My father-in-law, who is mentioned in this devotion, went home to heaven on Friday, May 18th.  He was buried today with full military honors, a recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart, a member of the 101st Airborne who jumped into Normandy on D-Day.

“But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” — the words of the LORD to Moses in Deuteronomy 3:28

On the wall of my father-in-law’s office hangs a small piece of paper framed as an important document, yellowed with age. On this paper are these words:

“Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower

You see, this framed document is an original, not a copy. Jim is one of the few surviving veterans of the 101^st Airborne Division who jumped into Normandy on D-Day. My husband grew up hearing his Dad’s stories of Carentan and St. Mere Eglise. Now our son (active-duty Air Force) carries the memory of a 1987 visit with his “Pappa” and his Dad to the beaches where these three generations scoured that historic countryside for clues to where Jim might have been during his mission now sixty-plus years ago.

The commission from General Eisenhower, which was handed out on paper to Jim and to the forces who took part in Operation Overlord, reminds me of the commission which was given by General George Washington to his troops when out-numbered by British soldiers near Brooklyn in August, 1776. Jane Hampton Cook, author of Battlefields and Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from The Revolutionary War, writes “Even though victory seemed questionable at best, Washington tried to compensate by giving his troops a commissioning:

‘The enemy’s whole reinforcement is now arrived, so that an attack must, and will soon be made. . . . And when called to it (action), remember, that liberty, property, life and honour, are all at stake; that upon (your) courage and conduct rest the hopes of (our) bleeding and insulted country; that (your) wives, children, and parents, expect safety from (you) only; and that we have every reason to believe, that heaven will crown with success so just a cause. . . . The enemy will endeavour to intimidate by show and appearance; but remember, they have been repulsed on various occasions by a few brave Americans; their cause is bad; and if opposed with firmness and coolness on their first onset, with our advantage of works, and knowledge of the ground, the victory is most assuredly ours.’” — George Washington

The definition of a “commission” is: “an authoritative order, charge, or direction.” There are other versions of this definition, but they all include the matter of authority and a mission to be performed.  Notice the commission given in Deuteronomy 3, in the Scripture above, which contains those elements. And as a Christian I know that “The Great Commission,” given by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 is something like “marching orders” for us:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Jesus Christ

The Great Commission of Matthew 28 still applies today—and would remind us that there is work to be done. By the authority of Jesus Christ we are to go and make disciples throughout the world. . . . . see them baptized. . . .and teach them. . . .ever mindful that we are never alone in this endeavor. To God be the Glory!

Work cited:

1. http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/todays-doc/index.html?dod-date=606

2. Cook, Jane Hampton, Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from The Revolutionary War (Chattanooga: Living Ink Books, 2007) p. 196-97.

Questions to Share:

1. How does historical perspective help you in facing the challenges you have in the battles of today?

2. How does the promise of God’s presence strengthen you for the battles of today?

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  — John 11:25,26

My Christmas celebration includes listening to the delivered words of Dr. S. M. Lockridge in his sermon, “That’s My King!”  And a similar joy comes at Easter when I listen to his preaching “It’s Friday. . . but Sunday’s Comin’!”  This year I can share with you the powerful presentation put together with scenes from Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of The Christ.”  The video clip captures joy which Christians are experiencing today because of the truth of the empty tomb on Resurrection Sunday:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

What are you going to do with this truth?  The Apostle Paul wrote:  “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. . .”  I Corinthians 15:3,4

We live in a world of turmoil desperately in need of hope . . . . the hope that can only come through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Can you share that hope with someone today?  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. . . “  I Peter 1:3

Questions to Share:

1. What difference has the understanding of Christ’s resurrection made in your life?

2. Who could you share with about Christ’s atonement for our sin made possible by His death on the cross followed by His resurrection?

“. . . Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

Father Joe O’Callahan, a professor of physics and mathematics at Holy Cross College, was compelled into service during the early stages of World War II, as his missionary sister was at risk during the occupation of the Philippines. That inspiration led to his commissioning as a chaplain in 1940 and eventually his wartime service aboard the USS Franklin. During an attack off the coast of Japan, Chaplain O’Callahan risked his life by organizing damage control parties and care for his sailors. From these actions and injuries, Father Joe inspired others and became the first Navy chaplain to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Chaplain O’Callahan’s official citation for the Medal of Honor reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as chaplain on board the U.S.S. Franklin when that vessel was fiercely attacked by enemy Japanese aircraft during offensive operations near Kobe, Japan, on 19 March 1945. A valiant and forceful leader, calmly braving the perilous barriers of flame and twisted metal to aid his men and his ship, Lt. Cmdr. O’Callahan groped his way through smoke-filled corridors to the open flight deck and into the midst of violently exploding bombs, shells, rockets, and other armament. With the ship rocked by incessant explosions, with debris and fragments raining down and fires raging in ever-increasing fury, he ministered to the wounded and dying, comforting and encouraging men of all faiths; he organized and led firefighting crews into the blazing inferno on the flight deck; he directed the jettisoning of live ammunition and the flooding of the magazine; he manned a hose to cool hot, armed bombs rolling dangerously on the listing deck, continuing his efforts, despite searing, suffocating smoke which forced men to fall back gasping and imperiled others who replaced them. Serving with courage, fortitude, and deep spiritual strength, Lt. Cmdr. O’Callahan inspired the gallant officers and men of the Franklin to fight heroically and with profound faith in the face of almost certain death and to return their stricken ship to port.^[4]

But Chaplain O’Callahan’s impact statement did not stop here. Throughout his life as a professor and a chaplain, he inspired others in a way that is often overlooked. His life directly influenced two other Medal of Honor Recipients, 1^st LT Powers USMC and CAPT Kelly USN, and a Silver Star recipient, 1^st LT Mullany.

