True Freedom, According to Col. Oliver North

Intercessors for America ^ | April, 2004 | Oliver North

[epow]

TRUE FREEDOM

Oliver North

2004 Honorary Chairman, National Day of Prayer

God has protected and blessed me all my life. But for more than thirty years I failed to acknowledge His active, personal interest. Through all those years, He patiently coaxed me toward the pathway to true freedom (I can see that now), but I persisted in blundering down my own path in determined ignorance.

As a child growing up in the Catholic church, I never doubted God’s existence, and I learned to respect Him deeply. From a distance.

Years later God showed that He was closer to me than I was willing to admit. My friends and I were driving through heavy snow late at night on a weekend ski trip. It was 1964, my first year at the naval academy. Everyone had fallen asleep…including the driver. I jerked awake just in time to see the headlights of the oncoming truck. Then we hit.

The carnage was terrible. One of my friends was killed, and the other three were badly mangled. In comparison, my injuries were relatively minimal—head injuries, crushed vertebrae in my lower spine, broken nose, broken jaw, broken leg, and one damaged knee. But my surgeries and recovery kept me down for months.

I fought my way back. Sure, I gave God His credit. During my stay at the naval hospital, I made it my daily habit to wheel into the hospital chapel to pray. And God healed me so completely that four years later I won the brigade boxing championship. But my relationship with God was still one-sided—I sent up my requests, and He took care of me. I simply wasn’t listening to what He was trying to tell me.

Prayer is like a two-way radio, which is designed both to transmit and receive. But my radio was stuck on “transmit.” I thought, more than anything else, that my own dogged persistence had brought me back to health and allowed me to finish my academy training. I was determined to become a marine, and I was sure no obstacle was insurmountable. God stuck by me through my year in Vietnam, as I patrolled the so-called demilitarized zone. On several occasions, men standing right next to me were killed, while I was either untouched or back in action in very short order.

God also saved me from another kind of disaster. In my zealous commitment to the Marine Corps, I almost threw away two of His greatest gifts to me—my marriage and my family.

In the early 1970s, I found myself doing what I enjoyed more than anything else—training marines in Okinawa. When I wrote to my wife, Betsy, that I would be missing my second Christmas in a row with her and the kids, she took longer than usual to respond. In her next letter, she wrote, “I’ve had enough. I want a divorce. Here’s the name of my attorney.” I tried to tell myself that I didn’t care, that my work was the only truly important priority. But the honest part of me—the part that hurt so desperately—wouldn’t buy it. The internal struggle took its toll. I ended up in the hospital, my exhausted body racked with bronchitis and my tormented spirit mired in clinical depression. I reluctantly submitted to psychiatric care and then marriage counseling, gradually recovering and ultimately reconciling with Betsy. But even through those excruciating days, I still imagined that my progress and my healing were the results of my own hard work.

One early promotion followed another, only because I was a good officer. Or so I thought. All the while, God was preparing my wake-up call.

By 1978, I had known Lieutenant Colonel John Grinalds for about three years. He was on the fast track through the ranks. Top of his class at West Point and highly decorated from his two tours of duty in Vietnam, he had gone on to become a Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow and to earn a Harvard MBA.

Oh, and there was one other characteristic that set Grinalds apart from the rest. He was one of those “born-again Christians.” Whatever that meant. Along with all the usual training and administrative manuals on his desk, he kept a Bible. Right there in plain sight. And he read it.

Grinalds was assigned as a battalion commander to the Second Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, and he honored me by asking me to come along as his operations officer. I was happy to hitch my wagon to his rapidly rising star. In my new role, I was third in command, responsible for the training and preparation of a two-thousand-man unit for deployment to the Mediterranean.

One morning, about two weeks before we were due to deploy, our battalion was conducting a training exercise. I had just adjusted the antenna on an armored amphibious vehicle and, spurning the ladder on the side, jumped to the ground. Big mistake.

Instant memories of the 1964 car accident flashed through my pain-racked mind. I had re-injured my back in exactly the same place. I lay writhing on the ground. Couldn’t feel my legs. Lost control of my bladder.

Before a medic could arrive, John Grinalds showed up. Next thing I knew, he was putting his hands on my legs and saying, “I’m going to pray for you.”

Pray? I thought. I’m lying here in agony, and you want to pray!

But what I said aloud was, “Uh, Colonel, don’t you think we could just do this the usual way? You know, get the helicopter, go to the hospital..?”

But Grinalds ignored me. He called out, “Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Great Physician. Heal this man.”

In that very instant the pain disappeared. Soon the feeling returned to my legs. When I was ready, Grinalds helped me to my feet.

Astonished, I came out with one of the most inane utterances of my life. I said, “Thank you, sir.”

At that, Grinalds grabbed me by my jacket and pulled me up to his face. “Don’t thank me,” he said. “Thank your Lord and Savior. He is the Great Physician. You have to turn to Him. “

That incident was the two-by-four God used to break through my thick-skulled resistance. I had it in my head that freedom meant taking care of myself, forging my own path through the jungle of life’s challenges. I knew that God was there to help, but I expected Him to follow my lead. What I came to realize was that He had been leading all along-and that I had not done well at following. I had been placing my faith in myself, yet He had been telling me over and over, “You’ll only be truly free when you know and trust Me.”

