Tag: purpose

ONCE WE WERE SOLDIERS, ALWAYS A SOLDIER.

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ONCE WE WERE SOLDIERS, ALWAYS A SOLDIER.

On September 18th many years ago this young lad stood before a Captain in the United States Army. He rose his right hand, and repeated the Oath of Enlistment. That oath is as follows: “ I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” What does that mean? Oaths, and solemnly swearing, and of all things to God! Websters dictionary defines an oath as “a (1) :  a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says (2) :  a solemn attestation of the truth or inviolability of one’s words The witness took an oath to tell the truth in court.” As a former soldier I took my oath seriously. As circumstances would have it I wouldn’t stay in my position to the term of my contract.

During the time I spent as a soldier I witnessed the forming of a brotherhood. I witnessed laughter, fear, sadness, and unfortunately I even witnessed death and murder. Someone once told me that even though they never served they understand the hardships and trauma that we veterans face. I don’t wish to speak for all veterans, but it annoys me when a civilian says they understand, or worse when they say military life is a choice so the consequences should be thought of and soldiers shouldn’t cry so much about it. For me that oath never went away when I got out. When I got out my mission became helping other veterans. We will never be civilians. Since civilians will never understand, we only have one another. Just because I don’t wear the uniform anymore doesn’t mean I am released from my oath. And it doesn’t mean the mission is over, it’s just changed. The Soldiers Creed says it best and I feel it rings true even after you take the uniform off that last time.

Soldiers Creed

 I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

The bold sections are to be paid close attention. What is the mission? When you wear the uniform the mission is whatever you’re told it is. Take the hill, sweep the motor pool, raid this house, and mow this yard. Defeat is never an option. Tactical retreats are one thing, but surrender is never a card to be played on any table. The Devil will task you, test you, and push you to your limits. You must never quit fighting, never quit pushing to accomplish the mission. Today’s mission is brothers and sisters. The fight isn’t over when that uniform comes up. When you get that DD-214 it isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning of a new mission… Reintegration. They want us to fit in with Civilians. Sure some will fit in better then others, some the process is easier then it is on others, but the truth is, once a soldier always a solider. The truth holds true for a lot of veterans that military members don’t like civilians. We are brothers and sisters in arms. We have a bond most civilians will never understand.

The mission today is simple. Love God, Live by God’s word, protect fellow service men and women, raise awareness for Veteran Suicide, help other veterans when they are struggling with life’s hurdles, and live up to the code. Never leave a comrade behind. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” King David considered to be one of the most beloved war hero’s in the Bible wrote the book of Psalms. Psalms 144:1-2 “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; 2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples[a] under me.” Those who train for war see war, see and carry a cross, a burden for which most should never see. War is ugly, and during a war we fight, we serve, we protect our brothers and sisters. Sadly sometimes you can take the man out of the war, but you can’t take the war out of the man. The struggle, the storm often rages on deep inside, though no one can see those scars. Ecclesiastes 3:8 “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” Getting to peace is the hardest part. It takes a soldier to be there for a soldier.

Today there will be an average of 20-22 Veteran Suicides. The struggle for veterans across the country to handle and cope with life and finding a new place in this world is the most difficult fight a veteran will face. When we see violence it’s difficult if impossible to remove that horror from our souls. For me, I found my purpose; I found my talent, and my new mission. Never underestimate how important it is to focus your energy on positivity. For each and every veteran who returns home the new mission will be slightly different. No person will be giving you orders in the same way, but listen to God’s direction. Don’t loose hope, and certainly don’t give up the fight. To all veterans, not just the Army, God Bless, and keep up the fire.

Death The Final Frontier

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Death The Final Frontier

It will come for us all. The race will end and then the beginning is new. Death comes for everyone, man, women, child, but through the multitudes only a few will enter the gates of heaven. Several verses particularly talk about heaven.

