Devotions for Boots on the Ground: “Are You There, God?”

By James W. Visel

Possibly there is nothing more conducive to thoughts of the Eternal, than having ones face slammed into red, wet muck, with explosions so close your body arcs and bounces off the ground, hot shards burn in your flesh, and concussions are bright flashes of dirty fire beating a tattoo on the light receptors in the backs of your eyes. Your head aches; throbbing from visual shock waves.

Time has come to an end; there is no right, no wrong, only whatever follows a life that is now over. The dark reaper is here. Whats it going to be like on the other side? Is there an other side?

The old timers use the maxim, There are no atheists in a fox-hole. Possibly so; I can only give my own experience, and I never had the opportunity to be in one. Combat aviators crash and sometimes burn instead. But close calls almost always give rise to interminable questions; especially when the survived experience is seared into the human psyche.

For some, satisfactory answers never seem to come. For myself, may I pro-offer both scorching experience, and incredible life-lessons learned? Then, should you ever fall into similar adventure; you man go into it better prepared than I was.

JWV

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 16, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449713966

James W. Visel

Jim Visel: A maverick whose life experience mad him passionately spiritual-minded; is a decorated combat vet, family man, 40 yr. building boss, skydiver, pilot; who projects refreshing, out of the box perspective to intense situations. Life can get dicey, Jim articulates, but God is faithful. You can trust Him!

Book preview

Devotions for Boots

on the Ground

Are You There, God?

James W. Visel

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Copyright © 2011 James W. Visel

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-1397-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1398-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1396-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011928523

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/13/2011

Contents

Devotions for Boots on the Ground

Are You There, God?

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Dedication

Epigraph

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 9

Chapter 10

A Conclusion; There is a price paid…

THANK YOU!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Also by James W. Visel:

Resources

Devotions for Boots on the Ground is an intriguing journey into one man’s real-life experience with God. After having read it, I am challenged in many ways. Having not had the opportunity to serve in the military, I am challenged to remember our service men and women more frequently in my prayers. I also have a greater appreciation for the difficulties and trials they experience on day to day basis, creating a keen appreciation for their service to God and country.

On a personal level, the author’s personal God-encounters fill my heart with greater confidence in the fact that regardless of circumstance and situation, God always has our best interests in mind, and has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. I urge the reader to consider this work with an open heart and mind. God will not allow Himself to be relegated to church services, and though it may be difficult for us to comprehend, He is everywhere, seeking to come to the aid of those who cry out to Him. For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him, (2 Chronicles 16:9).—Rev. Ken Martin

Rev. Kenneth MartinNew Life Fellowship Church

Bloomington, IL 61704(309) 829-7777

www.newlifefellowship.cc

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8)

Devotions for Boots on the Ground

Are You There, God?

God’s amazing, written promises to send reinforcements when you’re out of ammo, short on ideas, and it feels like you’ve been hung out to dry… call Him! He doesn’t have much to do with religion, because He’s all about relationship!

By James W. Visel

WESTBOW PUBLISHERS

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Robinhood helicopters returning to Sherwood Forest, 1966

Encouragement for America’s incredible combat airmen, Marines, PJ’s, Special Ops, grunts, boots on the ground, and First Responders; who often walk the razor’s edge.

Acknowledgements

To Bob and Dorothy Visel who gave me life, and loved me enough to not let me have my own way every time. To Mac and Edna McMakin, who saw something in me that I didn’t see, and gave me Susan my wife, to whom this book is dedicated, and to our three incredible kids, Kimberly, Heather, Noah, their spouses and children.

To my brother Thomas, who put together my first attempt at writing; Landing Zone Peace.

To my brother Peter and wife Candy, who have ever encouraged me in editing and with very thoughtful suggestions in Boots.

To my friend James Bud Harton, to whom I owe my life many times over.

To my friend Doug Ward, who not only had my back, but taught me to laugh at myself, and at situations, in a very difficult time and place.

To pastor Paul Wayne Meier, who kept me in line with wonderfully sensible editing suggestions. Someday I’ll be able to communicate like you do!

To Pastor Ken Martin, for his encouragement.

To Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles of He Said-She Said devotionals; it was you who first planted the seed, and then challenged me to boldly go where I had never gone before!

To Kim Bangs, who challenged me with a week of Writing Non-fiction classes, at the Write-To-Publish" convention, Wheaton College, June 2010. Besides, your patience with my driving in downtown Chicago is incredible!

To Lin Johnson, Joyce K. Ellis, Jane Rubietta, and the crew at Write-To-Publish for your faithfulness.

To a young lady named Brittany from ISU, at Borders Book Store in Normal, Illinois, who read the Introduction/Dust Cover, said she’d like to read more, and would spend her hard-earned money on this piece. Could she read more? She read Chapter Two, and cried.

The publishers, and those who get the work done at Westbow Publishers… Richard, and Echo, Emma, and Brian, Jason… so far.

To my editors, Ken and Lea Splane; with whom I do not argue… very much.

To the very professional and caring people at the Danville VA; Dr. Miriam Malabrigo, Tim Kohlbecker, Dr. Tressa Crook all of Mental Health, Dr. Craig B. Elliott and his wonderful crew in Palliative Care.

Introduction

Possibly there is nothing more conducive to thoughts of the Eternal, than having one’s face slammed in red, wet muck, with explosions so close your body arcs and bounces off the ground, hot shards burn in your flesh, and concussions are bright flashes of dirty fire beating a tattoo on the light receptors in the backs of your eyes. Your head aches, throbbing from visual shock waves.

Time has come to an end; there is no right, no wrong, only whatever follows a life that is now over. The dark reaper is here. What’s it going to be like on the other side? Is there an other side?

