A special note to soldiers (and anyone else who suffers from PTS--Post Traumatic Stress):  The following paragraph was edited out of this week's devotion because we couldn't find a place to fit it in without sidetracking from the main theme of this week's devotional.  Yet, with the recent concerns over statements made by an ordinarily reasonable voice of faith, we wanted to be sure this paragraph got into the hands of the soldiers and their families.  The paragraph was this:

"Even the soldier who, while defending the oppressed, discovers his/her weapon has also taken the lives of the innocent, may come to Jesus with their nightmares and pain, for from Joseph, Jesus would have learned an entire generation of the baby boys of Bethlehem were killed because He was born.  Jesus understands what it means to have others suffer because of us, even when the suffering isn't something we can control."

If you or someone you love suffer from PTSD, Jesus wants you to find professional help.  Until you do, the causes of your trauma simply keep playing themselves over and over again in your head, each time having very nearly the same emotional and physical impact as it did when the real event happened the first time.  While God can clearly heal miraculously, most often He does so through the hands, heart and expertise of professionals trained for this work.  One of the bravest acts you will ever perform is seeking this kind of help.  I know all this because someone loved me enough to help me find help for my own battle with this trial.  Write me if you need someone to listen while you look for that help ---Randy Kilgore