Post by Richard on Nov 13, 2004 18:32:43 GMT -5
Soldiers Find Strength in God's Word
By Stephen Little
CBN News Producer
The shields are the creation of Kenny Vaughan, a champion water ski jumper, who overcame his fear of competition by trusting God's Word.
CBN.com – When Captain Russell Rippetoe was killed in Iraq last year, he was wearing a Shield of Strength around his neck. The shields look like dog tags but they're inscribed with a Bible verse and they're very popular among U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially with Christians.
In fact, military chaplains report that they cannot keep enough in store. Why are they so popular? Believers who wear the shield are quick to point out that they're not a 'good luck charm' or a 'spiritual rabbit's foot.' They say they wear it as a reminder, in difficult situations to do the best they can and trust God with the outcome.
The shield's inscription is taken from the Bible, Joshua 1:9 and it reads like a confession: "I will be strong and courageous, I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go."
Lt. Col. David Dodd explained, "Those words were God speaking to Joshua and it was preparing him to go into battle in a foreign land that was not familiar to him or to the two million people that he was going to lead. And he was going up against an enemy that he knew was powerful."
Lt. Col. Dodd commanded the 86th Signal Battalion from June 2001 through June 2003. His unit served in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iraq for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Before leaving for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, he gave out 250 of the shields to his unit. He says they made a big difference.
Lt. Col. Dodd said, "It was a very austere environment that we were going into. We knew it would be dangerous, a lot of the soldiers in the task force were very young, this was their first deployment. So having an additional sense of strength through their faith was important to them."
The shields are the creation of Kenny Vaughan, a champion water ski jumper, who overcame his fear of competition by trusting God's Word. His turnaround started when his girlfriend Tammy, now his wife, wrote Scripture verses on his towrope.
Kenny said, "It says 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' And then on this side is where she wrote II Timothy 1:7, 'For God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind'."
The inspiration moved him to make the shields to encourage other Christians to trust God. Now those shields are helping soldiers who face even bigger challenges.
Kenny said, "I don't compare my trials with theirs for a minute, but I know God's big enough for any trial. And I knew they needed to be able to function with a sound mind in situations. And I knew that God's Word was the answer."
Many military units have ordered the shields, so far more than 200,000 have been sent out. In return, Vaughan's gotten hundreds of testimonies of their value.
One letter from a chaplain said, "It's a gift of significant contribution to our national defense, it strengthens soldiers' hearts, stiffens their resolve and motivates them to constructive action under trying circumstances."
The shields also strengthen the families back home.
Lt. Col. Dodd said, "My daughters both wore the shields around their neck. And my wife kept a shield on her key chain for her car. And so it was a good daily reminder for us to be able to think about each other and pray for each other while we were separated."
For some, the shields serve as a connection, even after death.
Joe Rippetoe is Russell Rippetoe's father. Russell followed in his father's footsteps. Now retired, and also a Lt. Col., Joe served two tours in Vietnam. His son Russell joined an elite airborne infantry unit - the Rangers - and served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Russell died on April 3, 2003 in a car bomb explosion, with him was his Bible, his cross, and his Shield of Strength.
His father Joe is a Christian and he and his wife raised their children to believe in God. Though the family grieves, Joe is comforted by Russell's faith.
Joe said, "I knew Russell had a relationship with the Lord, but I didn't know how strong it was.
Now Joe Rippetoe sends a special devotional and a shield to soldiers and those who have sent him encouraging letters and gifts.
He sent one to members of Capt. John Detro's 36-member medical unit in Baghdad. The unit sent him back a t-shirt with an inscription from every soldier in the unit.
"It may seem like a small measure,' one inscription says, "but the [shield] tag is infinitely important to me."
He also gave a copy of the shield to President Bush.
He even leaves them on his son's headstone for visitors at Arlington National Cemetery. He explained, "When I come, I always leave a Shield of Strength in hopes that those who have a relationship with the Lord will take it."
Giving away the shields is one way Joe Rippetoe honors his son's memory and copes with his son's death.
While, for Vaughan, giving the Shields is a chance to say 'thank you.'
Kenny said, "All my life I've been taught that anything worth having, I'd have to be willing to pay the price to get it. And that's been true with just about everything in my life, except for the two most important things: my spiritual and physical freedom."
Kenny added, "My spiritual freedom was paid for by my Lord and Savior on the cross and I thank him for that every day. But our physical freedom is paid for, and has been paid for, by past and present military members-and I'm extremely grateful for that sacrifice."
Visit the Shield of Strength Web site .@ www.shieldsofstrength.com/
