Memorial Day

Veterans of the Battle of Khe Sanh continue to hold reunions to renew old friendships and share their experiences in one of the war’s bitterest fights. They also keep the memory of fallen comrades alive. At a gathering to commemorate the start of the battle on January 31, 1968, one veteran wrote a simple but eloquent message appropriate for all Memorial Days:

Khe Sanh Veterans know there is a place in the world during the month of January, where it’s foggy and cold with towering mountains looking down onto a small, isolated plateau, hallowed by many and surrounded by deep green jungle, where the many souls were of those who did not return. While in other places, it’s relatively warm, the sun is out and shining from a rich blue sky onto the faces of aging men who remember that time so long ago when they were young, and are grateful now, that they no longer have to suffer through the deprivation and hardship they once experienced. Aging men and comrades who remember those who did not return, and on this most appropriate day, honor their memory. 

May God bless all those who did not return home from this war. Memorial Day is a time to remember and to honor them. For many of us, it is a bittersweet memory. Even though we remember fondly all the good times, the loss of friends and fellow Marines was tragic and heart breaking, and these feelings dim little with time. There is also a measure of guilt that somehow we made it back, and they did not. We can only hope that we have made our lives count for something and used the time we’ve been given in a way that honors their sacrifice. For families that lost husbands, fathers, or sons, the tragedy is even more intense. I pray that God will give all of us who remember and mourn on this day an eternal perspective on these events and the faith that these brave men are resting in true peace with him.

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

New Book

My new book is out, and I hope you will read it soon. My purpose is to highlight a growing threat to our nation and what each of us can do to stop it. I must constantly reassert the fact that we are not at war with Islam. There are many peace-loving, loyal American citizens that are Muslim, and we are counting on them to stand with their fellow countrymen of all religious beliefs. However, there are some who are not loyal to America or her ideals that have declared war on us and all of western civilization. These Islamic jihadists seek to remake our nation into their image of an Islamic theocracy through terrorism, subversion, and, ultimately, submission.
So, the first question is: What Do We Stand For? Every American must be able to answer this question, clearly and specifically. We have enemies willing to die for their beliefs. Is there anything this compelling for Americans?

One of the Many Miracles of the American Revolution

As the Fourth of July approaches, I would like to retell a little known story about an amazing event that opened the door for American independence:

On March 4, 1776, General George Washington took a bold and dangerous move to break the eleven month stalemate between his forces and the British garrison in Boston.  During the 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 5^th 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.

 

Fathers Day

The following is a story from Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War, November 6. Happy Father's Day!

 

Chad Daugherty was born March 9, 1968. On May 9, 1968 his father was killed in Vietnam. He not only grew up without his father, he grew up with practically no information about him. His mother, in anguish, threw out all the photos and other reminders of the man she would not see again. She also remarried while Chad was very young, and so his father was rarely mentioned in the household. Nevertheless, he was frequently haunted by fantasies of his father returning. He would think of all the things they would do together, but then realize all the problems this would cause his mother.

            At age seventeen, Daugherty went to the Vietnam Memorial to find his father. After going through the search process, he finally stood before panel fifty-seven, looking at the name he sought. His fingers brushed over the letters. He later wrote a composition, describing himself in the third person and his feelings at that moment:

From his heart rose a feeling he just could not explain. It only seemed to occur at that place while gazing at the name and dark reflections in the wall. The feeling seemed to torture the heart. Contrasting emotions of love and hate; happiness and sorrow; pride and shame were all felt at once. Why did he put himself to this torture, he wondered? There was no reason to come. No one made him come. Yet he came willingly.

            The wall became the place where Chad Daugherty resolved the conflicting emotions of his childhood. He talked to his father. He shared all his accomplishments and dreams for the future. He told him how much he loved him. He left a letter saying, “Dear father, you shall always be remembered. Your loving son.”

            There are probably very few men who do not have conflicting emotions about their fathers. They are fortunate if their fathers are still living, and they still have opportunities to resolve these feelings directly. Many of us unfortunately don’t have that option. We need a wall of our own to go to where we can acknowledge the man who was probably the best father that he was capable of being and the one that our heavenly Father meant us to have. Whatever his faults, he helped make us what we are. Whether talking to the man or to a wall, the best place to start is, “I love you, Dad.”