The old timers used the maxim: there are no atheists in a fox-hole. Possibly so; I can only give my own experience, and I never had the opportunity to be in one. Aviators crash and sometimes burn instead. But close calls almost always give rise to interminable questions, especially when the survived experience is seared into the human psyche.

For some, satisfactory answers never seem to come. For myself, may I pro-offer both scorching experience, and incredible lessons learned? Then, should you ever fall into a similar adventure, you may go into it better prepared than I was.

Dedication

To Susan Ellen Visel: my wife, mother to our three kids (Mom to half of the neighborhood), a neonatal RN, my friend, lover, counselor, and encouragement for 39 years. You are gone to a better place, but I sure do miss you!

Epigraph

Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.

(Bible: I Corinthians 2:19)

Preface

Col. Jack Jacobs (Ret.), a Medal of Honor recipient, wrote a remarkable piece called If Not Now, When? Jack is a Vietnam veteran, soldier, leader, husband, daddy, and a very gifted writer. With a sharp wit and an incredible sense of humor, he stirred the entire spectrum of my emotions as I read his story; I laughed, I cried, I hated, I loved, and that was just the part about Vietnam. Then he challenged my intellect to think only in terms of the truth. He redirected and fired my imagination to dream unashamedly of what can be, and what I can do to make it happen. He encouraged my will, to continue to do rightly.

Now, I find myself here with short stories of adventure lived, not so much a memoir (though it probably overlaps that genre), but as encouragement to others who might also find themselves in very deep, very agitated, and sometimes very hot water. Don’t you ever give up! If you’re still breathing, keep doing right!

Nonfiction (which this is) is not without its own peculiar problems, most of which, like a memoir, have to do with veracity. As time passes, we face a unique challenge of remembering exactly what did happen on a certain date at a specific time and place. When one has a dramatic experience, much of that is forever imprinted within so that years later, we sometimes relive it as if we are still there. Other details gradually fade from our memories, to be reawakened by triggers.

As I wrote this book, I remembered some of the conversations verbatim; some, the incident is vivid and the conversations curiously blank. If I have misnamed, misquoted, or mischaracterized anyone, I extend my apologies. My intent is not to extend literary license, but to share the event as faithfully as I remember it happening.

Before leaving America to go to the Vietnam helicopter war, I read two books, one called The Red Badge of Courage by Steven Crane, and the other Guadalcanal Diary by Richard Tregaskis. Both deeply touched, encouraged, and emboldened me in different ways. Both were written in a very real sense from wherever over there was at the time. I’ve always found myself following in large footprints left by common, but incredible people. Most often I had to jump from one print to the next, but they left a trail for me to follow. Both authors did that.

Now it’s my turn to leave footprints, for by a kind of osmosis I have become one of the old timers. Old people I have been around seemed to have an incredible capacity to repeat stories over and over again. Usually it has to do with life lessons that they found important and wanted to impart to loved ones. But the part I find curious is remembering what it was I was trying to say, long enough to get it written down! Life, all of it, is challenging, exciting, and is actually an unparalleled school, replete with role models (if we look for them). If you will read with an open mind, I will try hard not to be repetitious!

These narratives are portals into the character of some of my peers and mentors, who encouraged me in more ways than I can put into words. I do hope I can treat them honorably, for they certainly did with me. It has been an honor to have shared a little bit of life with them. Having walked a common razor’s edge, it is how I remember them! Greater still, it is about what led me into a functional relationship with God.

JWV

Chapter 1

Malfunction: Four Seconds to Impact!

For He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you, so that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13:5 NASV)

Vandalia, Illinois. 1,300 feet above the deck; in a freefall; with about four seconds to impact. An amazingly wild spectrum of thoughts crossed my mind as I stared, inverted, fascinated, at the earth approaching at about 120 mph. I had become an adrenaline junkie of sorts (as a helicopter crew chief during the war in Vietnam), and after that experience there wasn’t much for excitement. That is, until Jesus whispered my name. What an incredible, living experience!

He would show up in the strangest places, and my thirst for adventure entered into a new phase, which actually had a name: the spiritual realm. Some people call it the miraculous. I most often call it getting a spiritual life. In spirituality, as in any exciting activity, a person is usually tested beyond his own personal resources and skills. The conclusion of each such exploit I have lived was a new confidence—in me, in my relationship with God,

Reviews for Devotions for Boots on the Ground

[iluvf14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up Devotions for Boots on the Ground. Would it be about Visel’s Vietnam War experiences? Would it be a devotional? Or his journey with God? I was quite surprised to find out it was about all of them.Visel tells stories about combat that may be disturbing to some but they are the truth---a truth that nobody really talks about. Some parts are gruesome but Visel tempers them with bible verses and interpretations of God’s voice. I personally know James W. Visel and know that he is a very faithful Christian and always relates life to bible teachings. He does this same thing in Devotions for Boots on the Ground. He constantly looks for God’s lesson in the events described in the book. There are also amusing accounts of soldiers letting of some steam interspersed in Visel’s account of a situation. With all the death and destruction in Vietnam, it’s understandable that the solders played practical jokes and made light of certain events. One suggestion I would make is to have an appendix with a list of abbreviations and their meanings. That would have been very helpful for a layperson. The military is full of acronyms and it’s very hard to keep track of them if the reader doesn’t have a military background.I give Devotions for Boots on the Ground; Are You There God? 4 stars. For new author, James W. Visel, the writing is compelling, sometimes hard to read, but the reader feels like part of the story. With a published book under his belt, Visel has a promising future as a writer.I received this book free for personal use. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."