Original subtitles

♪ There was a time that I swore I would never go back ♪

♪ I was blind to the truth, didn't know what I had ♪

♪ I was running, I was searching ♪

♪ But every place I turned for healing ♪

♪ Left me more broken than the last ♪

♪ Take me back to the place that feels like home ♪

♪ To the people that I can depend on ♪

♪ To the faith it's in my bones ♪

♪ Take me back to a preacher and a verse ♪

♪ Where they've seen me at my worst ♪

♪ To the love I had at first ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna go to church ♪

♪ Tried to walk on my own but I wound up lost ♪

♪ Now I'm making my way to the foot of the cross ♪

♪ It's not a trophy for the winners ♪

♪ It's a shelter for the sinners ♪

♪ And it's right where I belong ♪

♪ Take me back to the place that feels like home ♪

♪ To the people I can depend on ♪

♪ To the faith it's in my bones ♪

♪ Take me back to a preacher and a verse ♪

♪ Where they've seen me at my worst ♪

♪ To the love I had at first ♪

♪ Oh, I want to go to church ♪

(congregation clapping)

Thank you, Lexi, for sharing your beautiful voice

with us here.

A couple of announcements first.

A very special announcement today.

One of our young people has decided to serve our country.

Brandon, would you stand please?

(congregation claps)

(gentle music)

Big on doubles.

Mr. Coleman just gave me a hundred bucks.

No way, does he think you're going on vacation?

- Yeah. - Nice.

- Hey. - Hey.

Super proud of you.

- Thank you, sir. - Super.

And be safe, we're gonna be praying for you.

And we'll be anxious

for you to get back.

Thank you.

(people chattering)

(crickets chirping)

"And if you're ever feeling scared,"

"I will be right there by your side."

Dad.

Yeah, honey.

What's an IAD?

IAD?

A boy in my class said his uncle was killed by an IAD.

Oh.

You mean IED.

It's a homemade explosive used by the bad guys.

Will they use one on you?

Your dad is gonna be really safe.

And I'm gonna have a lot of people around me

helping keep everyone safe.

It's really important that you know that.

I'm going because I want to serve.

I want to serve my country.

(gentle music)

You know, it's only hitting me just now.

I knew this moment would come, but I just can't.

Hey, hey.

I'm gonna come back.

I really believe that this is what God has called me to do.

And I can't explain how,

but I know he's gonna protect me.

(Nancy crying)

(gentle music)

[Soldier] Oh ten-hut, hut, hut, hut.

[Man] Where's my bunk?

[Soldier] I have no idea.

- What's up, dawg? - What's up?

Ten-hut.

What is this?

Take that horse crap off.

Suck it up.

What?

What is this?

Are you opening a candy store, what are you doing?

What is this?

[Tubby] It's what I have, Drill Sergeant.

What, are you laughing at me?

No, Drill Sergeant.

Do you find something funny, son?

No, Drill Sergeant.

You know what I find funny?

You brought a tub.

You are Tubby.

That's it, Tubby.

And you, were you in a motorcycle gang?

- No, Drill Sergeant. - You're pretty boy.

You're pretty boy.

Get that off your head.

What is this, huh?

Whose is this?

- Who? - Mine, Drill Sergeant.

What is this?

The Bible, Drill Sergeant.

[Drill Sergeant] Preacher, that's you.

Yes, Drill Sergeant.

I'm on to you, boy.

I got you later, boy.

Sergeant, take care of this.

Yes, Drill Sergeant.

What a mess, what a mess.

What are we gonna do with this?

You believe in this?

Yes, Drill Sergeant.

Turn to Jeremiah 5:20.

Read it.

"You are my war club, my weapon for battle."

Louder.

"You are my war club, my weapon for battle."

[Sergeant] Louder.

"You on my war club, my weapon for battle."

"With you, I shatter nations."

"With you, I destroy kingdoms."

Kingdoms, gentlemen.

We're gonna destroy kingdoms, right?

[All] Sir, yes, Sir.

Put that in your locker, Preacher.

(man coughing)

Do you believe in God?

God?

[Brandon] Yeah, man.

Yeah, I guess.

Hey, preacher, why don't you read us a story,

help pass the time, huh?

This one's from Philippians 4:13.

"I can do all things in Christ, who gives me strength."

You're gonna need some of that strength

to get old Tubby over that wall outside.

Yeah, yeah, all right, very funny.

Come on, let's go.

Go, get up, get up, again.

Get down.

Down.

Up, down.

Up.

Tubby, down, up.

Stay, I said stay up.

Get up, down.

Up, down.

Up, get it moving.