What is your impact statement? What inspiration are you sharing?

Let us pray. . .

Lord, We thank you for the inspiration from the mentors and teachers in our lives. As we have been blessed by them and by You, help us to look beyond the bulkheads of our lives.

As we strive to seek You first, may we also find the “hatches, hanger bays and elevators” that place us upon the “flight decks” of our life.

As we strive to serve our fellow man, may we be more than just “A global force for good.” May we be a local motivating force for others. May all those who come behind us find us faithful.

As we strive together, may we become our brothers’ keeper; may we become that iron that sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), and allow others to rest when they are weary.

As we stand our watches and our flight ops become rack ops, may we awake to fight the good fight. Amen.

Work Cited:

Chaplain O’Callahan’s Medal of Honor Citation: http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-m-s.html

Questions to Share:

1. Is there someone you remember who inspired you to bravery?

2. How do you want to be remembered by succeeding generations?

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” — Jeremiah 31:3

“It was the love letters—that’s what really helped.” I was having a conversation with a military wife who had struggled for years through an unhappy marriage—but had seen that marriage turn around, slowly at first, because of changes that only God could have brought about.

One of the steps this couple had taken in their journey to marriage recovery was attending a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember marriage conference several years ago. I wasn’t surprised that one of the projects they completed that weekend—to write each other love letters—had been instrumental in getting them back on the right track.

In ministry to military marriages, my husband and I hear about the value of those love letters a lot. It is one reason why we are glad that taking the time to write your spouse is a project in several of the HomeBuilders small group Bible studies, including Making Your Marriage Deployment Ready. Putting deep feelings down on paper can be a difficult exercise, but the benefits are priceless. To remember (again) what attracted you to your spouse in the beginning, to recount what you appreciate about each other, and to express how you hope to grow in love with God and each other . . . these declarations can take a fractured relationship and begin the process to regain wholeness. Not just writing, but giving, that letter to your spouse is truly the “gift that keeps on giving.”

In our culture of instant messaging, texting, email and cell phones it’s too easy to just share information. Sharing feelings is what keeps a couple connected through the ups and downs of marriage, especially during deployment. Sometimes this takes putting pen to paper—a time-tested tradition in which we can communicate information, share feelings from the heart, and have something tangible which your loved one can read. . . and re-read. . . during the lonely times of separation.

A Marine wife shared a letter exchange with me (and with his permission) that she and her husband had during one of his deployments. She had written and asked him, “What is it like to be loved by me?” Part of his answer included these words: “To know that one is loved at all produces a special type of resilience to whatever obstacles one faces, lifts the spirit, and gives one a sense of self-worth. No matter what happens in this life of mine, I know that I am loved by God, and that knowledge alone helps me through all the negative things that I may encounter whether they are from outside influences, or from within my own self. At the same time, this type of love magnifies the joy that life brings as well, giving love this awesome ability to protect, discipline, and bring happiness to ones self and to others as well.” Wow!

Stonewall Jackson is a wonderful role model for this—among the great letter-writers of all times. He had a beautiful marriage, and shared his thoughts oftentimes in correspondence with his wife. During the Civil War, one of his letters to her read, “When in prayer for you last Sabbath, the tears came to my eyes, and I realized an unusual degree of emotional tenderness. I have not yet fully analyzed my feelings to my satisfaction, so as to arrive at the cause of such emotions; but I am disposed to think that it consisted in the idea of the intimate relation existing between you, as the object of my tender affection, and God, to whom I looked up as my Heavenly Father. I felt that day as if it were a communion day for myself.” Life and Letters of General Jackson, p. 67.

We have two old trunks at our house filled with memorabilia. One includes letters from World War II, from my parents to each other as my father was serving in the Army Air Corps while my mother was waiting with little children at Romulus Air Field in Michigan and Hondo Air Field in Texas. The other trunk contains letters from the Vietnam War. . . from my husband and I to each other during our time apart. And it is not unusual for me to come across others who share that they have “discovered” a shoe box in their grandparents attic—filled with letters from past wars. I have to admit that when I read old family letters, I do not feel like I am “invading” personal lives. . . but rather standing on hallowed ground. I feel that I am a part of what took place years past and is now a part of our family legacy—the deep expression of loving feelings which have weathered the test of time.

