Thank you all so much for your kind replies. The more I read them, the more I realized just how hard his loss had been hitting me. I can’t imagine what Kim is going through. My heart breaks for her.
Yesterday at church, several of us were talking about Josh and swapping stories. It was especially poignant because a young lieutenant of our congregation was three-days-fresh back from Iraq and standing right there with us (although he hadn't known Josh). I had forgotten the story that someone told – it was just so typical of Josh that it was lost among my other memories of him: when he was stationed here and went out into the field, every morning his tank crew would gather together and he’d lead them in a Bible study.
I thought I’d share with you something that our pastor read yesterday at the end of the morning service. It was taken from an e-mail that one of our other pastors had received from Josh before he shipped out to Kuwait. I've taken the liberty of highlighting a portion that particularly struck me.
Here is the excerpt from the letter Josh sent out before he left:
Let me assure you -- I am well-trained in my duties as a soldier and a leader - I have trained hard, both individually and collectively with my units, on all of the tasks that I must perform in combat for the last 11 years (right along with many of you receiving this e-mail!). Everything I have done since my first day at West Point in 1992 has been to prepare me for this challenge. I and my fellow cavalry troopers are ready for this.
I am at peace with the knowledge that I am in God's will and firmly believe that it is better to be shot at in God's will than to be drinking margaritas on some gorgeous beach out of it. God has shown me this time and time again throughout my life - so much so that to believe anything other than that my Lord protects me and will be right beside me every moment of this deployment would be irrational!
I cannot tell you in all honesty that I feel no fear - I do. Fear is healthy when rationed in increments that keep my awareness keen. But as a Christian warrior, I am confident that God is in charge and fully in control of all of the things that are beyond my control - I can give all of that to Him and drive on, focusing on what I can effect!
I will talk to you all when I return home! In the meantime, please send me letters! Mail is worth more than gold to a deployed soldier! I will also give names of soldiers to Kim that don't receive as much mail as others so you can all adopt an extra pen-pal or two, if you'd like.
My address in Iraq will be:
CPT BYERS, JOSHUA T.
HHT, 2/3 ACR
APO ....
Don't send any packages (just letters) to this address for a few weeks. Kim will have the latest information on what kinds of things we need over there via packages from home.
God bless each of you and God Bless America.
Your obedient servant,
Captain Josh Byers
2nd Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Phil 4:13