Veterans, we honor and thank you who have served in the military for your courage, sacrifice, and dedication to our country. Many of you have risked your life for us, and we appreciate you for it. You left home and family and endured pain and loss. Some of you continue to bear the scars of war. May God bless you all.

·      “There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” —Alexander Hamilton 

·      “Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” —Abraham Lincoln

·      “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” —Mark Twain 

·      “Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.” —Douglas MacArthur 

·      “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” —Douglas MacArthur

The Apostle Paul recognized the selflessness, endurance, and loyalty that it took to be a good soldier. He used veteran soldiers as an example to Christians that we need to have these same qualities: 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Happy Veterans Day! You are an inspiration to us. Many of you serve our church in various ministries. Our church is better, because you set a good example to all of us of discipline, knowledge, reliability, loyalty, and strong character.

Ron Cox - Director of HOPE Ministry