So whether you struggle to find the right words—and choose instead to purchase an appropriate card. . . or write down the simple truth “I love you” on a slip of paper before putting it into an envelope. . . these words are gifts to your spouse, the impact of which may be beyond what you can now imagine.

And let us never forget that the greatest “love letter” to you and to me. . . is the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation and in every book in-between we see and read of God’s great love for us:

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” — 1 Chronicles 16:34

“But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and abounding in love.” — Nehemiah 9:17

“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ Your love, O LORD, supported me.” — Psalm 94:18

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:21-23

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship (or deployment) or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:35, 37-39

Amen and Amen. . . . What a Love Letter!

Work cited:

Tuley, Terry, Battlefield & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from The Civil War (Chattanooga: Living Ink Books, 2006), p. 186.

Questions to Share:

1. Have you ever hand-written a love letter to your spouse? If you did take that opportunity, what would you want to express?

2. Do you know that you are loved? Make a list of the ways in which you know you are loved by others and by God.

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. — 1 John 5:4, 5

No doubt you associate March 17^th each year as St. Patrick’s Day, as I do. For as long as I can remember, the date set aside to celebrate St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, has been a day dedicated to the wearing of green, to decorating with leprechauns and shamrocks, and to holding parades in locations where many Irish have settled.

But little did I know that March 17^th is also a holiday because of a military victory. We’ll get back to St. Patrick—because that’s a very important story—but so is Evacuation Day. If I’ve done my homework right, Evacuation Day was the day in the Boston area when British General Sir William Howe led his troops onto their ships and left the city for Nova Scotia. The Continental Army, under the new command of General George Washington, strategically occupied Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston Harbor. Fortifications were built with artillery equipment captured at Fort Ticonderoga, and the British realized that their position within Boston was indefensible. Fearing a defeat similar to Bunker Hill, General Howe decided to evacuate, ending an 11 month siege of the city. Boston was never attacked again by the British, and this can be considered Washington’s first victory of the Revolutionary War. The password for the day in General Washington’s Continental Army encampment was “Saint Patrick,” and March 17^th was declared an official holiday for Suffolk County, Massachusetts in the early 1900s.

With the story of St. Patrick we find another victory, but of a different sort. His is the story of victory over bitterness, victory over the lies of a pagan culture, and, as Thomas Cahill in How the Irish Saved Civilization would even say, the victory over illiteracy and ignorance which would preserve writings so important to us today, including the Bible.

Patrick was a young man of sixteen years when kidnapped from his home in England around 400 A.D. and taken to Ireland. There he was sold to a chieftain who forced Patrick to tend his sheep. It was during this captivity that Patrick remembered his Christian upbringing, which he had formerly rejected. As he wrote in his Confessions, “I would pray constantly during the daylight hours” and “the love of God . . . surrounded me more and more.” His understanding and love for God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit grew during these lonely years of survival in the cold, rain, and snow. His writings do not show bitterness, however, because he used his time to grow in new love and faith. After six years as a slave-shepherd Patrick escaped and returned to his home in England, a changed man.

Feeling called to return to Ireland and proclaim the Gospel to the pagan and barbaric culture which he had left, Patrick began to study and prepare. Eventually he was ordained as a priest, and then a bishop. When he did return, he brought new hope to the land where he had been held captive, all because of his bold and faithful proclamation of Jesus Christ as Savior of the world. He even used the shamrock to explain the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He served in Ireland for 29 years, baptizing thousands and planting hundreds of churches. Besides individual lives redeemed, their new Christian faith gave the Irish people a revived love of learning—which then fostered literacy. The Irish monks were instrumental in copying books, including the Bible, which were in danger of being looted and destroyed during the final days of the Roman Empire as it crumbled.

This is a quick summary, no doubt, and there is much to appreciate in the legacy of St. Patrick. Although accounts of his biography differ in details, there seems to be little disagreement as to his passion to evangelize the people of Ireland because of his love for them and his love for our Lord. I am particularly inspired by his deep prayer life, and am touched by this writing called “The Breastplate,” attributed to St. Patrick:

“Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.”

March 17^th is a day to celebrate victory, whether Evacuation Day or St. Patrick’s Day. The ultimate victory is through Jesus Christ, and as Christians we celebrate His life in us every day of the year. Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-58)

Resources:

Apostle to the Irish: The Real Saint Patrick by Charles Colson
Patricius: The True Story of St. Patrick by David Kithcart
Who Was the Real St. Patrick? by Deacon Keith A. Fournier
Saint Patrick from Wikipedia
Evacuation Day from Wikipedia
Service of the Scribes: How the Irish Saved Civilization, March 16, 1998 of Prison Fellowship

Questions to Share:

1. Why do you believe Patrick did not become a slave to “victim-hood” and refuse God’s call to return to Ireland as a missionary?

2. What lessons can you learn from St. Patrick regarding personal victory over unfair treatment?

If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  – I Peter 4:11

You will see Vietnam Vets still serving in so many ways:

You will see them as senators, congressmen, and elected officials—trying to make the nation greater.

You will see them as CEOs and retired senior officers—trying to continue to lead well.

You will see them escorting older WWII vets to the Washington memorial on Honor Flights—trying to honor those who served before them.