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ~Exodus 20:12

 

 

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That Flag

On this Flag Day, I am reminded of a story from my book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War:

Al Kraboth attended The Citadel and played basketball with Pat Conroy. While writing his best-selling book, My Losing Season, Conroy interviewed Kraboth and his wife at their home in New Jersey as part of his project to document their 1966-67 basketball season. During the interview, the discussion turned to his friend’s experiences as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. In response to Conroy’s questions, he told an amazing story.

            Kroboth was the navigator of an A-6 Intruder when it was hit by gunfire while bombing somewhere in South Vietnam. He lost consciousness and didn’t even remember ejecting. When he woke up on the ground, he found that he had broken bones in his neck, back, and scapula. He was captured by the Viet Cong and forced to walk at gunpoint through the jungle. In spite of his injuries, he was marched barefoot over the worst imaginable terrain for three months, through rain and mud, mostly at night, to the final destination, Hanoi. He told of harrowing episodes when people along the way tried to kill him and of how close he came to dying due to sickness and starvation.

            The most memorable and moving event of his ordeal came on the day of his repatriation. As the big C-141 landed at the Hanoi airport, he said that he watched without emotion—until he saw the flag painted on the plane’s tail:

The flag. It had the biggest American flag on it I ever saw. To this day, I cry when I think of it. Seeing the flag. I started crying. I couldn’t see the plane, I just saw that flag. All the guys started cheering. But that flag . . . that flag.[i]

 

            We probably don’t understand this kind of emotion for a flag or any other symbol unless we have suffered for it. The symbol of our faith, the cross, represents Jesus’ suffering for us, and takes on a deeper meaning when we suffer in some way for him. It’s unlikely that we will ever face an ordeal like that endured by a POW or by our Savior, but any risk we take or sacrifice we make to share our faith will bring us closer to the place we need to be—the foot of the cross.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ~Romans 8:17

           

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[i] Ibid., 371.

Survivor Guilt

I often think of fellow Marines who didn’t come home from Vietnam. Some were close friends. All were idealistic young men trying to do their duty under difficult conditions. One veteran eloquently verbalized the questions that many of us have as survivors:

Not unlike a lot of other Vietnam veterans in general . . .  do I have Survivor’s Guilt. For me it’s intense . . . Why did I survive? Have I lived an honorable life? Have I minimized my mistakes and corrected those which I could? Have I made the most of the opportunities I’ve been given that others never had: Have I done right by the memories of my fallen comrades? Would they be proud of what I’ve accomplished with the time they never had?  They’re unanswerable questions. We live with them. We don’t whine or complain; well most of us don’t at least, after all, with but a few exceptions, we’re Marines! We just go about life and do the best we can.

 

I have asked these questions and have also concluded that there are no definitive answers. We owe a debt we can’t repay to our fallen comrades. We do the best we can, realizing there will always be some element of guilt over the apparent randomness of events that spared us and took them.

 Fortunately, there is a way to resolve this guilt and every other form of anxiety that plagues our hearts. Freedom from past wrongs, real and imagined, has already been won for us by our Savior, Jesus Christ. When we take our guilt and worries to him and ask for forgiveness, he gives us a clean slate. We can be thankful not only for our physical survival on the battlefields of life, but also for a chance to start life anew every day with a clear conscience. We pray that our fallen comrades rest in peace and that somehow each has an opportunity to know and accept what has been accomplished for them and for all of us by our Lord and Savior.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ~1 John 1:8

            Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been

             forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. ~Hebrews 10:17-18

 

(This story is from Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War. It is reprinted in honor of Memorial Day 2016

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Memorial Day

As Memorial Day 2015 approaches I remember and pray for Judd Spainhour, Joe Loughran, Brad Collins, J. J. Carroll, and the men of Kilo 3/3 who didn't come home. The following story comes from my devotional, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War:

Veterans of the Battle of Khe Sanh continue to hold reunions to renew old friendships and share their experiences in one of the war’s bitterest fights. They also keep the memory of fallen comrades alive. At a gathering to commemorate the start of the battle one veteran wrote a simple but eloquent message appropriate for all Memorial Days:

Khe Sanh Veterans know there is a place in the world during the month of January, where it’s foggy and cold with towering mountains looking down onto a small, isolated plateau, hallowed by many and surrounded by deep green jungle, where the many souls were of those who did not return. While in other places, it’s relatively warm, the sun is out and shining from a rich blue sky onto the faces of aging men who remember that time so long ago when they were young, and are grateful now, that they no longer have to suffer through the deprivation and hardship they once experienced. Aging men and comrades who remember those who did not return, and on this most appropriate day, honor their memory.

