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Key Bible Verse: As God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory (2 Corinthians 4:15). Bonus Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Poised to enter Iraq, tensions were running high, and I was beat. Prayer, I decided, was what my tank company most needed. Last night First SGT Sartin, SGT Oates, and I prayed for God to protect us and dispel our fear.

I'm in a tent with 60 men, so what we do is public. One soldier gets irritated every time I talk about God. Our prayers were in his vicinity. As we finished, he approached, and we braced for a confrontation. "I eavesdropped on your praying," he started, "and I was wondering …" He'd come to inquire, not to criticize! SGT Sartin and I talked for an hour with this guy, a Wiccan. The power and excitement of the gospel injected me with fresh energy.

Returning to my cot, I found a note. Another soldier—an avid fan of the band Slipknot and anything satanic—had heard us praying and wanted me to send one up for him. His written prayer started, "Lord, it's been a long time since we talked, but …"

I'm about to witness people dying, so eternity seems real. Many need to hear the gospel to enter the kingdom, so proclaiming it comes easy. I sense that God will use me.

—Chris Plekenpol in Faith in the Fog of War

My Response: How can I step up to represent Christ where he has placed me?

Thought to Apply: Why am I here right now? To live and speak boldly for Christ because so many souls need to enter the kingdom. —Capt. Chris Plekenpol

Adapted from Faith in the Fog of War (Multnomah, 2006) by permission.

Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Boost my confidence in the power of your gospel so I won't succumb to pressures to keep quiet.

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