You will see them at the airports welcoming troops home from combat—trying to demonstrate extreme gratitude.

You will see them riding motorcycles in the Patriot Guard—trying to protect those grieving families during their most tender and vulnerable moments.

You will see them building houses for our wounded warriors—trying to make a difference in lives of those whose lives will never be the same.

You will see them sharing their stories in public settings—trying to remind our country of the demands placed on our nations’ sons and daughters.

You will see them volunteering at the V.A.—trying to spend time with those whose days are brightened with their presence.

You will see them holding private conversations with men and women in uniform—trying to encourage them in a way only a veteran understands.

Being the wife of a Vietnam Vet, I served during those years, on the home front. I served proudly, alongside the best, including many POW wives. Many of us volunteer now with today’s military spouses—trying to help with our own brand of training while observing, often up close and personal, a much more difficult war with its multiple deployments and unseen enemy.

I have heard it said that Vietnam vets serve so well now because they were so ill-treated back then—and they don’t want our current forces to experience that. Perhaps that’s some of it, but I don’t think that’s all of it—by any means.

I think they serve well because it’s the right thing to do.

Which brings me to this last thought . . . You will see Vietnam vets quietly serving in ministry—trying to share their faith as the real answer to life’s problems and war’s woundings. The Apostle Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 is a reminder that there is purpose in our life experiences and trials—as a help and comfort to those who will have similar experiences and need the hand of God in their healing process:  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I was recently reminded of this truth from our Vietnam story in the latest from a series of favorite devotional books, Battlefields and Blessings, entitled Stories of Faith and Courage from The Vietnam War, by Vietnam Vet and author Larkin Spivey. These compilations of daily devotions has had other offerings—from reflections on the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, to World War II, to Iraq and Afghanistan . . . now the Vietnam War and soon to be published Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front.

Spivey includes an entry about John Blehm, now a staff missionary with Military Ministry.  John ministers to those with PTSD from his years of experience with this challenge and from his genuine faith which he and his wife share so openly.

Spivey introduces Blehm’s words with these: “After years of broken marriages, mood swings, medication, and counseling, John Blehm began to turn back to the one Source of help he had avoided most of his life. He found a church and a Bible and began seeking a better understanding of God . . . ‘I have learned that the more time I spend with God learning His Word and ways, the better life goes for me . . . Don’t give up; don’t think your life is over because of what you’ve experienced . . . If you’ll go to God and ask for peace and restoration he will give it to you and you will know when it happens because you will feel like the whole world has just been lifted off your shoulders. Ask God what he has for you to do and you will be surprised at the doors that will open to help you do God’s will and perhaps what you have been through and survived will be your tool to help others before something bad happens to them.” (p. 209)

Obviously there are many in our dear nation who serve sacrificially, including First Responders. But veterans are in a unique position to help our current generation of military members in creative ways which God can use.  When we read of those whose heart is to demonstrate God’s grace, love, and redemptive power . . . we can only stand back in awe and acknowledge His presence in our lives. We can together say “thank you” to those whom Mr. Spivey wrote about . . . and the many thousands of others from the Vietnam era who have continued their service to our country and our Lord.

Work Cited:

Spivey, Larkin, Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2011).

Questions to Share:

1. Do you know a Vietnam vet who has continued to help others because of his or her war experience?

2. What could you share with others from your deployment experience that would be helpful in their lives?

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. — 1 Timothy 2:2

Growing up in Minnesota in the 1950s, February always meant two days off from school because of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12^th and the celebration of George Washington’s birthday on February 22^nd.  But sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s dates shifted—and what I had experienced as two “for-sure” days off became one “iffy” day off on a Monday—to celebrate “Presidents’ Day.”

Back then I guessed that the purpose was to create a three-day weekend, which we enjoy, and to merge two celebrations of presidential birthdays into one grand holiday (especially for retailers to use in marketing). I have only recently found that there is much confusion over the origin of this “federal holiday” and that it is actually more closely linked to Washington’s birthday than Lincoln’s. Just reading about the history of this day left me confused, and our states seem to be equally confused. So whether it is Presidents’ Day, or President’s Day, or Presidents Day . . . . and whether or not schools in your area will be out that day . . . . and whether or not it is a holiday for you . . . . the fact remains that Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were two of our greatest presidents!

Perhaps you like to read biographies as I do. Years ago, when Elisabeth Elliott’s radio program “Gateway to Joy” was still on the air, I remember her encouraging mothers to make sure that their children read biographies of missionaries! Her own study of Amy Carmichael led her to write such a biography, and I have often reflected on her emphasis of this opportunity to draw on lessons learned from the lives of saints. John Piper is another great teacher who challenges us to look into the lives of those in the past and states in his sermon, “Brothers, Read Christian Biography”: “Biographies have served as much as any other human force in my life to overcome the inertia of mediocrity.” (DesiringGod.org)

So, because I enjoy reading biographies, on this Presidents’ Day it should not surprise you that I would want to look a bit at Abraham Lincoln and George Washington—and especially at the role of their marriages in their presidencies. They stand at sharp contrast to one another in terms of the personalities of their wives and the harmony in their households.

