Day 337: Sacrifice

Although I have seen and cared for many wounded and fallen soldiers during my tenure here in Afghanistan, nothing ever prepares you to care for a fellow US soldier who has made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. These are the experiences that have made my deployment difficult, at times unbearable.


Today, our camp stood down from the usual duties to honor our recent fallen brothers, First Sergeant Blair and Sergeant First Class Dupont. Two men who exemplified and defined the meaning of valor, honor, and sacrifice.



I have never attended a Fallen Soldier ceremony until today, and although I barely knew these two men, I was still very moved. Despite the dusty and stuffy venue, the ceremony was conducted with the utmost dignity from the meticulously prepared display of the soldiers' gear and awards to the thoughtful words that were shared from fellow soldiers. These two men will be sorely missed.


In the same way that these men have willingly paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country, we are called to make ourselves living sacrifices for God as He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. As you ponder the loss of these soldiers, the families they have left behind, and their honorable service, consider the gift of life that you have been given and the potential for living that life for the benefit of others. A life set aside for the good of others is a life of valor, honor and sacrifice. That is what has been asked of us, no less.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your reasonable act of worship."
Romans 12:1 NIV