    May God bless all those who did not return home from this war. Memorial Day is a time to remember and to honor them. For many of us, it is a bittersweet memory. Even though we remember fondly all the good times, the loss of friends and fellow Marines was tragic and heart breaking, and these feelings dim little with time. There is also a measure of guilt that somehow we made it back, and they did not. We can only hope that we have made our lives count for something and used the time we’ve been given in a way that honors their sacrifice. For families that lost husbands, fathers, or sons, the tragedy is even more intense. I pray that God will give all of us who remember and mourn on this day an eternal perspective on these events and the faith that these brave men are resting in true peace with him.

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

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A Christmas Message from the Past

Corvettes were small naval vessels used in convoy escort duty during World War II.  They were smaller than destroyers and had even fewer amenities for the crew.  The quarters were cramped, and the ride was rough, especially in the North Atlantic during the winter months.  Frank Curry spent several years on board the Canadian Navy corvette, HMCS Kamback, operating out of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.  After a rough at-sea period the Kamback returned to port on December 24.  Curry described his first shipboard Christmas and the brief opportunity to relax for a day:

Christmas Day—and what a day.  My first one aboard a ship, but, from the looks of things, not my last.  Up at 0800 (among our rare gifts, and a most welcome change).  We hosed down the decks and cleaned ship.  Decorated our mess decks and tied a small Christmas tree to the masthead—apparently another old, old tradition of the sea.  I got feeling pretty merry on the punch which the Old Man fixed personally in the seaman’s messdeck.  We had a tremendous dinner—all the officers in a very congenial mood for a change—they were almost human. 

In our modern world it is easy to lose appreciation for simple pleasures.  On this Christmas day during wartime, this seaman didn’t receive a lot of extra benefits.  Sleeping late, a special punch, and a good meal were about all there was.  The ship still had to be cleaned in spite of the occasion.  Still, these little amenities were appreciated and made this a special day. 

            It would be well if we could also do less during the Christmas season and enjoy the simple pleasures of our family and the Christmas story.  It has unfortunately become trite to say that we need to ‘put Christ back into Christmas.’  Nevertheless, this is the only way that we will ever simplify this increasingly turbulent time of year.  Our entire purpose should be to focus on the Christ child and the beauty of his story: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son” (John 3:16).

The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:14)

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This story is from Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II, Dec. 24, p. 430.

Knights of Malta Investiture

Knights of the Order of St. John, Knights of Malta

International Headquarters:

700 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

News Release  October 15, 2014:

South Carolinian Knighted

On September 25, 2014, Lt. Col. Larkin Spivey U. S. Marine Corps (Ret.) was invested as a Knight of Malta at the Grand Master’s Palace in Rhodes, Greece. The Palace is one of the Order’s historic headquarters and is now a World Heritage Site. Eight other persons from the United States, Canada, and France were knighted during the historic ceremony, which has been performed in essentially the same manner for almost 1,000 years.

Lt. Col. Spivey was elected to the Order based on his distinguished military career in the United States Marine Corps and his present occupation as a Christian writer and speaker. He has written six books about God’s providential hand in American history and the power of faith among the men and women who have fought America’s wars. His work has been recognized by the Military Writers Society of America and the Stars and Flags Book Awards. His most recent book, A Skeptic’s Guide to God, features a forward by Maj. Gen. John Grinalds, past president of The Citadel.Spivey is a Citadel graduate and former Regimental Commander of the Corps of Cadets. He now resides in Myrtle Beach with his wife of forty three years, Lani, and their extended family.

When asked about this event, Spivey commented, “This is one of the great honors of my life. However, the Knights of Malta are not so much about bestowing honors as they are about strengthening the body of Christ in support of the Order’s worldwide humanitarian activities and its mission of defending the Christian faith.”

Officially titled the Knights Hospitallers of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta, The Ecumentical Order, the organization is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida under the direction of Prince Grand Master Nicholas F. S. Papanicalaou. To learn more about the Knights, visit www.KnightsOSJ.com.

                                                                                           

Hot Off the Press!

A Skeptic's Guide to God has been released and is now available on Amazon.com. Hopefully, it will be in bookstores soon. My website will be updated within a few days to explain more about the book. As you may infer from the title, it was written for other skeptics like myself who think they can figure out the answers to life's most important questions through their own intellectual effort. If you are someone who disdains organized religion and seeks your own truths in your own way, I hope you will give this book a try. It is not expensive! If you are a believer but know someone like I am describing, this book might be a great gift.