Gary Thomas has chosen to write about Lincoln’s marriage in the chapter “Sacred Struggle” from his great book, Sacred Marriage. This should be a hint that domestic tranquility was not the norm in the Lincoln household, for many reasons. But Thomas sees a divine purpose amidst this struggle, and writes, “The connection one can make between Lincoln’s marriage and his mission is not difficult. It is easy to see how a man who might quit on a difficult marriage would not have the character to hold together a crumbling nation. Lincoln was virtually obsessed with saving the Union; what better training ground than the difficult marriage that required such tenacity from him? It’s important to see that not only did Lincoln’s difficult marriage not deter him from achieving greatness, one might argue that it actually helped prepare him for greatness. Lincoln’s character was tested and refined on a daily basis so that when the true test came, he was able to stand strong. Had Lincoln been obsessed with happiness, he wouldn’t have mustered the strength to put up with Mary or to hold the nation together. He sensed a call to destiny, something that would in his mind supersede personal comfort, and his obedience to that destiny made world history.” (Sacred Marriage, p. 136-37).

In contrast, George Washington found in Martha an affable and complementary mate, one in whom he could write on June 23, 1775, “I retain an unalterable affection for you, which neither time or distance can change.” (MountVernon.org) The feeling was mutual, and one of his generals once described Martha as, “a modest and respectable person, who loves her husband madly.” (Battlefields & Blessings, p. 140) Martha burned most of the letters which she and George wrote to each other, so there is little to study about their close relationship. But her willingness to share in the demands of his life both during the Revolutionary War and during the responsibilities of his political office speak to her devotion to her husband, to their marriage, and to the national cause.

So what does any of this have to say to us during deployments? I might be stretching things a bit, but I see two connections that we can make by pausing to look at these presidents and their marriages. One is that some things just don’t change—countries at war call on the best from leaders. Washington and Lincoln gave us their all during pivotal times in our nation’s history. What their marriages allowed them to learn or enjoy was providentially used by God to prepare them for the necessary tasks at hand. If you have visited Washington, D.C. you have seen monuments to these two amazing presidents with their words etched in stone . . . . words which were lived out in the founding and growth of this great nation—not without cost.

But secondly, in terms of practical application, how do you view your present leadership—perhaps in your unit, your post, your squadron, your ship? Do you pray for these leaders—for their marriages? Can you understand that their personal lives will perhaps affect their ability to lead during stressful times in this war? And taking it to a broader perspective, what about the leadership in your church, or in our nation? How can you encourage your pastor or chaplain to keep a good balance between the demands of the church or chapel and the priorities of the home? Reading the challenge given by Paul to young Timothy, we are reminded of the priority of his instruction: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1Timothy 2:2) Notice the link between our prayers for leadership and the effect on our lives. And if you know the context of this writing, you know that Paul wrote during a time of great suffering and persecution.

I have heard it said that it’s very difficult to complain about someone for whom you are praying. Pray for your leaders . . . . whether they be military leaders, corporate leaders, church leaders, or political leaders. They are in authority because God has placed them there. Washington and Lincoln were men of integrity, raised up by God to serve us in our time of need. They were real men, with real lives and real struggles. And so it is today, and so we must pray. Some things just don’t change . . . . and so we must pray.

Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses. — Proverbs 21:1 The Message

Questions to Share:

1. What are two challenges which Washington and Lincoln both faced during their presidencies?

2. How can you pray with your spouse for leaders today?

Work cited:

Cook, Jane Hampton, Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from The Revolutionary War (Chattanooga: Living Ink Books, 2007)

Thomas, Gary, Sacred Marriage (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000).

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. . . . Love never fails.” — 1 Corinthians 13:7,8

Editor’s Note:  This devotional was originally posted on February 14, 2008.

Because we are approaching Valentine’s Day, which has its challenges and opportunities during deployment, I want to share with you a tender (yet powerful) story of a young Christian couple who kept their marriage strong and vibrant during World War II. Married for two days, they were separated by active duty for three and a half years (he on the front lines in Germany and she serving in the Pacific, in Papua New Guinea). When I met them in 1990, they had been married for almost fifty years. They went on, from that point, to live and love together another 10 years before he passed away. Recently I sat down with Louise, now living with her daughter and son-in-law, and recorded her story.

Louise and Eugene met while attending classes at Gardner-Webb College in North Carolina in 1940. . . . and Louise is quick to say that what attracted her to Eugene was that he was a good Christian and he always treated her like a lady.

But after two years of dating he was drafted, and it wasn’t long before he found out that he was going to be assigned overseas. Unbeknownst to Eugene, Louise had also decided to join the Army through the prompting of her brother. When Eugene found out that Louise had enlisted, he said that he thought it was a good idea. “I’ll know where you are and you’ll know where I am,” he said. Then over the phone from Delaware he asked if he could come down to where she was training at Ft. Stewart and “get married before I leave.” She said yes, as did her father and her commanding officer. They were married, both in uniform, in Savannah, Georgia, in January of 1942. Two days later he left for training to prepare for Germany. They did not see one another until the war ended in 1945.

