My shoulders ache beneath my pack
(Lie easier, Cross, upon His back).
I march with feet that burn and smart
(Tread, Holy Feet, upon my heart).
Men shout at me who may not speak
(They scourged Thy back and smote Thy cheek).
I may not lift a hand to clear
My eyes of salty drops that sear.
(Then shall my fickle soul forget
Thy agony of Bloody Sweat?)
My rifle hand is stiff and numb
(From Thy pierced palm red rivers come).
Lord, Thou didst suffer more for me
Than all the hosts of land and sea.
So let me render back again
This millionth of Thy gift. Amen.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
And hope my dreams are thoughtful and deep.
I pray that tonight I'm not awaken,
By bombs exploding and the ground shakin'.
I hope that I can get some peaceful rest,
And wish that the next day will be blessed.
All I want is to sleep through the night,
So that tomorrow I'm ready for another fight.
I pray my dreams are of my family,
As I make sacrifices to keep them free.
May you watch over and keep them safe,
As they wait for me and remain brave.
Dear lord please listen as I pray to you,
And proudly defend the red, white and blue.
I will always serve you and my country,
And be the best person that I can be.
May it be a peaceful night without a sound,
With no shots or bullets flying around.
As I lay and dream of back home again,
I'll unfold my hands after I say Amen.
Lord God, Give us
STRENGTH
for the Battle;
COURAGE
as Guardians of freedom,
Justice and Peace;
SAFETY
In the midst of danger,
and
WISDOM
To follow Your lead.
Brave warriors,
should fate find us in battle,
May our cause be just.
May our leaders have clear vision.
May our courage not falter.
May we be triumphant an earn victory
as we show mercy to our enemies.
May our efforts bring lasting peace.
May our sacrifice be always
appreciated by those we serve.
May we return to our loved ones unharmed.
Should we be harmed, may our wounds heal.
Should we perish in the struggle,
may God embrace us and find for us
a place in His Kingdom.
Lord, I ask for courage.
Courage to face and conquer my own fears….
Courage to take me where others will not go.
I ask for strength…
Strength of body to protect others..
Strength of spirit to lead others.
I ask for dedication…
Dedication to my job, to do it well…
Dedication to my country, to keep it safe.
Give me Lord, concern…
For those who trust me and compassion for those who need me.
And please Lord…..
Through it all be at my side.
I have fought when others feared to serve.
I have gone where others failed to go.
I've lost friends in war and strife,
Who valued Duty more than love of life.
I have shared the comradeship of pain.
I have searched the lands for men that we have lost.
I have sons who served this land of liberty,
Who would fight to see that other stricken lands are free.
I have seen the weak forsake humanity.
I have heard the traitors praise our enemy.
I've seen challenged men become even bolder,
I've seen the Duty, Honor, Sacrifice of the Soldier.
Now I understand the meaning of our lives,
The loss of comrades not so very long ago.
So to you who have answered duties siren call,
May God bless you my son, may God bless you all.
A call to duty is sent out
And the strong and the brave reply.
They do it for love of country,
So there's never a need to ask why.
They leave behind all that they love,
Their families, their homes and their lives,
Because to preserve these precious things
Is the goal for which each soldier strives.
So God bless our troops,
The courageous women and men,
Who fight to make sure
The bells of freedom peal again.
The ultimate sacrifice is to lay down your life
For God, family, and country.
Countless soldiers have charged into battle,
Knowing they wouldn't return to their loved ones
And might never be laid to rest in their native soil.
Yet they took the risk, fought hard to the end,
And hoped their efforts would turn the tide toward victory.
They made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow soldiers,
For their country, for you, and for me.
May God bless them eternally.