The Names

Jan Scruggs was the man who conceived the VietnamVeterans Memorial. Late one night in 1979 he was unable to sleep thinking of friends lost during the Vietnam War. He was suddenly struck by the realization that no one knew the names of these men other than himself. He resolved to build a memorial listing the names of every person that was killed. After years of effort on his part and that of many others, the memorial was finally completed in 1982. Its most distinctive feature has always been the ‘Wall,’ with a complete listing of the names of over 58,000 men and women killed in Vietnam, in chronological order of death.

On April 16,2014 I visited the Wall while on the last Honor Flight from Myrtle Beach. I had time to locate the name of one of my best friends from long ago, Judd Spainhour. His name appears in the center of the photo above. It is a name, along with others, that I will never forget. It is a name that succeeding generations of his family will never forget. We know from Scripture that it is also a name God will remember forever. On this Memorial Day, I pray that our nation will not forget Judd Spainhour and the other gallant men and women who have served our nation—especially, those who never came home.

Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. ~Isaiah 49:1

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ~John 10:3

An American Hero

On April 16, 2014 the last Honor Flight from Myrtle Beach, SC took a group of World War II and Korean War veterans to Washington, DC to tour the war memorials. It was my privilege to escort Jack Reed, pictured here, during this trip. Jack is a long-time friend and respected member of my church, and it was a privilege to spend time with him learning about his wartime experiences. He served during World War II in a small ship called an LCI (for Landing Craft Infantry)in the Pacific theater. This was the smallest naval vessel that plied the oceans and was a rough ride most of the time. By the end of the war Jack's original crew of twenty was down to three. His most memorable campaign was at Leyte Gulf, so we took the picture where this action is commemorated in the World War II Memorial. As usual the Honor Flight team, led by Walter and Angela Kollet, did a superior job of organizing a great trip, and countless people gathered along the way and upon our return to pay homage to these great men and women.

Vietnam Book Wins Award

The Military Writers Society of America has just announced that Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War has been awarded a Gold Medal. Recognition from this great organization is indeed appreciated.

A Great Marine

Col. Bruce Livingston on the right

My last blog post was about a young Marine's experience in the Korean War. A few days ago I was honored to meet with Col. Bruce Livingston, USMC(retired) and to present him a copy of Stories of Faith and Courage from the Korean War Col. Livingston is a true hero of the Old Corps and served in three wars. He now lives in Jamestown, Rhode Island with a view of the Narragansett Bay as shown in the photo above.

Korean War Devotional

Lt. Bruce Livingstgon in Korea

Following is a daily devotional from my recently published book on the Korean War. It is about a Marine lieutenant named Bruce Livingston. My next post will be more about this great Marine.

Hand Guns

Early in the Korean War the Marines learned some hard lessons about nighttime security. During Chinese attacks men were bayonetted in their sleeping bags, and some were even captured as enemy troops dragged them away like bagged game. Word of this soon filtered back to the Officers’ Basic School at Quantico, Virginia, where Lt. Bruce Livingston was undergoing training. A Korean veteran on staff strongly suggested he obtain a handgun to take to Korea, since officers were only issued the M-1 carbine, a lightweight rifle. Livingston was able to heed this advice when his father gave him a German Luger 9mm pistol he had brought home from World War I. Livingston kept this weapon by his side every night, even though he fortunately never had to fire it from inside a sleeping bag.
One of my weapons instructors once discussed the relative merits of rifles and handguns, pointing out a simple truth: “A rifle is obviously a superior weapon in every way . . . unless you’re fighting in a phone booth.” With a pistol’s small size and simple operation, there is a time and place where it has the advantage.
There have been times I felt as if I were in a phone booth with the wrong weapon—during religious discussions with unchurched friends. Even though I knew the truth of the gospel, I still felt I was losing the theological argument. At such times, I have learned to go to a simpler weapon: my own story. When you tell someone what has happened in your life, there is little room for argument. A brief explanation of what you were like before Jesus and what you are like since Jesus can have a profound effect on someone who puts up barriers. Just keep it simple, keep it short, and— make it heartfelt.

