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"My faith continually is made stronger by the soldiers that are here, the spirit they have, and the willingness with which they sacrifice," Wackerhagen said, his eyes tearing up.

The capture of Saddam Hussein was a high point, but the deadly attacks against U.S. soldiers and innocent Iraqis continue. In the wake of insurgent assaults, and as more soldiers have taken fire, chaplains have gone to one another for support. Combat debriefings are important for both the soldiers and the chaplains.

"I've sat with guys who have been hit three or four times," Wackerhagen said. "It's tough to go back out there.

"There's a mistake people make," he noted. "They think the longer you're in the Army, the tougher you are. But actually, it becomes a lot tougher, definitely not easier."

Chaplain Cook knows what it's like to experience the power of prayer. As a chaplain for the 82nd Airborne, Third Battalion, he has seen the men in his unit spared from countless attacks from both the enemy and from nature. He believes that faith gives a soldier hope in knowing that he's not alone.

"God gives us confidence in our salvation, so if we do die, we will be with our Lord," he said. "Soldiers can grow in their faith when they're at war. It's such a privilege to be able to see a soldier accept Jesus, baptize him, disciple him in study and prayer, and see him grow to witness himself."

One of the toughest challenges for Cook hasn't been in the war zone—it's what is waiting for him at home.

"My wife was seven months pregnant when we deployed on Valentine's Day [last year]," he said. "When our first child Edward was born, I was here in the heart of the war. It's difficult not to be able to see my son, but I know God will provide a spiritual bond for us."

Adapted from Baptist Press (Nov. 26, 2003). Used by permission. Writer Sara Horn and photojournalist Jim Veneman's dispatches from the war in Iraq are featured in A Greater Freedom: Stories of Faith from Operation Iraqi Freedom (Broadman & Holman).

Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian magazine.
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