Fight! Because I’ve Got Your Back!

Situated on 37 acres of rolling green hills in Haymarket, Virginia lies Bull Run Warrior Retreat. Serving Our Willing Warriors is a non-profit organization that operates this beautiful retreat center. The vision for this retreat center began in the hearts of some very special people in 2006. This retreat serves as a home away from home for veterans to seek refuge with their families to find rest and relaxation during times of physical and emotional healing.

Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs has partnered with SOWW to conduct 3 Men’s Legacy sessions in 2019. The first session of the year at this venue was just completed in the first week of March. Men from Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, and several other states converged on this beautiful landscape to lock arms seeking to align their lives with the life God intended them to live.

As the week progressed, these men fully laid bare their souls and unpacked some of the heaviest burdens life has to offer. Classes were given in such topics as Discipline, Marriage, Purity, Brotherhood, PTSd, Legacy, Character, and Money and Possessions. After each class participants broke out into breakout groups and discussed the practical application of each class. Each class is built on Biblical principles and the truth of Scripture.

On the last day of the program a beautiful and unexpected change in the terrain occurred. Unusual for this time of the year, snow began to fall and transformed the usually green rolling hills into a beautiful wintery scene from a Thomas Kinkade painting. Another noticeable transformation was the countenance of the participants who attended this Men’s Legacy session. As is typical, these warriors showed up on the first night with looks of uncertainty and despair. On this last day, these men radiated with joy and hope.

During the graduation ceremony, MOWP founder Chad Robichaux and Executive Director Jeremy Stalnecker encouraged participants to go back home and share the week’s victories with struggling veterans in their circles of influence. Training and East Coast Programs Manager Kevin Schroeder drew the ceremony to a close issuing the Final Challenge from 2 Samuel 10: 1-12. David and his officials found themselves surrounded by an Ammonite army numbering in access of 33,000 men. Joab, commander of Israeli forces, had one strategy in mind while facing such formidable forces – fight! There was no option of defeat, nor retreat. Joab split forces and took some of the Israeli army to face those advancing from their front and charged Abishai, his brother, to take men to defend those advancing from the rear. These seasoned warriors purposed to join forces should one of them become overwhelmed. Just prior to the battle, Joab spoke these words, “May the Lord’s will be done” (vs 12). The rest is history, the Lord gave the victory to Israeli forces who sought His will. The same strategy applies in our lives today: Fight! If the battle seems too overwhelming, join forces with like-minded individuals and continue the fight. May the Lord’s will be done. His will is to do His people good and bring hope, healing and restoration that begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ.