Veterans nationwide gathered in Bull Run, VA, in March of 2025 to attend a Mighty Oaks Legacy Program. At the end of the winter season, I think we can all relate to the exhaustion of a cold, bitter, and dark time. More importantly, we hope for what the Spring brings: warmth, light, growth, and production. These men came with the same exhaustion of winter deep in their hearts.
We, the staff at Mighty Oaks, shared with these men our testimonies of a life that led to a cold, bitter, and dark place deep in our hearts. More importantly, we shared our stories of tasting the kindness of the Lord that led to repentance of our sins and faith in our great Savior, Jesus Christ. We testified to the Light of men.
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”(John 1:4 LSB)
The very words of God were spoken to these men from Scripture. From Scripture, the men were shown why darkness reigns and the wisdom unto salvation, the Light, is Jesus Christ. While many prayed and His word was proclaimed, seeds were planted in the hope of a life lived for God and not for this world full of darkness.
God only knows the heart, but at the end of the week, we saw signs of hope for a new life in the Light. The men came bonded together in the darkness but left with a knowledge of hope, warmth, the Light, and growth to a new life.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 LSB)
We all suffer from the same exposure to the elements. All of our hearts grow cold, dark, and bitter. All of these are products of our sin. Praise God that we all have the same call of the Gospel: to repent and place our faith in a perfect Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: the Light.
These veterans who have placed their faith in Christ will definitely expose themselves to the elements of the flesh and this world, but the call is always the same: turn away from sin and run to the cross of Jesus Christ. He is faithful.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 LSB)
