God’s presence and the random and brutal violence that I experienced. I fully understand this kind of reaction from nonbelievers who experienced combat. On the other hand, I have met many others who went to war as believers. I have been amazed at the wide range of reactions to the Vietnam War by all those who fought it.

The World War II era was definitely a more spiritual era in our history. Our national and military leaders did not hesitate to pray publically, calling themselves and others to prayer during dangerous times and to thanksgiving in the wake of success. In my research into World War II it was not difficult to find personal witnesses, diaries, and correspondence expressing the power of individual faith during this conflict.

America in the 1960’s was of course very different. All institutions in our culture were under attack, including the government, military, business, and traditional religion. Fortunately, all of this counter-culture activity did not extinguish spirituality altogether, as many young men went to Vietnam sustained by their faith and supported by their churches. Many others like myself, however, went as religious skeptics and found the trauma of war fully supportive of their antipathy toward God. Even many believers had experiences that called their faith into question. It would be difficult to summarize the many ways veterans went on to cope with these issues, but I will cite one person’s journey which was not unusual:

Phil Downer saw his best friend killed in Vietnam and for forty years lived with the anguish and guilt of surviving when his friend did not. He often blamed God for the downward spiral of his life. Recently, at a businessman’s meeting, he unexpectedly heard someone patiently explain the Gospel and how Jesus Christ had suffered for the sake of mankind. Somehow, in that moment, he recognized that Jesus “took my bullets for me,’ just as his friend had done in combat so long ago. In that moment he accepted Jesus as his savior and went forward in faith and a totally new life. There are countless other stories of veterans suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress who finally found freedom from their scars in the person of Jesus. In a way, soldiers of the Vietnam era seemed to go through a deeper valley than others before them, but many came through the valley in God’s time to greater heights of spirituality.

I take great encouragement from this and many other stories of faith and courage from the Vietnam War and see a great spiritual lesson in them. God responds to deep and genuine doubt, and he soothes deep and genuine pain. If we will bring our issues to him forthrightly and passionately, he will respond, and, in his own way, bring us to a deeper spiritual level with him. Bill Mahedy, an ex-Army chaplain, explained the classic road to healing for Vietnam veterans who ask, “Where was God in Vietnam?” They are ready to be healed when in their hearts they hear God’s question, “Where were you in Vietnam?”

A World War II Hero

2010-11-16T04:18:00.000-08:00

November 2010

My daughter, Catherine-Alexa, recently sent me a text message to check out an article in the Wall Street Journal about a war hero. I looked and found a story about Louis Zamperini. In Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II I had written three daily devotionals based on this man’s amazing story during and after that war. Zamperini had been a star long distance runner and Olympic athlete when he volunteered for the Army Air Corps in 1941. He became a navigator on a B-24 bomber and was assigned to the Pacific theater where he flew long range missions out of various island bases. He was shot down in May 1943, miraculously survived the crash, and suffered one of the longest lifeboat ordeals on record. In his book Devil at My Heels[1] he chronicled his spiritual journey through this experience and afterward, during his internment in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Although he felt that God had saved him on many occasions during the war, afterward he drifted away from God as his life fell apart due to recurring nightmares, drinking, and business failures. The climax of his story came on a September day in 1949 when his wife took him to a tent meeting in downtown Los Angeles. He went reluctantly to hear an unknown preacher named Billy Graham. In spite of his antipathy, Zamperini found his heart changing by Graham’s patient and persistent presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He described what happened:

I dropped to my knees and for the first time in my life truly humbled myself before the Lord. I asked Him to forgive me for not having kept the promises I’d made during the war, and for my sinful life. I made no excuses. I did not rationalize, I did not blame. He had said, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” so I took Him at His word, begged for His pardon, and asked Jesus to come into my life.

[1] Zamperini, Louis with David Rensin. Devil at My Heels: A World War II Hero’s Saga of Torment, Survival, and Forgiveness. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003.

Thoughts on Skeptics

2010-11-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

October 2010

I recently asked my priest, Rob Sturdy, to look at a manuscript titled A Skeptic’s Guide to God. I completed this work several years ago and have been unsuccessful so far in attracting a publisher. I have had to consider the possibility that there might be something about my efforts lacking theologically and perhaps not altogether pleasing to God. In the course of our conversation Rob gave me a book by Timothy Keller titled The Reason for God[1] that he thought might be useful to me in this project. I read the book and did find it extremely insightful. Keller has been the minister of a Presbyterian mega-church in Manhattan for many years and has a wealth of experience with the type of skeptical person that I am concerned about.

