I’ve heard Vietnam veterans say that their time there was days of sheer boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. I should have paid better attention.

After arriving in the country, my Marines messed up the local Viet Cong guerrilla’s ability to do whatever they wanted in the villages. We hit them so hard that they were quickly disorganized and we had to work hard to find where they were hiding. Nighttime became the best time to find them. They kept a low profile during the day.

Our daytime patrols became routine, which was a nice change. We could be pretty laid back during that time, getting to know the locals and building relationships with them. On daytime patrols, we learned every trail in and out of the villages.

After a successful dawn raid on a Viet Cong base camp, we practically eliminated the threat from the local guerillas. We thought it would be some time before they could reorganize. Being a brilliant strategist (or so I thought), I planned a “routine patrol” back to the base camp we raided earlier to destroy bunkers and supplies we couldn’t carry.

But just as nature abhors a vacuum, an empty base camp doesn’t stay unoccupied, either. A company of North Vietnamese Army soldiers moving into South Vietnam made it their camp. What I assumed (big mistake) was another routine patrol became a life-changing experience. As the leader, I walked into an ambush set off by a grenade going off at my feet.

My world was turned upside down in a few seconds. The terror didn’t stop there, as I was shot getting up and bayonetted to finish me off. I kept trying to get away from the ambush site until I couldn’t take another step. The mind shuts down when the body endures that kind of shock, so the pain didn’t come immediately. But when the pain finally hit me from every part of my body, I wanted to give in to the agony and just die.

Suddenly, my Navy Corpsman was there saying, “I’ve got you! I’ve got you!” He administered morphine and bandaged my many wounds until the Chinook chopper landed nearby. I was carried into the big open cargo bay, alone, again. The door gunner glanced at me once and turned away. The triage room at the hospital was chaotic, as other casualties were brought in. But life-saving help was now available and hope revived. I willed to live!

There are many times when we are blindsided by life. An unexpected death or other tragedy strikes us. Maybe it’s a life-threatening illness or the loss of a home, job, marriage, or close friend — something we didn’t see coming. We’re tempted to lose hope. When we lose hope, we give up and throw in the towel. The devil tells us, “Give up! Just die!”

Life-altering situations come in many forms. But the aim is always the same: Give up and give in. Take the easy way out. No one cares. You won’t even be missed! We need to realize we live in a world where there are two kingdoms in conflict with each other: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Satan wants our life to end. Our Heavenly Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, offers us life for all eternity.

This life if worth fighting for. Your family, friends, and community are worth fighting for. No matter what life and the devil throw at you, remember that Jesus Christ is bigger than ANY crisis you might face. I know, because God’s grace was greater than my worst trial.

How about you? Don’t give up. Let Jesus have your back. He cares!

Something to pray about!
Semper Fidelis