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ~1 Corinthians 2:1–2

Korean War Book Released

My book on the Korean War has been released recently by AMG Publishers, timed to coincide with the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire. This book is a devotional in the style of my previous books on World War II and the Vietnam War. I have interspersed individual stories related to the war with a history of Korea and this conflict, to explain to veterans and their families the nature of what was accomplished 60 years ago by their service and sacrifice. I hope all readers will be inspired spiritually by these stories of faith under the extreme conditions of war. The book is available on Amazon and Christian Books, and I have a special offer to Korean War veterans of an autographed copy for $15 sent to my mailing address: PO Box 3744, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578.

Heroes Remembered

Our trip to Washington, DC with forty Korean War veterans was highly successful. The Heroes Remembered event on July 27 at the Korean War Memorial was moving and historic. The thousands of veterans present heard from the President of the United States and representatives of the South Korean government concerning the amazing nature of what these men and women accomplished over sixty years ago. South Korea has developed into one of our closest allies and one of the foremost democratic and prosperous nations on earth. At every point of the trip, our veterans were honored--upon our departure, arrival in Arlington, and upon return to Myrtle Beach. On behalf of the veterans and the staff who participated, thanks to all who contributed prayers, funds, and their own time to support and help this cause.

Faith of Our Fathers

With warmer weather in South Carolina our attention is turning to spring and new life. A story from my soon-to-be-released book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Korean War, seems appropriate for this season of reawakening. It tells of men in miserable circumstances looking up for comfort and renewal:


"The prisoners at Camp No. 5 endured the horrendous North Korean winter, suffering from malnutrition, untreated sickness, and exposure to extreme cold. The coming of spring seemed to bring a ray of hope with the warmth. Sixty men slowly gathered at 6 a.m. on March 25, 1951, to watch the sun rise and to celebrate Easter. The half-starved, foul-smelling group gathered on the steps of an old, partially destroyed church with stark Korean mountains as a backdrop. As they sang a beautiful old hymn, the words seemed to pour out, expressing their deepest feelings:

     Faith of our fathers, living still
     In spite of dungeon, fire and sword,
     O how our hearts beat high with joy
     Whene’er we hear that glorious word!
     Faith of our fathers! Holy faith!
     We will be true to thee till death.

     Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
     Were still in heart and conscience free;
     And blest would be their children’s fate,
     If they, like them should die for thee;
     Faith of our fathers! Holy faith!
     We will be true to thee till death."


Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ~1 Peter 4:12-13
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. ~1 Peter 5:10-11

New Year's Day

During World War II Myron Maycock was a member of the British Northhampton Regiment. He unfortunately spent much of the war in prisoner of war camps. During his many trials he was comforted by a short poem:

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.

He explained what the poem meant to him: "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 this day. 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.” 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 Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II)

This I Know

I attended church today in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and heard the minister mention Karl Barth, the famous Swiss theologian (1886-1968). Barth’s most famous work was his thirteen volume, 8000 page, Church Dogmatics. In 1962 Barth was asked by someone in the U. S. to summarize his theology in a few words. After thinking for a moment, he reportedly said: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This quote is from the old, well-known children’s Christian song by Anna Bartlett Warner. This song goes back to my own childhood and was the subject of a series of the stories for my upcoming book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Korean War, titled: "Crawl Before You Walk"

“Lord, if the mortar didn’t kill me, the shooting didn’t kill me, and the beating didn’t kill me, you must want me out of here. But I can’t walk. How can I get outta here?” As Pvt. Ed Reeves lay helpless on the frozen ground beside the now abandoned and destroyed truck convoy, he continued to pray. Suddenly, God seemed to answer him as a thought came to his mind: “You must crawl before you can walk.”

Painfully lifting himself to his hands and wounded knees, Reeves started crawling over snow-covered fields in the direction he hoped would take him to friendly lines. He passed more Chinese troops who somehow made no effort to stop him. Darkness fell, and he continued his slow, painful journey. He began to sing over and over, “Yes, Jesus loves me!” Finally, he felt the hardness of ice underneath him and knew that he was on the Chosen Reservoir. His hands and feet slipped frequently, causing him to hit the ice painfully. Each time he fell it took a greater effort to straighten his arms and get back to his knees. Exhaustion and the mind-numbing cold were almost overwhelming. Amazingly, the song of his childhood faith kept coming back to him: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Finally, almost a week after being first wounded, Ed Reeves was spotted on the ice by a Marines patrol. He was taken by jeep directly to an airstrip and loaded with other wounded men on a C-47. As the aircraft lifted off the rough runway, Reeves pondered how God never answered his prayers as he expected—but nevertheless: “He answered. Every time I asked God, He answered.”

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. ~Psalm 138:7