Calling and Preparation
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
After my conversion, I developed a deep hunger for God’s Word. I couldn’t get enough of it. That hunger soon turned into a desire to study the Bible more deeply—even to the point of considering Bible college. Eventually, I began working during the day and attending classes at night. Even while in Bible college, I still wrestled with the question: Why am I here? What is God preparing me for? I longed for clarity, and though I didn’t yet have all the answers, I trusted that in time, God would reveal His purpose. And He did. The Marine Corps Reserve unit I was a part of was called to active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield. My world changed within months. I went from living comfortably and studying theology to sleeping in tents on the border of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. For the first time in my life, I came face to face with the real possibility of dying. But God showed up in a big way. He gave me favor with the men under my command and with my peers. He provided for us and protected us in ways I can only describe as supernatural.
God of the Desert
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his
steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
During Desert Storm, I served as a convoy commander, leading missions to resupply our frontline troops. Most days were demanding, but one mission in particular has stayed etched in my mind—not because of the danger alone, but because of how clearly I saw God’s hand at work. We had been on the road since morning, pushing into the evening hours. Our trucks carried badly needed supplies, and the mission required long hours and sharp focus. By nightfall, the weather turned against us. Heavy winds and shifting sands forced us to leave the main road and take an alternate route.
It wasn’t ideal, but in the desert, you learn to adapt quickly. After many miles, the exhaustion began to settle in. My drivers and I made the call to pull off and grab a few hours of desperately needed rest. Out there, with nothing but sand and sky around us, even a short break felt like a gift. When we awoke, the scene had completely changed. The wind had been busy while we slept, erasing all traces of the path ahead. Our landmarks were gone.
That’s when the reality hit us—we were lost. I glanced at the map, then at the horizon, and my stomach tightened. We were dangerously close to the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. In the wrong direction, we could easily cross into enemy territory. I didn’t have to say it out loud; everyone understood the stakes. In that moment, I prayed—not a long, polished prayer, just a desperate cry for help: “Lord, You know where we are. Guide us back.” Moments later, my driver climbed to the top of the truck and spotted a glaring light far off in the distance. Could it be coming from the main road—the one we had left hours ago? With no other options, we decided to steer the convoy toward the light.
After traveling some distance, we realized the light was coming from a checkpoint on the main road. When we pulled up, the guard at the checkpoint asked where we had come from. We explained our route and how we had been forced off the main road and had stopped for rest after driving quite a distance. Then he asked what time we had left the main road. When I told him, his complexion changed. He went on to explain that right around the time we had left the main road, there had been a horrible accident involving trucks carrying fuel and ammunition—leading to a massive explosion. At that moment, I turned and looked at my driver, a friend and fellow believer in Christ. We realized that God had not only answered our prayers—He had rerouted the convoy to keep us safe.
From that day on, our convoy earned the nickname “the Holy Rollers.” No matter how dangerous the mission, I never struggled to find drivers willing to serve. Looking back, I realize that in moments of uncertainty and danger, we can trust that God is actively watching over us. His plans may reroute our paths in ways we cannot see at the time, but His purpose is always for our good and our growth. Even in the seemingly lost moments, God’s guidance is present—leading, protecting, and strengthening our faith. By God’s grace, every one of us made it home—but none of us came back the same. We were forever changed by the carnage of war. Many of us left a part of who we were in that desert. But for me, it also solidified my calling and deepened my dependence on the God who never left us, not for a moment.