Intrigued by her courageous story, I had to ask several key questions that evening:

Knowing that your husband was in combat every day, how would you pray for him?
Louise answered, “I would just turn him over to the Lord. I told Him that I couldn’t do anything but He could do it all.”

She added a story of witnessing to her bunk-mate, “Well, I had my Bible with me, and my bunk-mate from New York. . . she asked me one night ‘Louise, what are you reading?’ And I said, ‘My Bible.’ Then she said, ‘Why are you reading?’ And I said, ‘Because I like to and I get my strength from the Lord’. . . . . . . .I had to explain everything from beginning to end how I became a Christian. She said, ‘Louise can I see your Bible? I want to read it.’” Louise told her that the next time they would go to the PX she would see if they had a small pocket Bible. “So I bought her one. And when I would read, she would read.”

How would you and Eugene communicate with each other?
“He would write when he could, and I would write every night.” Louise told me that during one spell, she didn’t hear from Eugene for two months — and she had to go to her commanding officer to begin an investigation to try and find out what had happened. Turns out he, and others, were being hidden by a Belgium family after they were separated from their unit during the fighting in Bastogne. Louise heard from him again when he returned to his unit. Eugene and she stayed in touch with that brave family even after the war.

Did he ever talk about the war after he got home?
“A little bit, but not too much. He wouldn’t. . . He was mum on a lot of stuff. Whether he wanted to forget. . . .I don’t know. . . .So I just let him talk when he wanted to. . . . In the summer time, if it came a thunder cloud, I would have to put him in a car and go to ride. He thought it was guns shooting. It took him a good while to get over that, but he did.”

When you would write a letter to him in Germany, when would he get it?
“Sometimes it would be a couple of months. . .sometimes the mail would be slow because it would go over on a ship.”

Did you ever get lonely?
“Oh, more times than I had fingers and toes.”

How did you get through that?
“Prayer. Reading the Bible. I’d pray and I’d read, and I’d pray and I’d read. I’d get through. And he had his Bible. . . . .he would write about how he would ask the Lord to guide him. One time he asked me where I was reading in the Bible and when I answered him I told him. And he wrote back that he was reading up with me.”

So you kinda’ read through the Bible together?
“Yes. He read mostly in the New Testament and he would tell me where he was reading and that way we could keep up with each other.”

Did you ever think, “This is too hard. I don’t know if I can make it?”
“No. I was totally committed. . . .to my job, to my commanding officer, and to my husband. And I knew he was like me. I never doubted him.”

What would you have to say to these service members and their spouses today?
“If they’ll trust in the Lord. . . .if they’ll put Him first. . . they’ve got to put Him first before themselves and trust Him and He will take care of them. But they’ve got to believe. Commitment is the main thing. Be committed to your husbands. . . and husbands, be committed to your wives. It’s a two-way street.”

Louise was not in New Guinea during that entire time of their wartime separation, as she was called home in 1944 because her father was dying. The Red Cross helped get her back home to be with him before he died. Arriving back in the States, she was discharged at Ft. Bragg. She hurried home to her father’s bedside. At that point, however, he was in a coma—and she is not sure if he ever knew she was there. After that she stayed with her mother and alternated with visits to her in-laws until Eugene came home a year and a half later. She describes his homecoming, “My mother-in-law was sweeping the back porch. And we heard an awful commotion with her hollering (we thought she had fallen), so we ran out to see what was wrong. . . . .and there stood my husband!”

Married two days, and separated by war for three and a half years with letters as their only means of communication. Perhaps you know a couple like this. Perhaps your grand-parents lived this. Perhaps you have a story similar, as the cycle of deployments has become so stressful throughout the years.

Where do you turn?  Try turning, like Louise, to prayer and your Bible.
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Questions to share:

1. Do stories like this give you greater confidence in your marriage? How?

2. Can you use your circumstances to witness to someone close by — like Louise did with her bunk-mate?

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.—Romans 12:11,12

She was a lay leader in her unit—deployed for seven months. Before she left we spent time together talking about her hopes for spiritual growth in herself, and her unit, during this time away from home.

So when she returned it was a joy to link up and hear about what she had observed and experienced from her time away—visiting foreign ports, leading the chapel praise team, praying and reading devotions for those who gathered for fellowship and study. But I caught some doubt and discouragement in her voice.

“I’m just not sure if I made any impact at all,” she said. She hadn’t seen any spiritual revival in her unit—and she just didn’t know if the spiritual leadership which she and the other lay leaders offered was of any value to those seeking study and worship.

It’s at times like this that we can encourage one another—because it is the Lord who uses our obedience and faithfulness to do what only He can do. It was easy on my part to thank her (and the other lay leaders) for their faithfulness to serve in this capacity, and to assure her that God would use her service for His glory.

She did admit that others had noticed her joy. In spite of the many tragedies in her young life, others knew her struggles and could see how the Lord was leading her into tremendous recovery and courage. They voiced admiration for her vibrant spirit. When questioned, she could boldly reply, “My joy is from the Lord.” “Maybe that helped someone,” she told me. Indeed it did—no doubt in my mind.

