Dear People of Christ Lutheran,

“Where did you sleep last night?” I recently asked a young Marine in the dim morning light. He had just finished shaving his face using cold water that sloshed around in his metal canteen cup. It’s the same cup he would later use to make powered coffee, providing some caffeine before the Marine swam 500 meters in the ocean with his Company. “Right there” the Marine replied, pointing down, at the asphalt we are standing on. “I slept right there. It got a little windy last night. But it wasn’t too bad.”

The Marine then says, “Hey Chaps, I’ve been meaning to ask you. I have been looking for a church to go to. Have any suggestions?” So goes a typical conversation in one of the world’s best ministries as a US Navy Chaplain. For over a year now, I’ve had the joy of serving over 700 US Marines here on the west coast and it’s the ordinary conversations that become the launching pad for discussions about purpose, faith, and often, Jesus.

Before I became a “Chaps”, short for Chaplain, my understanding of what infantry Marines do was narrow. I thought I would share a few highlights with you, Christ Lutheran, of my time the past few months. I have,

-  Crawled with Marines through the darkness at 1:00 AM using night-vision goggles while machine gun rounds zipped over our heads. In the dark, the tracers look like a scene from Star Wars. During a quiet moment, one Marine tells me about losing his stepfather recently in an accident which allows me to listen and pray with him.

-  I traveled with Marines who embarked in amphibious vehicles that splashed into the Pacific Ocean. Beforehand, I brought the Marines bagels and talked with them about what feeds their spiritual life.

-  I climbed nine miles over the coastal mountains on an early morning hike carrying gear weighing 70 pounds. During a break, I held an impromptu a Bible Study on Psalm 46 and experiencing God’s help in times of trouble.

The daily pulse is demanding, but it is worth it because I have the joy of showing up with one thing on my uniform that is unique: the cross of Christ. When Marines see the cross, with them, on the mountains, on the asphalt, by the water, there’s an effect nothing can replicate. It’s a reminder to these young men and women who give so much to serve their Country: that God loves them and cares about them. What an honor.

My boss, the Lieutenant Colonel of the battalion, is a man of deep Christian faith. He also drives a red, 1968 Ford Mustang. I was talking to him recently about his car. He told me he plans to replace the headlights, with something far brighter. The original headlights have grown dim, and he likes when another car drives behind his Mustang casting more light on the road. That’s our calling dear friends: to travel with others and cast light on the road for them (Luke 8:16-17). The light of Jesus can guide us to avoid the potholes of fear and prevent us from getting (or staying) lost in the world.

I’m so proud of the good work you are doing for God’s kingdom, Christ Lutheran! Keep shining the light wherever the Lord sends you and God bless you. Thank you, as always, for remembering our ministry to the military and holding us in your prayers!

Peace,

Chaplain Drew Goodson

1^st Battalion, 1^st Marines

Andrew.Goodson@usmc.mil