The Active Duty Blog
Protection from the Enemy
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 15 November 2012 11:32
- Written by Eric Haynes
When I think of my deployment to Iraq there is one crucial moment that sticks out to me that not only made me see life differently but it made me appreciate life in general. This moment was a night not much different than any other night at first. I was off duty in my bed with my weapon lying next to me as I always had done trying to sleep while hearing the sounds of small weapons activity in the distance.
The difference this night was that it got closer and closer. Then from out of nowhere a huge boom and the metal box structure that I called home shook as if an earthquake was happening. I had heard mortars hit on our FOB before but this one seemed right out back of my hooch. I proceeded to get up as other people in my area did and took my weapon and flash light out back to find about 50 feet from where I was sleeping was a mortar hole about two meters in diameter and a meter deep. 
I went back into my room and proceeded to write a letter to my wife and daughter telling them things that I might never be able to tell them in person because I did not know if I was going to make it home alive and put it in my pocket. I told them if they were reading this that I was dead. I turned on a Sandy Patti tape with the song “It is well with my soul” and played it over and over again all that night as the fighting continued and showed no sign of letting up.
This song help comfort me in knowing that no matter what we go through in life that God is nearer than our closest fear or enemy. I thought of David when he was running for his life from Absalom his son. Psalms 3:1-8 He said that God is a shield for him as he cried out and that he would not even be afraid of 10 thousand soldiers coming after him because the Lord could save him.
I knew if David was being pursued to have his life taken and he could trust God to keep him safe then I needed to and could trust the God who protects his children.
Do you have troubles in your life that are bombarding you to the point you don’t think you can hold on. Are you thinking about maybe taking your life and feel that is the only thing for PTSD because you don’t fit in. Believe me that is not the answer because I have a God that cares for the uncaring. Trust God today to take whatever burden is weighing you down. He wants us to give them to him. He stretched his arms out as wide as he could for you so you could join him in Heaven one day. If this is you please allow him to help you through your trouble whatever it is.
Lt. Col. Larkin Spivey
- Details
- Published on Monday, 14 November 2011 16:24
- Written by Kevin Kloss
Retired Lt. Col. Larkin Spivey is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He has taught U.S. Military History and served President Nixon in the White House. He is actively involved in the Luis Palay Ministry - Open Mic host Dan Dunn recently interviewed Col. Spivey about his new book Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War. Listen In.
A Welcome Home
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 03 November 2011 11:39
- Written by Eric Haynes
Whenever I think of deployments I think of what was to me the most amazing feeling in the world. It is a feeling that unless you have deployed to a foreign country for a year and returned safely none could ever explain. As you are on the airplane for that long trip home and you watch the map on the screen showing where you are and where the next stop is and then that final moment when the pilot comes on and says we are approaching our landing to the United States please fasten your seat belts. Everyone changes into a different mode. Then it finally happens the wheels of the plane finally hit and you hear the screeching of the tires on American soil, suddenly an eruption of cheers fills the plane as if at the rose bowl stadium with 150 thousand people and the home team scores the winning touchdown you have finally arrived home safely. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and tears started rolling down my checks. In fact even the toughest of men on the plan soften light butter in a microwave at that point.
is an amazing thing as we got off the plane in NJ to have the general greet each one of us along with a local VFW crew, it reminded me of what God did for us. In the book of Luke it talks about a son who took his fathers inheritance early and went off and squandered it. All the people he thought were his friends because of his money had left him, and he was feeding pigs to earn money he decided he would be better off being a servant for his father, at least he would have food and clothing. The only thing was he did not know if his father would accept him back. Well he not only accepted him back but he gave him the best of everything when he arrived home. He did not care what he had done just the fact that he came back home to his family.
felt very strongly when I was preparing this that someone really needed this message. If you have never received Christ as your Savior and been received into God’s family yet or maybe you think that you have gone so far and done something so bad that God would not receive you back. Let me tell you friend God wants you back in the fold and you can stop running from him. He is waiting for you so why not run back into his arms today.