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Let the waters of Christ wash away your sins. Be reborn in the waters and give your struggles to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” We all will make mistakes, but in our mistakes, in our sins, we can find forgiveness. We can trust in the Lord if we can give ourselves to the lord and leave the lusts of the world behind.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

1 Corinthians 15:50-52 “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Daniel 12:2-3 “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Psalm 23:4 “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

 We don’t know what our future holds. We don’t know when the living life as we know it will pass into the past. The life we live has a finite amount of days to it. We love people, we loose them, and sadly there isn’t anything we can do to change that. Recently I lost a family member that was very dear to my heart. His passing was a bit of a surprise albeit he had some health issues. The pain doesn’t go away or diminish just because they were sick. What we have done, we’ve done, the time will come when we have to answer for our actions. God never asks anything in return except our hearts. God wants us to turn away from the world and focus on Him. The Valley of Death is a scary place. As I have seen death, seen it so up close, of watching my friends die in front of me, watching family wither away and die, and myself nearly dying on more then one occasion. What I have found is death isn’t something to fear. We may never know our time or our importance on this little floating ball in this big ol’ universe, but what we do know is if we have what it takes to make it through that narrow gate, then we too will know peace. If death comes for us know that it’s your divine time to go home. As my uncle’s body returns to the ash from whence it came, peace comes knowing beyond a doubt he made it home. True peace knows that it’s not the depths of the oceans, the expanses of space that are the Final Frontier; it’s the Kingdom of heaven. Do not suffer in loss but rejoice in it. Have faith in the word, and when your time comes, you too will welcome death as an old friend.

Know when to hold em, know when to fold em.

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Know when to hold um, know when to fold um.

By The Arrow Preacher

As most of us know the song by Kenny Rogers, it’s great advice that old man gave on that lonely train. Though a parable the example of knowing when to fight for something, and knowing when to walk away, and knowing when to run and not look back is good advice we all should follow.

Personally I’ve gone through a very rough divorce and as hard as it’s been at some point you have to learn when to cut ties and run away. As hard as it’s been emotionally I still find myself sitting on the couch crying after a blog, after a song, watching a movie that brings back memories. The worst part is working at the very spot I once proposed. Seeing it every day, thinking about how nervous I was, how upset I was that it was raining, it’s a reminder every day.

Having faith is hard. Knowing that God is always with us, and remembering that in the hardest of times of our lives, but it’s so important for us to keep the faith. 1 John 5:5 “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” We need to be steadfast in our walk with Christ so when the time comes we can judge if something is better or worse. James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Let’s remember though, that having faith is also having faith that whatever we need to do is right or wrong. When a relationship turns bad and is no longer healthy, and can no longer be repaired, sometimes it’s best to run away. Figuring out what hand you have and figuring out what cards to play is something that takes patience and a walk close enough to God to know what to do. You should always try your hardest to save a life you’ve built with someone if ever it can be.

Due to the invention by God of free will we cannot change what other people do. People will use you, cheat you, abuse you, and all you can do is figure out how much are you willing to take? Even sitting at a poker table the table can eventually get cold, and it’s time to get up and walk away. Don’t be afraid to say goodbye to something causing you pain. Much like a gangrenous limb, you must sever the limb to save the body. Our souls are very similar. Hate and pain can be a cancer for our very souls, and in order to prevent scar tissue from forming hardening our hearts, we must be willing to let go and push forward to heal. So know when to throw in your cards, pick up your chips win or lose, and walk away. Don’t think of it as failure. Think of it as protecting your very soul. Even Thomas Edison once said once asked about how many times he failed to create the light bulb. “I have not failed. Ive just found 10’000 ways that it won’t work.”

 

It’s a Wonderful Life, or flashpoint?

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It’s a Wonderful Life, or flashpoint?

Do we ever truly know the difference we make in our lives? To be honest I myself have questioned my place in this world. In the last 6 months I have had the hardest time of my life fighting my own personal doubt and have suffered a major defeat of my self-esteem. As I am very familiar with the authors of the Bible many of them suffered with depression, doubts, and questioned what God saw in them. Luke 12:7 “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” As we struggle knowing if we are valued, know that Christ values us.