One of Keller’s enlightening discussions centers on the question of doubt. In my own book I make the observation that a skeptic is “a thoughtful person, usually of above average intelligence, who tends to place doubt on a higher moral plane that belief.” Keller offers a startling explanation for this phenomenon by pointing out that, “All doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs.” Sincere doubt about the existence of God necessitates a system of other beliefs about the origin and purpose of the universe and life that is even more difficult to prove than the existence of God. A person’s doubt that there can be only one way to God is based on his or her own concept of ‘fairness’ and the nature of God. These concepts can also not be proven empirically.

Keller concludes that believers and skeptics alike need to take a second look at their doubts. Believers who honestly confront their own doubts will find their faith strengthened through the process. He points out that, “Faith without doubt is like a human body without any antibodies.” If we don’t acknowledge and resolve our doubts, we will be ill prepared for the hard times that will test our faith. On the other hand, skeptics should look more closely at their doubts and examine the beliefs underlying them. This process might lead them to concede that their own ‘faith’ in these beliefs may be as difficult to logically prove as the believer’s beliefs. Both groups would benefit from this process and be better able to talk to each other with less suspicion.

I agree with Keller on this last point, but must reassert my underlying interest in this discussion. When I put some of my doubts on hold and went from skepticism to Christ, my life took a radical and positive turn. I hope to show other skeptics how such a step of faith can be possible in their lives. A new look at the nature of doubt and belief seems like an important starting point in this process.

[1] Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Dutton(Penguin Group), 2008.

Naval War College

2010-11-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

September 2010

While in Rhode Island I renewed old acquaintances at the Naval War College and met the new Library Director. Terry Metz has recently come from Wheaton College to replace the retiring Bob Schnare. Although he has no prior Navy experience, Mr. Metz is an information technology expert and has big plans for this great institution. Over the years the War College Library has been one of my foremost resources for military history research, and it is reassuring to see it continuing under strong leadership.

Endowed by Who?

2010-11-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

September 2010

While traveling to Rhode Island for our fall retreat, Lani and I met our daughter, Anastasia, her family, and other friends in Washington, D. C. for Glenn Beck’s August 28 Restoring Honor rally at the Lincoln Memorial. It was an inspiring event, centered on a call for America’s return to God. Although I remain skeptical about some of Glenn Beck’s views, I am convinced he is a patriot with a firm understanding of what has made our nation great. He highlights the importance of God at the founding of America, and puts God at the center of solutions for restoring our nation to economic, political, and moral soundness. At this point in history, I believe this is a voice that we need to hear.

President Obama’s appearance before the Hispanic Caucus on September 15 presented an eerie contrast to the Restoring Honor theme. In a glaring and unexplained misquote of the Declaration of Independence, he said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed with certain inalienable rights, life and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” To every educated American the omission is stark: “Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights” was a carefully crafted phrase written by Thomas Jefferson to make clear the source of authority in the new nation. The Declaration of Independence was an acknowledgement that our rights don’t come from a king, parliament, congress, or political party. Our rights come from God. Since this phrase constitutes the bedrock on which our nation was founded, its omission is astounding. We’ve grown somewhat accustomed to liberal efforts to remove God from our schools, public places, and money. Am I being overly suspicious wondering if there is also to be an effort to remove God from our history? This is not an academic question. If not from God, where do our rights come from? If not from God, why are they inalienable?

New Book to Press

2010-11-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

August 1, 2010

I have just sent the completed manuscript for Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the VIETNAM WAR to AMG Publishers. I have written this book under contract, which has proven to be a mixed blessing. It is extremely gratifying to know that a great publisher has commissioned the work and has a definite plan for its publication and promotion. Advance royalties are a good thing also. However, after approving my proposal for the book, AMG decided that their publishing schedule required the finished product within one year. Creating 365 daily devotionals in so many days has been a daunting challenge. It has been a year full of pressure and prayer. I have daily sought God’s inspiration and support and pray now that this work will be a positive contribution to His kingdom.

Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith & Courage from World War II

2009-06-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

Looking to strengthen your faith? Questioning God's hand in war? Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith & Courage from World War II offers readers testimonies of others' faith under the most extreme circumstances imaginable.