Born into poverty and raised in a broken family, he left school after eighth grade to help support his family. Deserted by his alcoholic father, his family carried deep wounds that never seemed to heal. Joining the army, he fought in WWII. Arriving one day into the Normandy invasion, he lived to recount his stories for years to come. He was married to a tired and worn woman with her own stories of pain. During the Korean War, upon learning of his wife’s emotional breakdown, he left the military to be at her side.

With the anniversary of my grandfather’s death approaching, I think about his life and his faith. I think about how God can pull us out of deep pits of pain and despair, giving us new life.

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