As the World Chess Championship rages on, the United States comes together today to pay special tribute to the men and women that have given of themselves to serve in the Armed Forces in order to make our country safe for friends, family, and our ideals. As a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom, I am proud to stand today with my brothers and sisters in arms and say Thank You to each of them for dedicated themselves to something bigger than they are.

It takes a special kind of heart to give one’s life for his brother or sister. It was our Lord Jesus Christ whose words of kindness immortalized the spirit of the military servant:

Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13, ESV

I will be forever grateful for the men and women that I have served with and for the ones that came before me to pay the ultimate price for our way of life. Today, I ask that we all take a moment and put down the chess pieces, step back from the board, and recognize the heroes that do battle on the 64 squares of life in the grandest war game of all.