Tuesday, September 6, 2011

#20 - Lone Survivor

I flew out to Maryland over the weekend and read Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. The book was so riveting that it made the 2 1/2 hour flight seem like minutes. It is the eye witness account of Operation Redwing and the lost heroes of Seal Team 10. If you are patriotic and/or manly in any way shape or form(!), you will love this book. It had me tearing up just reading the forward. I know, real manly.Lutrell is a Navy Seal and explains what happened in Afghanistan as well as the necessary background and context of the men who gave their lives for our freedom in this country. There is some foul language, but it is amazing to read about the dedication, sacrifice and commitment necessary to become a Navy Seal as well as to protect our country. I have always appreciated the men and women who serve our country in the armed forces, but this brought my respect up several notches.

I think you can tell from the title, that Luttrell was the only survivor for a mission in Afghanistan. Many men died, bravely, heroically and valiantly for our country and for each other. I will not summarize the details because I won't be able to do justice to the story. It was amazing to read. I have to admit it, I was tearing up several times on the airplane and even shed tears once.

But here are a few random thoughts on the book. First, I was surprised at how smart Navy Seals have to be. I always knew they had amazing physical requirements but never realized how intelligent they have to be. These men could be lawyers and doctors, one person mentioned was even a Rhodes scholar, but they choose to be Navy Seals. Second, the principles that make Navy Seals great are biblical ones. They emphasize integrity, truth, justice, self-control, discipline, commitment and humility. All the things that should characterize Christians. Third, the camaraderie and love for fellow Seals is exactly what Christian fellowship should be like. They truly do have a bond and commitment to each other that exceeds blood family. It was inspiring and amazing to read about.

I highly recommend this book if you like military history. And as a Christian, you can appreciate God's common grace to all men who follow His design for life.

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