GOD@WORK....FROM A NAVY SEAL TO LITTLE ELIOT

God uses those who are big....and little....and old and young.  That's the awesome thing about God.  He can use any size or sha;pe or age he wants.  I'm going to tell you two stories today, drastically different in nature.  In the end, I think you can see God's hand within both of their lives....even when we are tempted to think otherwise.  First, let's go to the little North Iowa town of Rockford where friends and family will honor a fallen hero.  

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff Friday, August 19, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in honor of Petty Officer Jon T. Tumilson, 35.

Petty Officer Tumilson was killed in action Saturday, August 6, 2011, when a Taliban rocket-propelled grenade shot down a helicopter carrying 30 Americans, including Tumilson and 21 other Navy SEALs. Tumilson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

The Tumilson family offered these thoughts.  "Our son and brother, Jon T. Tumilson, died living his dream as a Navy SEAL. We will miss him every day for the rest of our lives. We are so very proud of Jon – proud of the person he was, proud of the high standard he lived to, and we are especially proud of what he did with his life.

"We received so many wonderful messages and thoughts from a great group of fellow SEALs and military friends who are Jon’s friends and are now cherished friends of ours.  Jon and his friends are making a positive difference in our world – they work hard and make incredible sacrifices for the good of our Nation and our world.  He would want every American to know that and to be thankful for our military.

Petty Officer Jon Tumilson

 "Jon was a Navy SEAL and he was proud to die this way – for his country and for the people he loved so much. We respect the nature of their jobs and the need to protect these men and women so they can continue to serve our nation; therefore, we will not provide details of Jon’s military service.

"We are deeply appreciative for every visit, phone call, email message, prayer and thought offered to our family during our grief. We thank each and every one of our friends, our community, the U.S. Navy for helping our family through this painful time. We would like to ask that the news media respect our privacy and the privacy of other Families who are suffering through loss of a beloved son, brother, husband or father.
"God bless our military, their families and our nation."


You just never thought it would happen to Jon," a good friend, Mark Bigg said.  "He's done so many dangerous things."

Now, I'd like to show you a video of a little guy named Eliot.  And I do mean little.  But God used Eliot and continues to use Eliot.  His video has had over 3.4 million views.  Here's his story.....

 

Two much different stories but both so POWERFUL.  God used Petty Officer Tumilson for 35 years of his life and Eliot for 99 days, yet both will leave lasting images on us all.  You have an opportunity today to pass along to others these two stories.  Work it into the conversation.  Tell others the Good News.... 

This past week at my men's group, "Men Inspired", our leader Fritz Trost shared 99 Balloons.  For 6 minutes all eyes were fixed on the video.  At the end.....there was silence.  It was apparent in the tears streaming down the cheeks of many men....God had spoke.  All we have to do is listen.  Big Jon and Little Eliot have touched us.  Their deaths offer inspiration.....despite our sorrows.  

II Cor. 1:3,4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.-II Cor. 1:3-4

YGG,

John