Monday, February 15, 2010

my brother. my hero.

the first post i ever wrote on this blog was dedicated to my older brother:
click here. to read it.

the following is a post my mama wrote on her blog.
i couldn't help but re-post it.
to honor my brother.
my hero.
my American Solider with a name, face, heart and tattoos i love.
i love you Gregory James.
come back soon.
i miss you already.

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A Wounded Soldier

Please pray for my oldest son, Gregg, today. He has packed up his little car and headed out on a new life adventure. He is driving to Texas today ... searching for a new life ... searching for a job ... searching for friends ... searching to find God in new ways ...

Gregg has struggled in his walk with the Lord. He has ridden a roller-coaster of faith for the past 10 years. He wants to get off the roller-coaster. He wants to be grounded in his faith. Yet ... his past haunts him and taunts him.

Gregg served 4.5 years in the army ... serving 2.5 of it on the front lines in Ir*q. Gregg was a gunner on a humvee for 6 months. He was a humvee driver for 6 months. And, he was a sniper in Baghd*d for 1.5 years. Gregg has seen and experienced more in his young life than any of us ever want to see or experience. Gregg relives those years ... in his nightmares.

Gregg is moving to Texas. He has an army buddy there. This friend, is his only friend, that can truly understand what haunts him. No one else can understand, unless they have walked in his army boots.

Please pray for Gregg ...

... that the Lord would protect him as he drives.

... that the Lord would lead him and direct him.

... that he would truly give up control of his life,
to the Lord.

The following was written recently by Gregg ... on his Fac*book page. I don't have Fac*book, so I wasn't aware of it until he told me about it last night.

I am sharing this with you, so you might get a glimpse into his heart ... the heart of a hurting young man ... who returned from war ... with many unseen wounds.

written by Gregg (age 25)

Pain. It's what is real in my life
It's the only thing that is true
I look inside but find nothing more than a fire
It burns so bright, but is consuming everything
With little left I have to do something
Somehow I must stop it all
If time could stop, I hold my breath
In hopes to stop the flames
I know I must turn my back on this

How much pain does it take
How many tears must fall
There's a fire inside
It's consuming everything
Why can't I stop it all
I'm losing my grip
This pain is driving the tears
Oh how I must give up control
I've only made a mess of it
All this brokenness around me
Will I finally give up control

Having let go
Light in this darkness
There is only one that can pilot this ship
From the edge
Driven back to the light
But the pull of darkness is strong
I keep looking back
It's there, yes it's still there
Giving up control is the way
Craziness still has its grip on my arm

Every day it's open
Every day it's there
Every day it's honest
Every day it's kept on hold
Every day it's always so loud
Every day it's why I fall on my face
Every day it's why I cry out
Every day it's why I hope
Every day it's why I trust in Him
Every day it's why I know
Every day it's why the sun comes up
Every day it's cause of the beauty that I see

He is why I turn away
He is why I trust
He is why I open up my soul
He is why my heart is put back together
He is why I cry
He is who I meet
He is who I know
He is who I trust
He is who I love

Without Him I am lost
Without Him I hurt
Without Him I can't hold on
Without Him I fall into the darkness
Without Him I have no faith
Without Him I have no hope

Because of Him I see
Because of Him I am healed
Because of Him I take one step and then another
Because of Him I have hope
Because of Him I step out in faith
Because of Him I see what He has for me
Because of Him I can let go

To change
To turn about
To walk away
To hold fast to Him
To know that life goes on
To know LOVE, His love
To believe Him

1 comment:

Bianca said...

This is so raw and real!!! Thank you for sharing. When does he come home?