One hundred years ago today, on January 10, 1920, a young teenager lay dying after helping win the last battle of World War One.
He called himself Homer Tommie, the names of his two best friends, because he was too young to join the army with his real name.
He was fighting in Siberia, the forgotten part of WWI. In a heroic attempt to blow up a train, he was hit by a grenade, stabbed with a bayonet, and run over by the train. He had lost his leg and was bleeding to death in the snow.
His body would be found later almost frozen and stacked with other bodies. But Lt. Paul Kendall could not rest that night and felt strangely led to go back to those bodies. There he heard the sound of groaning and realized that the young soldier was not quite dead.
The soldier’s name was actually Fred Bice. Not only did he survive that horror, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, America’s second highest medal, and went on to live a full and fruitful life.
I’m glad he did. He was my grandfather.
A hundred years is a long time. I think of all that would be different in my world had that one young man died on the battlefield. My children would not be here. My grandchildren would not be here. I would never have lived.
The sovereignty of God is a wonderful and beautiful mystery. Whatever you face today, remember that God was at work 100 years ago weaving together a perfect plan so that you could be here.
“Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth” (Psalm 135:6 NASB).
And all that He does is good. You are not alone. You are not an accident. You don’t have to be afraid. And 100 years from now, what you do today for His glory will still matter.
I remember this today, and I praise Him. I stand in awe of His sovereignty and grace—and for the story He has let me and my family be a part of—a story He is still writing.
I don’t know what tomorrow holds—for me, for our nation, or our world. But THIS is the day the Lord has made. And if He has made it, it is good! I will trust Him. I will serve Him. I will be glad in it.
He is worthy of this. Join me.