Summery
The text Resilient Warriors by Robert F. Dees, gives an insight and understanding to
some of the most important ideas and thoughts that we as humans and Christians have in todays
world. With ideas and thoughts being some of the hardest questions in life that we all ask God,
ourselves, and those around us. The questions of why do storms in our life come if God is good?
How do we calm the storms that we experience? And how do we as human beings who have
many emotions balance them? How do we balance anger, fear, sadness, confusion, alongside all
of the other emotions that we go through every day in our live time. This book has been created
to thoughtful and prayerfully answer these questions and give a beautiful insight into them and
how we can and should understand them in a life that is and always will be broken until Jesus
comes again. This message of the text is written in a way that is given and shown to the military
personnel but this book is a great understanding and guide for any and everyone who is or who is
not a Christian and may be questioning their walk with Christ. All of these topics are something
that WE ALL have had to face and it is helpful to have a text that gives a Biblical insight into the
wondering.
Critique
When trying to think of something to critique I could not find anything negative to men-
tion. When reading the text by I really enjoyed how he was very personal in his writing by men-
tioning that we all struggle with the same ideas. When an author is personal the reader becomes
much more connected to the words on the page. I enjoyed as well the insight on a leader and how
a leader is supposed to be taught, understood, and seen. I found this to be helpful because we all
are leaders no matter who you are and you need to have a strong hole of your leadership so that
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you know who you are personally and as a leader of others. When we know who we are in Christ
we are a stronger leader towards others. I also really enjoyed although I am going into hospital
chaplaincy I really enjoyed how it was military focused, I mention this because we as men and
women who are not apart of the military in anyway never hear about the personal struggles,
hardships, and downfalls that the service men and women experience when they are protecting
us. We only hear and see about it for a split second on the news. So how can we help and guide
them and remind them that they are loved, seen, and understood, during such a hard time that
will affect them? Having organizations that lead, understand, and care well for people is so im-
portant in a time of uncertainty and a time of thoughtfulness when one ask “why is this happen-
ing me, to others that I love? The text makes you realize all throughout that even though we ex-
perience hard times in life and times that we may feel that we cannot get through them God is
there and other people are there as well through family, friends, organizations, etc. We just have
to walk through the hard times with full trust and hope in God that He is with us and will get us
through the storm. Another area of the book that I appreciated was that it focused on America.
America is in great need of help and understanding of their concerns. The government is so easy
to say that I am better than you because I am the government. We are all sinful in need of a com-
ing Savior we just have to show love, care, hope, and acceptance to those around us to spread the
love and kindness of Jesus because you never know the hardship and struggle that someone is
facing in the world today. To be like Christ we have to sit with those people that are different and
that are struggling and need a listening ear to lean on.
Application
When thinking about the best application I thought of my whole life and my future. Dur-
ing all through grade school and college I would focus on the ones that are the least of these and
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that are struggling. This has helped me and guided me into who I am today because it has lead
me to understanding Christ more as I help those who are struggling whether it be mental health,
health issues in general, or someone just needing a friend. Another area where I see this book
working into my life is in my future as a hospital chaplain. According to The Resilience Trilogy:
Resilient Warriors, “For the vast majority of us, trial and tribulation are realities. Jesus reminded
his disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation …” (John 16:33, NKJV) The question is not
if, but when.”1As a hospital chaplain many questions are asked of why do things happen in the
world? Why do good things happen to good people, why did my loved one pass away, or why
did they get diagnosed? All of these questions and thoughts are stressful and hard to take on, but
I as a hospital chaplain am there to help, comfort, and listen. Following Christ is not easy and it
takes work but it is so work it because when we do struggle and suffer we have God with us and
walking and guiding us through the storm that it will be.
1Robert F. Dees, The Resilience Trilogy: Resilient Warriors (Creative Team Publishing, 2011), 24.
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