Hello Friends:
Back from the Philippines a couple weeks ago. Not planning on going out for another exercise for a couple months. As for this time of year, if it weren't for all the Americans over here I wouldn't have had a Thanksgiving. But luckily there are enough, and there are turkeys on Okinawa, so everything worked out.
Here is a letter that I just wrote to a friend of mine who is on this mailing list. I felt this should be the update that I sent out;
hopefully it will minister in some way...
Thank you for the Thanksgiving greetings. They are appreciated, as was your last email to me, to which I have yet to respond. So here it goes...
I agree with you about writing, especially letters (emails nowadays). I actually had a revelation about this some time ago; hear me out. I think the reason writing letters (electronic or snail, whichever you prefer) can be so powerful at times is because of the fact that over half of the New Testament is just that, letters from Paul to his beloved friends and churches. God used letters SIGNIFICANTLY in history (His-story) to spread the Gospel message, and for Paul or other disciples to share deep, marvelous truths about Jesus Christ. No wonder there is such power in the pen! Just as reading some of those biblical letters can rejeuvenate the soul, or give you any other type of thrill of emotion, reading letters written between friends in Christ, sharing love, truth, growth, can do much the same thing by the power of the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 4:3-4, which talks about the fact that the same Spirit is in me, you, and all believers, amen!). I was so excited when that thought first came to me! Let me know what you think.
I'm really excited for you. Per the last email you sent me, it seems like you are doing life right now in a very whole, and worthwhile way. Putting Jesus first always makes things pan-out (probably because that is a biblical Truth ;) Romans 8:28), even if the road seems difficult or impassable at some points. God bless as you continue to strive towards that end. That is where Philippians 3:14 always comes into play for me - press on towards that Goal!
As for me, I'm just trying to do life right now too. In my recent spare time I earned my SCUBA license, which is awesome for a place like Okinawa where the reefs are alive and well, teeming with fish and other sea creatures. I was surrounded by a school of hundreds of barracuda on my first dive in the ocean! It was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. I'll be going to mainland Japan in mid-December for an officer exchange program with the Japanese - don't know what to expect other than it is going to be a really cool experience. And when I get back from that I get to go right to the pistol range to do my annual pistol qualification. This is all motivating for me.
Other amazing news is that there is a Marine in my platoon who recently recommited himself to Christ while I was in the Philippines, and another Marine who I recently shared the Gospel with in a way that was very relevant to him and his current life situation. The second Marine received it well, and is taking baby steps. I'm praying for him and his wife for their hearts to be softened, and for the Reality of Christ to impact them in all its glory. Please pray for them, as well as the rest of my platoon, and for me to be the platoon commander that God wants me to be. Amen!
That should do it for now. Thanks again for writing. Keep things in check over there at Hope College; don't do anything I wouldn't do. Take care until next time... end of letter.
This is the end of my message to you now... hope and pray you had a good holiday; Lord knows we have lots to be thankful for. Please email and let me know how you are doing. I would love that a lot.
In Christ,
2ndLt Steven R. Haack
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Flashback - ...to the Philippines - 11 October 2007
Dear Friends:
Greetings from Okinawa. I will soon (in a couple hours) be deployed to the Philippines in support of another exercise we have with the Filipino military, much like what we did in Korea. I delight in the opportunities I have to see these different parts of the world. Each new place I go/new experience I have enlarges my vision of the greatness and glory of God our Creator. This is awesome because as my perception of God grows, so does my Faith and Trust in Him - Amen! Whether it be the exotic languages which sound nothing like English, the multitude of cultures, the beautiful Asian people - Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and so many more, or the geographical differences - from oceans, to mountains, to jungle-like terrain, it all adds up to ONE thing - Romans 1:20.
Since being back from Korea I moved into an apartment that overlooks the ocean (see pictures - one of sunset from balcony, one of living room, one of me and Frank). This is a direct answer to prayer! When I got to Okinawa one of the biggest desires I had was to live on the ocean, mostly because I knew the crashing/rolling of the waves would be healing to my soul, and because God's power and might and beauty can be seen every time you look to the horizon.
