Jesus gave his life so we could be free from sin. The soldier lays down his life so we can be free from tyranny.

As I reflect on the blessing of living in a free country, a country where I can openly express and share my faith, I am deeply humbled. As a civilian in this country, I can only begin to imagine what it would be like to go to war; to be willing to give my life in a battle to defend not just my own freedom or that of my family, but the freedom of strangers.

A few years ago, I met an elderly gentleman that served in World War Two. I wished him a Happy Veteran’s Day. With tears in his eyes, all these years later, he shared his experience of leading his men in the battle at Iwo Jima. He recounted the horrific loss of young lives that day. He lived to return home to his young wife and child, but he also brought home the memories of an experience that few of us will ever have to endure. He said, “I am 94 years old, and there’s still not a day that goes by that I don’t think about the young men that died that day.” As I hugged the former soldier and thanked him for his service, it struck me just how much he, and so many others before and after him, paid on my behalf. Payment that extended beyond a tour of duty to a lifetime.

I thank God for all our service men and women who have served and are currently serving in our military; I pray God will bless them richly for answering a call that requires extraordinary courage and bravery. ~Lisa

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Rom 5:7-8