So then I shared with her a story which I heard and read recently. I think we all need to “hear” a story like this from time-to-time . . . because it’s true, and it is how God works:

“His name was David Flood. In 1921, he and his young wife, Svea, left Sweden for the heart of Africa. They were soon joined by another young missionary couple and, together, they decided on a remote village. When they arrived, however, the chief rejected them and would not let them enter his village for fear of displeasing the local gods. The two couples had no choice but to go up a hillside and, on a slope of land, build their own mud huts. They prayed for a spiritual breakthrough, but none came. Their only contact was a young boy, who was allowed to sell chickens and eggs to them twice a week. Svea Flood decided that, if this was the only African villager she could talk to, she would try to lead the boy to Christ. Soon, he did indeed accept the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ’s death alone on the cross. Beyond that, there was no other encouragement.

In the meantime, malaria began to hunt them down. Soon the other couple decided they had had enough and left for another location nearby. David and Svea Flood were alone. In the midst of these trying times, Svea found herself pregnant and, when the time came, the village chief softened just enough to allow a midwife to help her. A little girl, Aina, was born. It was too much for Svea, however, as she was exhausted and weak from malaria. She lived only another seventeen days and died.

Something inside David Flood snapped. He dug a crude grave, buried his twenty-seven year old wife, and took his daughter down the mountain to the mission station. He handed her to the missionaries and snarled, “I’m going back to Sweden. I’ve lost my wife and I obviously can’t take care of a baby. God is not good; He is not faithful; He has, in fact, ruined my life.”

With that, he turned his back on his calling, and on God Himself.

Within eight months, the adoptive parents of Aina died of malaria. She was given to another missionary couple, who brought her to the United States and raised her. Aina, now known as Aggie, grew up in South Dakota. She attended North 7 Central Bible College, in Minneapolis, and married a man, named Dewey Hurst, who entered the ministry.

Years went by. Aggie knew nothing of her past, apart from her parents names, her own birth in Africa, and the death of her mother. She had never seen her father. She enjoyed, with her husband and family, a fruitful ministry. Dewey had become the president of a Bible college in Seattle, Washington.

Then, one day, a Swedish religious magazine appeared in her mailbox. She had no idea who had sent it, and, of course, she could not read the words. But, as she turned the pages, all of a sudden, a photo stopped her cold. There, in a jungle setting, was a grave with a white cross, and on the cross were the words, Svea Flood.

She rushed to the office of a college faculty member who could translate the magazine article. He summarized, “It was about missionaries who had come long ago . . . the birth of a baby . . . the death of the young mother . . . the one little African boy who had been led to Christ . . . how, after the missionaries had left, the boy had grown up and persuaded the chief to let him build a school . . . he won all his students to Christ . . . the children led their parents to Christ . . . the chief, himself, became a Christian . . . today there were six hundred believers in that one village.”

All because of the sacrifice of David and Svea Flood.

For their twenty fifth wedding anniversary, the Bible college gave the Hursts a vacation in Sweden, where, among other things, Aggie could search for her father. It was not difficult to find his family. David Flood had remarried and had four children, but, in bitterness, had slowly wasted away and had only recently suffered a stroke.

After an emotional reunion with her half brothers and sister, Aggie brought up the subject of seeing her father. They replied, “You can talk to him, even though he’s very ill, but you need to know that he’s had one rule in his family, ‘Never mention the name of God, because God is not good, He took everything away from me’.”

Aggie was undeterred. She went in to his room and approached him. He was now seventy-three years old. He turned toward her and, immediately, began to cry, “Aina,” he called her, “Aina, I didn’t mean to give you away.”

“It’s all right, Papa,” she replied, “God took care of me.”

The old man instantly stiffened and the tears stopped. “God? God forgot all of us . . . God forgot us.”

He turned away toward the wall. “Papa, I want to tell you a true story. You didn’t go to Africa in vain. Mama didn’t die in vain. The little boy you won to the Lord grew up to win that whole village to Jesus Christ. Today there are six hundred African people serving the Lord because you followed the call of God in your life. Papa, God had a plan all along . . . He didn’t forget you.”

He turned back from facing the wall, the tears returned, and he began to talk. By the end of that afternoon, the kindness of God had brought him back, not to the repentance that brings salvation, but to the repentance that brings restoration and fellowship.

Aggie and her husband, eventually, had to return to America. A few weeks later, David Flood went home to heaven.

A few years later, Aggie and her husband were attending an evangelism conference in London. A report was given from the nation of Zaire by the superintendent of the national church, representing 110,000 baptized believers. He spoke eloquently about the spread of the gospel in his country. Afterwards, Aggie could not help but go up and ask him if he had ever heard of David and Svea Flood. “Yes, madam,” he replied, “as a little boy, I used to sell chickens and eggs to them twice a week. It was Svea Flood who led me to Christ.”

They embraced for a long time. He then said, “You must come to Africa. Your mother is the most famous person in our church history.”

