Pray For the Families

By now I'm sure all of you have heard about the attack at the dining hall in Mosul yesterday. I couldn't help but think of the family members of those killed or wounded. During this Christmas season, I know it must be especially hard on the loved ones of those killed. I hope you will join me in praying for the families of the soldier's, the soldier's themselves, and for all those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan this Christmas. I pray that while they mourn the death of their loved one, they will also be comforted by the fact that their loved one did not die in vain. They died fighting for a cause that was bigger than themselves, freedom. The way in which they were killed doesn't diminish the fact that they were fighting the good fight. It doesn't diminish all of the great things they've done for the Iraqi people and for each other in the months leading up to this attack. They should be honored for their selfless sacrifice. Most pundits and naysayers will go their entire lives without knowing the satisfaction of fighting for something they believe in. Freedom, even for a country on the other side of the globe, is a beautiful thing. It should be cherished and defended for all time. I know God must hold a special place in His heart for those warriors that fight to defend people from tyranny and evil, for those that fight to promote the freedoms that He created us all to enjoy.

I want to thank all of you who have sent me emails of support. I've noticed something that I think I need to clarify. I know the title of this blog may be misleading, but I'm not actually in Iraq right now. I was in Iraq during the initial invasion and for an additional few months of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I will be returning with the 3rd Infantry Division sometime in January for another year or until the mission is completed. Since I will hopefully be posting some stories from my second tour of Iraq, I thought this simple title would be appropriate. I apologize if it was misleading to some.