The Way Home

By Rusty Brooks

The Way Home is a raw, fast-paced, heart-pounding adventure through the
resilient eyes of a warrior’s life. After receiving a Dear John letter in Iraq, a
terrible car crash, dying twice, losing his leg, and facing death a third time,
Rusty, at his darkest hour, made a choice that made rock bottom a springboard
for h

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Jul 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781640883079

Book preview

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The Way Home

Rusty Brooks

Trilogy Christian Publishers

Tustin, CA

Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive

Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2019 by Rusty Brooks

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For information, address Trilogy Christian Publishing

Rights Department, 2442 Michelle Drive, Tustin, Ca 92780.

Trilogy Christian Publishing/ TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-64088-306-2

ISBN 978-1-64088-307-9 (ebook)

Contents

Endorsement v

Dedication vii

Introduction ix

Acknowledgments xi

Chapter 1. The Golden Years 1

Chapter 2. Love and Honor 13

Chapter 3. Inspired by a Warrior 19

Chapter 4. Saudi Arabia 25

Chapter 5. Boarding School 35

Chapter 6. Back to the Sandbox 41

Chapter 7. Texas 47

Chapter 8. Boot Camp 53

Chapter 9. Marine Corps 57

Chapter 10. First Civilian Division 63

Chapter 11. Iraq 67

Chapter 12. Back to the World 81

Chapter 13. Starting Over 87

Chapter 14. The Change 91

Chapter 15. The Hospital 105

Chapter 16. Living in Darkness 109

Chapter 17. Learning to Walk 113

Chapter 18. Try Again 117

Chapter 19. Rock Bottom 121

Chapter 20. Fighting for my Life 125

Chapter 21. The Good Fight 139

Chapter 22. Empowered 149

Chapter 23. The Way Home 175

Postscript 181

References 183

Endorsement

Courage, honor and commitment are the hallmarks of U.S. Marines. THE WAY HOME astutely portrays a robust journey from childhood to manhood. It demonstrates clearly how character development focuses on an infallible mindset of self confidence and strength. Too much self reliance and secular focus while searching for solutions to life’s challenges leads to destruction of self and loved ones. This exciting book bares it all and clearly demonstrates that a family’s love, commitment to Christ, and true friends can give one courage to honor what is really important in life. This tenacious Marine’s story brings one from the depths of despair and physical suffering to peace, joy and serving others. You will be inspired by his incredible journey.

Major General Hollingsworth USMCR

Dedication

For my Father

When I was six years old, my father started taking me hunting with him. He showed me how to move quietly and listen to the sounds of the forest. As the sun was setting through the trees in Louisiana with the smell of pine blowing in the cool evening air, he stopped and said to me, I want you to stay here until it gets dark. You know the way. The fence is up that way, then follow it to the right until you see the lights of the house. Don’t be afraid. You can do it, boy. He put his hand on my shoulder and nodded to me; then I watched him walk out of sight. It was dark soon after, and I could no longer hear his footfalls. My senses came to life as sounds in the forest told me animals were moving around. The uncertainty of the darkness and the unknown began to creep up my back and into my thoughts. The hair stood up on the back of my neck as I started walking, but I knew if he said that I could do it, then I could. So, despite the fear and uncertainty in each step that I took, and though I lost my footing in the dark a few times, I kept going. When I could finally see the lights of the house, a peace came over me. I found the way, and I knew where I was going.

This lesson has repeated itself many times in my life when I have found myself in the darkness… and I remember his words, You can do it, boy. No matter what darkness I may face in this life, I know the way home. Thanks, Dad.

And God said to Joshua, "Now, lead the people of Israel across the Jordan River which I will make dry for their crossing. After all the people have crossed, take twelve men—one man from each tribe—and each shall choose a large stone from the middle of the Jordan River which he shall carry across and set down in a circle. These standing stones shall be a sign to your children. When your children and their descendants ask the meaning of the stones, tell them this. The stones of Gilgal mark Israel’s footprints across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, so going forward—wherever the tribes settle, mark your footprints with the stones.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I am grateful for the hard times, the struggle, and the pain. It has led to great healing, understanding, and appreciation of every breath of this life. Thank God my life has not been easy! Ultimately, it is through the storms of life that I found my purpose, which lead me to write this book. These pages contain a part of my soul that I chose to share in order to illuminate the fact that anything is possible for those who believe.

I’d like to thank my mother, my father, and my sister for being a blessing in my life, believing in me, teaching me that family stays together, to never give up, and to find joy in the little things. Thank you to my grandparents and my aunt Lucy, who were a huge influence in my life. Also, I would like to thank my friends who have been there through it all, you know who you are. Thank you to my brothers who served with me. And thank you to my love, my companion, and beautiful wife, who convinced me to publish this work and continues to stand beside me in this great adventure we share called life. I love you, Miriam.

Jazmin… There is nothing you cannot do, I believe in you, and I love you with all my heart—always have, always will.

Introduction

I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.

George S. Patton

This book isn’t about something new. This book is about something we all share, we all know, and live with every day of our lives. It’s about the struggle, the pain, and hardships we face as we pursue our goals, dreams, and ultimately happiness and fulfillment in our lives.

The only thing holding you back from accomplishing your goals, living your dreams, and finding purpose and happiness is within you. Your life is in your hands. The strength you need to make it comes from within you.

What kind of heart do you have? How bad do you want it? How hard are you willing to fight for it? How much can you take and keep going? The world and life are going to test your resolve. Life is going to knock you down. How hard can you get knocked down and get back up? How much are you willing to take and how hard are you going to fight for what you want in life? How much pain are you willing to endure?

Are you going to listen to people that say you can’t do it? Or are you going to show them that you can? When life knocks you in the dirt are you going to stay there and give up? Or are you not willing to fail? Do you want it so bad that it doesn’t matter how many times you have to get back up because as long as you still have another breath, you can keep going?

You have to want it so bad that you won’t accept failure. You have to believe in your heart that you have what it takes to make it. No one can fight this fight for you; you have to be the one that stands up and decides that nothing is going to stand in your way. No hardship is too great for you to overcome. Can you believe in yourself so fully that nothing can break you down and take that from you?

You are the only one responsible for your failure. Failure is not in the falling, but is in the refusal to get back up. Are you going to accept defeat and months or years down the road wish you would have just gotten back up one more time and gave it everything you had? Are you going to accept fading away quietly from this world? Or are you going to say NO! I WON’T GO GENTLY!

Will you fight to your very last day standing on your accomplishments with no regrets because you know in your heart, you gave it everything you had? That when you were tested in those moments that there was nothing more you could have done?

Life is not going to slow down and wait for you to get ready to start living; you have to start living right now. You have to start fighting right now! It doesn’t matter what has happened in your past; every second, every breath is another chance.

Your past is over; live in the moment and take what you want out of life! So many people get right up to the point where they have almost reached their dream and give up because it was just too hard. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to hurt. How bad do you want it? How hard are you going to fight for it? What kind of heart do you have? How do you want people to remember you? What do you want people to say about you long after you are gone? What legacy are you going to leave with your life?

Nothing from within you can be given to you or taken from you if you don’t accept it. Only you have the answers, and only you have the power to live the life you want to live. So, I challenge you to ask yourself… What is within you?

If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, your right.

Henry Ford

This is my story. I hope that you will see that you can rise from even the worst situations, find purpose in your life, and find that anything is possible if you are willing to keep fighting for it. If you get knocked down,