Come on, Tubby, you got it.

Get down, get down, go, let's go, next room, next room,

Tubby, move, next room.

What is your goal?

Might as well pass this.

Hey.

I got you.

And for the man.

Oh and it's still hot.

You're like his best friend.

I'm listening guys.

Hey listen, I like Tootsie Roll.

Homemade chocolate.

Watch this.

With a Tootsie Roll?

With a Tootsie Roll, yes.

He does this all the time, believe me.

You hear something,

take it out of the paper.

Swirl it.

[Brandon] I have never seen this before my entire life.

You can be at that for hours

if you want that to be chocolate.

(Brandon laughing)

[Tubby] I'm just so exhausted here.

I really miss you.

Make sure the kids know

I miss being at their soccer games, okay.

[Amber] Hey Daddy.

Hey sweetie, happy birthday.

How was the party?

It was good.

We took a lot of pictures for mama to send you.

Oh that's great.

I really wish I could have been there.

I got this new doll, her name is Lily.

Then I also got this bike helmet, the bikes outside,

but I can show you that later.

And I got this book "A Little Princess."

I've been reading it to myself

and I'm on chapter three and it's a great book.

And I love it.

Why don't you let me talk to daddy for a little bit, okay.

Okay.

Bye Daddy, love you.

Yeah, I love you.

Hi Honey.

Oh, you look tired.

Yeah I am.

Last night we went on a 3:00 a.m. run

then we went back to bed.

Yeah.

Listen, I have a pretty good idea

of where they're sending me when we finish.

I'll be rolling into deployment like we thought.

I don't know what communication's gonna be like

at that point, I'll try to stay in touch.

I want you to know how proud I am of you

and how proud your father would be too.

Thanks.

So tell me more about life back there.

Anything new with.

[Damen] Hurry up Preacher.

Hey, I just sat down.

Preacher.

Yeah, Drill Sergeant's nickname for me.

It's kind of caught on with the guys too.

I don't know if it's the fear of war or the lack of sleep,

most everyone here wants to know more about God.

Well, do you think I could send some bibles?

Yeah, yeah, that'd be great.

[Damen] I'd rather have the computer.

Ah, listen honey, I better go, I love you.

I love you too.

[Tubby] Hey Preacher, I couldn't help overhearing,

you told your wife you're getting sent to the war.

That's the rumor, isn't it?

[Tubby] Well, yeah, but that's just, it, it's a rumor,

there's nothing official yet.

Look, if it turns out to be wrong,

I'll gladly call her back and tell her the good news.

But until then, I don't want to give her false hope.

Sometimes it helps to prepare for the worst.

[Tubby] Sounds pretty cynical for the bible guy.

Yeah, well, God doesn't promise to do everything

the way we'd want him to.

[Tubby] All right, well then what does he promise.

My wife's praying for me to stay safe.

You think she should just give that up?

Oh leave it alone, Tubby.

If you wanted a guarantee of staying safe,

you really chose the wrong line of work.

[Tubby] Fair enough, Captain.

Chris.

Chris.

What's up?

What's up man?

Chilling, chilling.

How you doing?

Hey.

Yeah.

You know they sending us tomorrow right?

Yeah, yeah.

You okay?

I'm good, I'm good.

I'm just.

You know I love you right?

[Chris] Yeah.

What you talking about?

Just wanted to tell you,

tell you I love you.

I love you too man.

You okay?

I'm okay, I'm good.

(gentle music)

(bombs exploding)

(guns firing)

(gentle music)

[Reporter] And Al-Qaeda terrorists trained men.

(gentle music)

In Afghanistan.

(gentle music)

(bombs exploding)

(gentle music)

(birds chirping)

You know, I feel like I'm going crazy.

It's been two years and I still, in the morning, rollover

and I go to say something to him and he's not there.

Have you heard any more news?

Any more news?

I've heard no news.

It's, "Call this number."

Where's my husband?

"Call this number."

Can I get a hold of my husband?

"Call this number?"

Is he alive?

"Call this number."

I get it.

I get it, it's war, but I need to know something.

We're still praying for him.

(gentle music)

(soldiers shouting)

Door rear to your left, one up.

Clear left, up one.

[Brandon] Bravo you hot?

Bravo, Stronghold, head down the floor,

tell me when you're ready.

Bravo ready.

[Brandon] Alpha move.

Moving up.

(gentle music)

[Soldier] Alpha set.

Bravo move.

(gentle music)

(guns firing)

Alpha, other side, move.

(guns firing)

Get your butt up here.

(guns firing)

(speaks in foreign language)

(guns firing)

Chris, where are you?