In time, Aggie did come. She was welcomed by cheering throngs of villagers. Eventually she was taken to her mother’s grave – with that white cross and the words, “Svea Flood,” written there. She knelt in the soil to pray and give thanks to a good and patient and kind God. That national church leader read from scripture, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy.”

I pass this along in hopes that if you are wondering if your Christian testimony and witness is making a difference in anyone’s life . . . be encouraged. It is. An eternal difference.

Work cited:

Cymbala, Jim , Fresh Power (Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2001), p. 115.  This manuscript is from a sermon preached on 8/26/2001 by Stephen Davey. © Copyright 2001 Stephen Davey

Questions to Share:

1. How have you witnessed someone’s Christian walk during deployment? How did that encourage you?

2. How has someone noticed your Christian walk during deployment? How do you hope that has been an encouragement to them?

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. — Isaiah 9:6

It was Christmas Eve in Thailand, 1972. Thanks to Armed Forces Radio “Silent Night” was playing in our room . . . but it was not really a “silent” night at all. I was a young Air Force wife visiting my husband serving that year in Southeast Asia—but even in my naïveté I knew something big was imminent.  Linebacker II was in progress—the 1972 Christmas bombing of Hanoi—and the constant sound of take-offs (“please, Lord”) and landings (“thank you, Lord”) from the Air Base was surreal in dissonance with the sweet music I was hearing on the radio. A rescue was in the works, and the POWs, so long tortured and confined in Hanoi, heard and felt the thunderous aircraft noise with great hope and expectation for their eventual release from captivity.

A few months later, with great anticipation I stayed up all night in my apartment back in Oklahoma to watch on TV as the POWs stepped off of their plane and into the arms of jubilant American service members who were anxious to minister to these heroes. Linebacker II had forced a return to the peace talks, the Paris treaty was signed, and repatriation began.

In the years following, my husband and I had the privilege of getting to know some of these great men who had sacrificed so much at the hands of the enemy. But that Christmas Eve night of 1972 I could only imagine what was really happening in the skies and in the hearts of those who were involved. This was a battle, and not everyone with whom we had breakfast would return from their mission that day. I was a visitor—a quiet observer to a scene that I would never forget. It was holy ground.

Thirty-nine years later I can look back at that experience . . . and realize that just as there was war in 1972, Jesus’ rescue of mankind did not come amidst a pristine world of peace and calm. “Silent Night” is a beautiful song that calls us to stillness and reverence, but the reality is that He was born into a world filled with noise and violence, captivity and torture, selfishness and greed, fear and uncertainty, lies and corruption. Jesus came to provide rescue and proclaim victory . . . . There is a battle.

The oft-quoted prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 reads: “And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” In his new study Bible entitled Discover God, Bill Bright widens our understanding of these profound phrases by explaining them in a military context. He writes, “The titles given to this son of David follow a logical sequence from the planning of a battle to the securing of victory: ‘Wonderful Counselor’ suggests a brilliant strategist; ‘Mighty God’ is literally ‘God is a warrior’ in the Hebrew text; ‘Everlasting Father’ was a common royal title in the ancient Near East; and ‘Prince of Peace’ suggests the kind of reign the Davidic king would enjoy. Isaiah’s hope was realized in the birth of Jesus.”

Peace will not be fulfilled in this world until Jesus returns. Peace in our hearts can only be possible, in the mean time, if Jesus rules in them. Dave Boehi, writer and editor at FamilyLife, wrote in his Marriage Memo entitled “O Come, O Come Immanuel”: “When Jesus was born, God’s people literally lived in captivity—they were ruled by the Romans, and they were hoping for a Savior to free them. They wanted relief from their physical suffering. And yet their captivity and exile was spiritual as well, for they had gone 400 years without hearing from God through prophets or through inspired Scripture . . . We are like Israel, in that we think our biggest problems are in the physical realm. On a big level we want relief from economic hardship and terrorism . . . Yet our biggest problems are actually spiritual in nature. In a sense, we all mourn ‘in lonely exile’ when we are not connected to God, when He is not ‘with us.’ Jesus did not come to liberate us from suffering, but to free our spirits as we go through the suffering that is part of life. He makes it possible for us to connect with God—to know Him personally. For those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives within them to guide, comfort, and strengthen them, no matter what their circumstances.” (December 15, 2008)

Jesus came 2000 years ago into a world filled with terror to bring peace in our hearts and lives. We can sing “Silent Night” with meaning only if we understand this. His lowly birth in Bethlehem was truly a thunderous rescue if we can understand the enormity of the scene—God Himself coming to earth to save sinful man from certain eternal damnation.

Aircrew members were willing to sacrifice their lives for the saving of others during Linebacker II. How much more our Savior—who did sacrifice His life for the saving of ours. Will you accept His rescue—and surrender to His gift of salvation? Only then can you “sleep in heavenly peace.”

Questions to Share:

1. Do you understand what really happened on Christmas? If not, click on this link.

2. Take some time to pray individually, and as a couple, for the insight to view problems from a spiritual perspective and to trust God to guide you through what is challenging you today.