Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan

unfair it all seemed. While this family heroically supported the fellow Marines of their fallen son, I thought my heart would burst in anticipation of my own son’s arrival.

The moment we were reunited paralleled only with the moment of his birth. I wanted to collapse from relief. I couldn’t quit crying. We embraced and I sobbed, “Josey, I was so afraid I would never see you alive again.”

“I’m home, Mom,” he said. It seemed such a miracle to me.

And that was my turning point. My health began to improve. A few months later I would experience the victory of my other son’s homecoming.

Prayer:

Lord, I praise you for being a trustworthy God, no matter what dangers and trials surround me and those I love.

“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.’ …You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91:2, 5–6)

December 19 SEMPER FIDELIS Patti Smith, Mother of two Marines deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2007, organizer of Operation Santa in the Midwest.

Today, Josey is once again in Iraq. This past week the Peoria area has lost a Marine; I will attend those services, and deliver yet another condolence book. I will grieve with the mother of that fallen Marine and again ask God to spare my own son’s life, like the persistent widow who never tires of making her case before the one who holds the matter in his control (Luke 18:1–8).

I’m not sleeping through the night again, but it’s okay. The Lord awakens me to pray for my son’s safety, and I’m happy to do it. In the dark and quiet hours when most others are deep in slumber, it’s my privilege to trade the comfort of my bed for the honor of interceding on behalf of my son as he serves his country on the other side of the world.

Somehow it’s better this time. Despair is not allowed to consume me as it once did. Although living through the deployments of my sons has been excruciatingly painful, I sense a deep strengthening has taken place. I still do not know what tomorrow holds… but I do know him who holds tomorrow I place my trust in Jesus.

The first stanza of the old hymn classic “Be Still My Soul” says:

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

(http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/bestill.htm)

Let me ask you this. If you are not trusting in God, where will you go? To whom will you turn?

The motto of the United States Marine Corps is Semper Fidelis, which is Latin for always faithful.Let me encourage you to hold on to God and don’t let go. For God is Semper Fidelis!

Prayer:

Lord, help me today to strive to be as faithful to you as you are to me always.

“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)

December 20 OPERATION SANTA Patti Smith, Mother of two Marines deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2007, organizer of Operation Santa in the Midwest.

During Josey’s first deployment, instead of exchanging Christmas gifts, my husband and I agreed to outfit our son’s platoon (forty Marines) each with a Christmas care package. Researching the internet for the best items to ship, a list was given to everyone I saw or knew along with a request for funds for shipping.

The task seemed insurmountable. But enough came in for two hundred Marines and we were just getting started. Operation Santa has grown to become the largest Christmas drive for the troops in the Midwest. Just three years later, by 2008, we shipped more than thirty thousand Christmas stockings to troops.

I serve as full-time volunteer for our beloved troops and veterans putting in fourteen-hour days working the telephone, Internet, and public speaking to raise awareness and funds. Operation Santa (www.operationsanta.info) is sponsored by Central Illinois Proud Families of Marines, a 501c3 organization which I co-founded, and for which I serve as president.

School children through senior citizens are involved with sewing stockings and writing personal notes. Businesses, civic clubs, veterans groups, families, individuals from all walks of life turn out to stuff the stockings. Our local Post Office comes to our location to pick up the boxes by the truckloads. Even postal workers stay after their shifts, unpaid, to help bring Christmas to the troops.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois presented Operation Santa with the Home Front Hero Award. I personally have received the Commandant of the Marine Corps Quality Citizenship Recognition Award along with the Challenge Coin. Our local WEEK-TV, an NBC affiliate, named me one of twenty-five Women in Leadership in 2006 for Operation Santa efforts.

This has been the most terrifying, yet purposeful chapter of my life to date. However I intend to live the rest of my life serving our veteran community in some way for two reasons: in gratitude for their sacrifice and service and secondly, to pass on the torch of public service to younger generations. Freedom isn’t free!

Prayer:

Lord, show me opportunities to serve you stemming from the circumstances in which you have placed me.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

December 21 RAISING SPIRITS Patti Smith, Mother of two Marines deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2007, organizer of Operation