This realization profoundly humbled me. During the six months of our Mediterranean deployment, I participated in Bible studies with Grinalds and managed to read the Bible cover to cover. I learned that I had known a lot about God, but I had not known Him personally. I had sent a lot of orders in His direction, and He had even deigned to “obey” some of them. But I had been living in servitude to self; now I was discovering true freedom, living as I was designed to live—in relationship with God.

I had grown up believing in the vending machine concept of prayer—you put in your quarter, and you get back your selection, all neatly wrapped and sealed. But now I’ve come to understand that prayer is freely flowing, two-way conversation with a Person. In fact, prayer doesn’t even require words.

When I’m consciously with God that’s prayer. When I look to Him with an attitude of dependence, that’s prayer. Prayer at its best involves intimate, heart-to-heart communion with God, with or without words. John Bunyan, seventeenth-century author of Pilgrims Progress, wrote, “The best prayers have often more groans than words.”

Prayer is the voice of faith…and the pathway to true freedom. True freedom is the opposite of arrogant self-determination. It is submission to God’s will. When I enthrone my own will and pursue my own “best,” I severely limit myself. When I obey God, I open myself to His unlimited blessing. Jesus Himself said that if you obey His teachings, then “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

How can you learn to trust God enough to submit yourself to His will? Only by growing to know Him. Only by living life in conversation with Him. Only through a lifestyle of prayer. Your Creator and Lord wants to relate to you as Friend and Father. He made you for one primary purpose—to live in intimate relationship with Him. When you fulfill that purpose, you find true freedom.

[epow]

The National Day of Prayer is May 6, 2004.

The above excerpt is an taken from Oliver North's latest book, "True Freedom"

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

TRUE FREEDOM

Oliver North

2004 Honorary Chairman, National Day of Prayer

God has protected and blessed me all my life.... for more than thirty years...patiently coaxed me toward the pathway to true freedom...but I persisted in blundering down my own path in determined ignorance.

...One morning, about two weeks before we were due to deploy, our battalion was conducting a training exercise. I had just adjusted the antenna on an armored amphibious vehicle and, spurning the ladder on the side, jumped to the ground. Big mistake.

...I had re-injured my back ... I lay writhing on the ground. Couldn’t feel my legs. Lost control of my bladder.

Before a medic could arrive, John Grinalds showed up. Next thing I knew, he was putting his hands on my legs and saying, “I’m going to pray for you.”

Pray? I thought. I’m lying here in agony, and you want to pray!

                           

 

[Aeronaut]

What a great excerpt. Thanks RTCG.

[The Mayor]

Bump for Ollie North..

[firewalk]

Good morning
& thank you for the ping
(wonderful way to begin the week)

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Cap'n Crunch]

Wow, this is when he was the XO of my old unit, 3/8. Then Major North was supposed to go with us on another Med Cruise but he went to Washington instead.

I have a picture of him with the battalion CO that went with us, Lt. Col. Roger K Ryman.

Major Oliver North was a hard charger.

I was in Captain Armstrong's Lima Company. Captain Armstrong had a Camaro that was painted in a camo pattern. I think we called him "Captain Action" or "Captain America."

Ah, memories.

Didn't know Oliver North was raised Catholic, wonder if he ever went back.

[epow]

Didn't know Oliver North was raised Catholic, wonder if he ever went back.

He doesn't mention whether he remained in the Catholic Church or not. I have heard him speak at Christian-oriented events (on TV) and he doesn't say what his church affiliation is. I guess what really matters is that he is a devout Christian and isn't timid about letting people know it.

If not for that RINO Warner's political vendetta against him, Ollie would probably be a U.S. Senator now and the U.S. would be the better for it.

[blackie]

Col. Oliver North ~ there is Power in Prayer ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[PhilDragoo]

Oliver North had a radio show and advocated leniency for Carla Faye Tucker.

She'd done the pickaxe murders, done the jailhouse conversion, and Oliver North was taking calls.

I called and got put on hold, but I was against leniency, so didn't get on.

I was close to a woman murdered in such a violent cold-blooded fashion, and wasn't about to recognize a jailhouse conversion.

[VOA]

I was sort of neutral about Oliver North until an appearance he had on TV (Larry King?).

In response to one of those "what makes you tick" sort of questions he said
"well, I'm a follower of an intinerant carpenter".

[SiliconValleyGuy]

God bless Ollie. Once and always a patriot!

[nutmeg]

Did you just see Ollie's live report on Hannity & Colmes with the 18-year-old PFC in Ramadi (I didn't get his name, unfortunately)? The PFC was very respectful of Ollie - called him 'sir' with every statement.

Ollie is SO proud of these brave guys... he started to choke up on the air as he was describing their latest missions (basically dangerous urban warfare). You could tell he needed a second or two to compose himself. I was tearing up myself... These brave "kids" in our U.S. military are absolutely incredible! :-)

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[lainde]

bttt