As we walk our path we meet people, we encounter numbers beyond our realizations. We don’t ever know how our presence can affect someone else’s life. Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” If we are to understand Matthew we should see how we cannot hide ourselves from the world. WE must realize that if we are a positive influence just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Don’t just be a light for others, be the iron that sharpens others. Help strengthen others.

If we were to remove ourselves from time, we cannot fathom how important we are. We cannot believe our presence wouldn’t be missed from time. Our actions affect countless lives. Use your life to make a difference and never stop making a difference. When life gets hard, when it looks like hope is lost, find faith in God. Believe in yourself, and even when things are at their worst show the world that you can keep your head held high with dignity. As it’s always easier said then done, always try to do your best to keep your honor. Consider this, consider the comic Flashpoint, were one change affected the course of history. Consider the Butterfly Effect, were no matter how much we try to change the past things get worse. The movie It’s a Wonderful Life, is a man who wishes he were never born. An Angel shows him the world as if he were never in it. People’s lives weren’t better without him. His importance in the world seemed so insignificant to himself, but in reality God used him for good. Let God use you to make a difference. Be positive, raise them up, and walk with God to know your path is true.

 

Maximum Effort

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Maximum Effort

As a person we all have ideals, goals, dreams, but what does that mean? Me personally I enjoy photography, writing, archery, but what does this really mean? Our goals are usually our own, but are we in tune to what God wants from us? Do our goals match those of Gods? As David knew from an early age he was destined to become King, we aren’t as lucky knowing our destiny. How much effort do we put into our futures? What do we put our efforts into? Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Whatever we do should be the best we can for the Lord. Romans 14:19 “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” In all things we should put our efforts in Love. Love the Lord and that fact that Love isn’t always easy, that’s what makes it worthwhile. No mater the path we are put on by God shouldn’t we put in as much effort as we do the things of a worldly nature that make us ‘happy’? Hebrews 10:36 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” What if we put all that effort in getting rich, or climbing the mountain, building empires, our careers, as we do to spread the word of the Lord? What if we put all that effort into loving our neighbors and remember the teachings of the Lord? Romans 15:5 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” As the climbing of a mountain takes courage, strength, and endurance, so does giving our maximum effort to Christ. Remember the most important mountain to climb is the mountain to Heaven. It won’t be easy, but we were told it wouldn’t be. Never quit moving forward. Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Whatever you do, do your best. Always remember, get out there and make a difference. Climb that mountain, go the distance.

What Color is Your Lightsaber?

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What color is your Lightsaber?

As the country has been engulfed in pop culture you’d be hard pressed to find any household where someone doesn’t know the name Star Wars, or Lightsabers. The bigger question is what do light sabers have to do with Christianity? In the world of Star Wars each light saber’s color represents the holders personality and specialty. As seen on screen there is Green: Peace through force when necessary. Blue: Justice and Protection. Red: Evil and Power. Purple: Moral ambiguity. Yellow: Intrigue and pursuit (patrol). There are many, many more colors. When you start to break down your place in this world each of us has a personality, and that personality will match up with a particular color light saber. My color, much to my own chagrin would most likely be blue. (My favorite color is green) Being a Jedi Guardian Using Force on a physical level, light saber combat rather then strength with the Force. Protecting civilians. Romans 12:4-6 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;” As we are one bodies in Christ, so as the Jedi’s mission with the Jedi counsel. Protect the universes and maintain the balance within the force. Proverbs 27:19 “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” When you consider the color of your own light saber, how do we use our gifts for the Lord? Do we want to be a villain, a protector, a negotiator? Christ recruited fisherman, tax collectors, zealots, and with each of their own particular gifts, and personalities they used them in their own way of teaching and preaching. As each personality of the Jedi provided them a place in the universe, so do our gifts for the great commission. As my gifts lead me to a protective role and justice, I know now how to use my particular personality for Christ. Some people have a moral ambiguity and this purple light saber would often fall to people who follow the rules they want to, but bend them when they feel it suits them. Red obviously is that of evil. Those who fail to follow the Lord, those who have an appreciation and love of Sin would hold a red saber. Find your place by evaluating your own saber color. Which force are you? Do you fight for the light or the dark? Are you a Jedi for Christ, or a Sith for Satin?