Keep in mind it is extremely difficult to find a place because everyone wants to live on the ocean. I got here at just the right time, when someone was moving out of the apartment I now live in. While in Korea, my good friend Caleb took care of getting the lease signed and paying my security deposit, first months rent, etc... and low and behold, here I sit, watching the sunset every night over the East China Sea, amazed that each night seems more spectacular than the last. There is only ONE who could orchestrate these types of circumstances; his name is Jesus.
Please pray for me what Paul prays for the Ephesians in 3:14-20. I want Christ to dwell in my heart through Faith even more so than He already does (v.16); I want to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (v.19). Oh my gosh, these prayers are ridiculous because they are nothing short of miracles; they are more than all we can ask or imagine (v.20). Thankfully we serve a God of Miracles, of Redemption, of Salvation, and so much more. I encourage you to "press on towards the goal for which God has called [you] heavenward in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14. Please let me know how you are doing, as I cherish the responses I get and maintaining communication with those who are/have been so dear in my life.
Semper Fidelis - Your brother in Christ,
Steven R. Haack
Greetings from Okinawa. I will soon (in a couple hours) be deployed to the Philippines in support of another exercise we have with the Filipino military, much like what we did in Korea. I delight in the opportunities I have to see these different parts of the world. Each new place I go/new experience I have enlarges my vision of the greatness and glory of God our Creator. This is awesome because as my perception of God grows, so does my Faith and Trust in Him - Amen! Whether it be the exotic languages which sound nothing like English, the multitude of cultures, the beautiful Asian people - Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and so many more, or the geographical differences - from oceans, to mountains, to jungle-like terrain, it all adds up to ONE thing - Romans 1:20.
Since being back from Korea I moved into an apartment that overlooks the ocean (see pictures - one of sunset from balcony, one of living room, one of me and Frank). This is a direct answer to prayer! When I got to Okinawa one of the biggest desires I had was to live on the ocean, mostly because I knew the crashing/rolling of the waves would be healing to my soul, and because God's power and might and beauty can be seen every time you look to the horizon.
Keep in mind it is extremely difficult to find a place because everyone wants to live on the ocean. I got here at just the right time, when someone was moving out of the apartment I now live in. While in Korea, my good friend Caleb took care of getting the lease signed and paying my security deposit, first months rent, etc... and low and behold, here I sit, watching the sunset every night over the East China Sea, amazed that each night seems more spectacular than the last. There is only ONE who could orchestrate these types of circumstances; his name is Jesus.Please pray for me what Paul prays for the Ephesians in 3:14-20. I want Christ to dwell in my heart through Faith even more so than He already does (v.16); I want to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (v.19). Oh my gosh, these prayers are ridiculous because they are nothing short of miracles; they are more than all we can ask or imagine (v.20). Thankfully we serve a God of Miracles, of Redemption, of Salvation, and so much more. I encourage you to "press on towards the goal for which God has called [you] heavenward in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14. Please let me know how you are doing, as I cherish the responses I get and maintaining communication with those who are/have been so dear in my life.
Semper Fidelis - Your brother in Christ,
Steven R. Haack
Flashback - Korea and back...almost - 29 August 2007
Friends:
Yes, Korea was great, and yes the exercise went well (actually I'm still here and will be home in about a week but I couldn't hold this email in any longer). A quick note on that... it was great to be on a deployment already. This exercise provided an opportunity to see our equipment being used, and more importantly, the hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not couple million dollars) of data gear that I will be responsible for in a few weeks. As Communication Squadron 18, we support the entire 1st Marine Aircraft Wing with regards to comm, and to see the Tactical Air Command Center in its fully functional mode during this exercise really put my job in perspective, especially with regards to the fact of how data-centric the Wing has become. Not long after I get back I'll most likely be headed to the Philippines for another exercise called Talon Vision. Seeing the world on a free ticket and doing what I'm able to do isn't a bad deal!
In other news, God has done great things in my life while in Korea. I encourage you to read on. I came to a conclusion recently, after a nice run that I had the morning of 16 August, and wrote it in my journal. Now this conclusion was aided by my friend Oswald Chambers, and of course, the Bible. It's not new, as the Fathers of our Faith have stumbled upon it in different ways, but it is new for me. I came to this conclusion after pondering my life verse (which I've adopted recently) because I realized that knowing Christ is THE goal of my life:
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:10-14).