Chris?

(guns firing)

Push forward.

(telephone ringing)

Oh.

Oh please God, please.

(telephone ringing)

Hello.

(gentle music)

[Amber] Daddy.

(gentle music)

Clear.

[Brandon] Security check.

[Soldier] Tubby, check the body.

Clear.

(birds chirping)

One of our members has returned to us.

And we are so grateful and thankful to him for his service.

With thank him, we thank his family.

He served our country over two years

in Afghanistan and Iraq.

And we're so happy to have him back.

Please stand Sergeant Brandon Williams.

(congregation applauding)

(people chattering)

(gentle music)

(guns firing)

(suspenseful music)

How you doing, sir.

Here you go, I'm so sorry.

Thank you.

(gentle music)

[Tubby] Every third, Wednesday of the month,

I gotta come up here to the VA

and talk to an expert about my feelings.

All I really want is for someone to listen to me.

That's not what happens.

Instead you go in there, you pour your heart out.

And what they do is they type on their computer,

print out some prescription and they send you off.

They don't care.

They're not even listening.

[Girl] This way, that way.

[Woman] This way.

There you go.

(gentle music)

(guns firing)

(crowd cheering)

Hey.

Can I get a round for the guys.

Sure thing.

Did Dallas win?

I don't know.

Look at it there.

I had him two to one.

New member?

I don't know.

I just thought, I served in Afghanistan.

Oh I can tell.

[Brandon] Fourth Infantry Division.

Air Force retired.

You guys just finished a parade or something?

You wanna join us?

I just kind of want to be, you know?

Well.

[Brandon] Brandon, Brandon Williams.

Well, Brandon Williams, stop by anytime.

Thank you.

(crickets chirping)

Everybody get down.

Brandon, Brandon, it's okay.

(car tires screeching)

Gary, get over here, Gary.

Tom, stop, what happened?

I been following him for miles,

he swerving all over the road.

Okay, I'm sorry, he's sorry,

he doesn't know what he's doing.

He's all messed up right now.

A warning, couldn't you please just give me a chance

to talk to him?

He's going through so much Tom, you know that.

I'll tell you what, if he's serious about getting help,

have him give me a call.

Thank you.

Because he's gonna kill somebody

unless we get this straightened out.

(car engine revving)

(birds chirping)

Hey, maybe after the game we can go for a walk?

Yeah, a walk is good.

Amber, sweetie, did you tell your daddy

about camp this summer?

Camp?

Yeah.

Church camp, she finally reached the age.

Is it overnight?

Well yeah.

Absolutely not.

Dad.

[Brandon] Honey, you're way too young

to be going off to the woods with whoever.

It's with the church.

[Brandon] I don't care who it's with.

Mom.

It's okay, honey, we'll talk about it later.

We just talked about it.

The answer is no.

And what are you doing with a phone?

What eight year old has a phone?

Gimme that.

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ We are in combat for our lives ♪

♪ We fight and we fear that we won't survive ♪

♪ And our only hope now is laying our weapons down ♪

♪ And falling into your arms ♪

♪ My faith is worn ♪

♪ And my hands are tired ♪

♪ My heart is torn between the truth and the lyin' ♪

♪ So I run 'cause I'm done and I need you ♪

♪ You're the one that will come to my rescue ♪

♪ My flesh and bones ♪

♪ Are caught in a war zone ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

(car engine revving)

What brings you to Texas?

You from around here?

No, my wife was pregnant with my son

when I was in Afghanistan

and then decided she wanted to be with her ex.

Took my son to Tahoe and my dog.

Took everything that I had spent three tours

going up to the house with.

All my money in my bank account gone.

I'm on my way back to Kentucky to be close to my son.

But nothing.

Coal trucks, coal mines, drugs and alcohol back there.

My buddy told me to stay at his house down here Texas

and that didn't work out either.

Yeah, can you tell me that your time overseas.

Did you ever feel like you saw the explosion

and the tracer rounds coming?

Hey, I'm gonna stop you there.

I don't talk about that stuff man.

Yeah, there was one time that we were in this camp.

Look man, I asked you.

Just came in so fast and it started.

All right.

I appreciate what you're doing, man.

I really do, but I'm not into the whole counseling bit.

Adam, wait.

Sorry for pushing you, man.

Listen, love to have you over for a hot meal,

take a hot shower.

We can throw a ball game on and just hang out, two Vets.

(gentle music)

You gonna eat that burger?

Take it man, it's all yours.

Maybe.

Thank you.

[Soldier] Tubby, you got the rear?

Yeah, I got it.

[Brandon] Gamma, go pull security on rear.

