[…]of a sea bag (11 grammar schools and four high schools) was not for me. In 1955, when I was a 17-year-old boy living in Yokohama, Japan, I accepted Christ as Lord. Thereupon I told God I’d go anywhere and do anything He said. I soon discovered that “anywhere” meant the military and that “anything” meant, more specifically, the Marine Corps. I signed on for what seemed the logical “patriotic minimum” tour, but was soon to discover God’s plans were for me to remain a Marine for some years to come. The point of this explanation is to establish that […]
[…] witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2 “Choosing the Harder Right” When I learned back in October of 1970 of the tragic death in battle of my friend and spiritual mentor at West Point, Jon Shine, and thought of the powerful and eternal impact he had on my life, and that of so many others, I committed then to telling his amazing story to others. His selfless lifestyle and his courage–at West Point, in the Army and in combat in Vietnam–have inspired me and many others whom he contacted during […]
[…]who lived during the time of Malachi. However, we live today under a New Covenant. Although the Old Testament Jews under the Old Covenant were given material blessings as a physical manifestation of God’s blessing, that is not necessarily true under the New Covenant. While God may choose to give us material riches as a reward for our faithfulness, and many times He does, I believe its much more likely that in this day and age that He will choose to give us spiritual riches here on earth and/or eternal riches when we will be living with Him forever in […]
[…]didn’t feel like one. It was an awesome responsibility to raise two little girls alone for a year. Laura was almost three and Beki was then nine month old. Other mothers had shared with me some of the pitfalls they’d been through. Their advice was to prepare for the fact that our baby wouldn’t even know her daddy when he returned. She’s just too young to remember, they warned. Don’t expect too much, another said. It’ll take time, but they’ll start all over again. With that advice, I purposed in my heart to be different. I would do all I […]
[…]would occur. In the midst of the unknown, I felt His peace and security. The words of Psalm 37:23-24 were further reassurance: The steps of a man are established by the Lord; And He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. (NASB) As I meditate on God’s sovereign goodness, my fickle heart grows in steadfast confidence that all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him. Even in worst-case scenarios. Second, our family was blessed by God’s church. Despite our tendency toward privacy […]
[…]and patriotism to all his children. I claim the earliest salvation of Christ as seen in Psalm 22:9-10. Throughout my life in two wars and three fronts the Lord has been my rock and shield. I trust in Christ alone. What is the biggest challenge you see currently facing OCF right now? To continue our partnership with chaplains while boldly standing for Christ and the gospel in a military that becomes ever more anti-Christian. As soldiers and leaders we must learn to exemplify the virtues of Christ through action and deed so as to cause the lost around us to […]