It has become increasingly clear to me over the past year or so that I've been in the Marine Corps that life is not about what we do, or even, what we do for God; but rather, it is about coming to know him more. For example, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better," is Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in 1:17. Don't be fooled, however. Participating in God's work and sharing our Faith is still important, but look, even that acheives the end of coming to know God as well, "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 1:6, emphasis mine).
Look at this compelling example that Oswald uses on 16 August: "It is possible to know all about doctrine and yet not know Jesus. The soul is in danger when knowledge of doctrine outsteps intimate touch with Jesus. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine was no more to Mary than the grass under her feet. Any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could not ridicule out of her was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her; yet His belssings were nothing in comparison to Himself... The one sign of discipleship is intimate connection with Him, a knowledge of Jesus Christ which nothing can shake." Again, it comes back to knowing Christ. Amen.
There's more points I've got, but I can't keep going in this here email. Let me know if you'd like me to share with you. Also, I would love to hear some feedback about this so-called revelation. Thank you and thank God.
As I said at the beginning of the email, I will be heading back to Okinawa within the next week, and by the grace of God, moving into my oceanview apartment. I will send pictures of that when I get there to persuade those who've thought of coming to visit me in Okinawa to make it happen. Lastly, I just want to say thank you for praying for me. Your prayers are coveted. I know that some of you must be praying for me because I can feel it in the deepest part of my soul that I am being encoruaged by the Spirit of God because of the power of prayers being said on my behalf. Be ensured that they are not only being answered but that I'm doing the same for you.
Love in Christ,
2ndLt Steven Robert Haack
Yes, Korea was great, and yes the exercise went well (actually I'm still here and will be home in about a week but I couldn't hold this email in any longer). A quick note on that... it was great to be on a deployment already. This exercise provided an opportunity to see our equipment being used, and more importantly, the hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not couple million dollars) of data gear that I will be responsible for in a few weeks. As Communication Squadron 18, we support the entire 1st Marine Aircraft Wing with regards to comm, and to see the Tactical Air Command Center in its fully functional mode during this exercise really put my job in perspective, especially with regards to the fact of how data-centric the Wing has become. Not long after I get back I'll most likely be headed to the Philippines for another exercise called Talon Vision. Seeing the world on a free ticket and doing what I'm able to do isn't a bad deal!
In other news, God has done great things in my life while in Korea. I encourage you to read on. I came to a conclusion recently, after a nice run that I had the morning of 16 August, and wrote it in my journal. Now this conclusion was aided by my friend Oswald Chambers, and of course, the Bible. It's not new, as the Fathers of our Faith have stumbled upon it in different ways, but it is new for me. I came to this conclusion after pondering my life verse (which I've adopted recently) because I realized that knowing Christ is THE goal of my life:"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:10-14).
It has become increasingly clear to me over the past year or so that I've been in the Marine Corps that life is not about what we do, or even, what we do for God; but rather, it is about coming to know him more. For example, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better," is Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in 1:17. Don't be fooled, however. Participating in God's work and sharing our Faith is still important, but look, even that acheives the end of coming to know God as well, "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" (Philemon 1:6, emphasis mine).
Look at this compelling example that Oswald uses on 16 August: "It is possible to know all about doctrine and yet not know Jesus. The soul is in danger when knowledge of doctrine outsteps intimate touch with Jesus. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine was no more to Mary than the grass under her feet. Any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could not ridicule out of her was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her; yet His belssings were nothing in comparison to Himself... The one sign of discipleship is intimate connection with Him, a knowledge of Jesus Christ which nothing can shake." Again, it comes back to knowing Christ. Amen.
There's more points I've got, but I can't keep going in this here email. Let me know if you'd like me to share with you. Also, I would love to hear some feedback about this so-called revelation. Thank you and thank God.
As I said at the beginning of the email, I will be heading back to Okinawa within the next week, and by the grace of God, moving into my oceanview apartment. I will send pictures of that when I get there to persuade those who've thought of coming to visit me in Okinawa to make it happen. Lastly, I just want to say thank you for praying for me. Your prayers are coveted. I know that some of you must be praying for me because I can feel it in the deepest part of my soul that I am being encoruaged by the Spirit of God because of the power of prayers being said on my behalf. Be ensured that they are not only being answered but that I'm doing the same for you.
Love in Christ,
2ndLt Steven Robert Haack
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