[Soldier] Alpha, we got inventory.

[Brandon] Let's move.

[Soldier] We got a live one.

[Brandon] Take him, take him, take him.

(suspenseful music)

Who are you?

(door bell ringing)

(birds chirping)

- Hey, good to see you. - Hey.

Yeah.

I am sorry to just come by like this.

If you wanna do a different day.

No, it's fine, come on in.

You sure?

Absolutely, come on.

Honey, look who it is.

(birds chirping)

Oh, hi, hi, I'm Nancy, nice to meet you.

Come on in.

Come on.

You know what, let me go get Amber, she's outside.

That's a good idea.

Oh yeah, you can meet my daughter.

Daughter.

You didn't tell me you had a daughter.

How old is she?

I might send her.

She's eight going on 15.

Don't worry, you'll be fine.

Well, any case you have a bathroom or something,

where I can freshen up?

Oh, I'm sorry, yeah,

it's right down there to the right, help yourself.

Sure.

- Hey. - Hey.

Where's Adam.

Oh he's in the bathroom, he'll be right back.

Okay.

Honey.

Don't worry, he's a good guy.

I know.

I just wish you would have told me he was coming.

Well, I didn't even know he was coming.

I mean, I invited him, but.

Look, he's been through a lot

and he doesn't have anyone to help him like I do.

Oh, oh Adam.

Please take a seat, I'm gonna get dinner started.

Yeah, man, come one, gives us more time to talk.

Hi, I'm Amber, nice to meet you.

Hi.

Where do you live?

Amber.

[Amber] What?

No, it's all right.

Well I guess the easiest way to explain that is,

outside.

It's kinda like camping, every night,

I get to look at the stars, look for planets,

lightening bugs, crickets and birds

and listen to them all nice.

It's pretty cool.

I wish I could go camping.

Maybe your dad will take you one day.

I was supposed to go to church camp this summer

but dad says I can't go.

Hey, we said, we'll talk about it.

We said, we'll talk about it?

- You said no. - Well,

I'm still thinking about it.

Why your dad's just trying to protect you.

Hey, my dad did the same thing to me.

I was your age, we had this big tree in the backyard, right,

and I wanted to climb it so bad,

dad didn't want me to get hurt, told me not to.

I came home from school one day

and he was late getting home from work.

You know what I did?

You climbed the tree.

All the way to the top, all the way.

(laughing)

But I was too scared once I got up there,

I couldn't get back down.

Then how'd you get down?

The easiest way possible. I fell.

(both laughing)

Hit most of the branches on the way down too.

I didn't break any bones or anything,

but my dad didn't have any trouble

keeping me out of the tree after that.

(both laughing)

(gentle upbeat music)

(crickets chirping)

No, seriously thank you guys for everything.

Absolutely, it was our pleasure.

Hey, the offer still stands,

you sure you don't want to stay the night?

I'm good.

I got it, I'm okay, thank you.

- Anytime. - Bye.

[Katherine] Have you been gonna those meetings with Tom?

I missed the last one.

And the one before that.

Have you been going to any at all?

- Listen. - No, you listen Gary,

you can't keep doing this.

It's not good for the kids.

I'm trying to stay away from them.

What?

No, that's not what they want.

Gary, they don't want you to stay away from them.

We miss you.

We want you to be with us.

Fight for us,

like You fought for our country.

Is it too much to ask you to come to the game next week?

It's the first of the playoffs.

Could you at least call Tom about the meetings?

- It might actually help. - Listen, I'll go.

I'll go to the game next week.

It wasn't like a charm or anything to protect us.

It was just a reminder that God was with us.

Whatever you gotta do to get through it.

Oh, I'm sorry,

I know you didn't want to talk about this stuff.

Can I ask you if you believe in God?

You could ask, but I couldn't say.

I mean, I've had moments

where everything's just falling into place and I thank God.

Like most people would say, I guess.

I've had other times where,

I swear it was like, God was just out to kill me.

I guess what you call God, I call luck.

It's not predictable,

it doesn't discriminate,

it doesn't care about anyone

or anything it touches or breaks.

What's that picture up there, man?

My squad, second tour in Afghanistan.

See that guy third from the right?

Yeah.

That was Mikey.

Amazing man.

He had a beautiful wife, three kids.

One night, we were out on a night patrol,

we were ambushed from all sides.

Somehow I found some cover.

Mikey didn't.

Everything in this world is black and white.

Everything is either good or evil.

Nobody realizes that they've seen the things we've seen

and done the things that we've done.

I was in the Shah Joy District

in the Zabul Province of Afghanistan,

that night we went on patrol and I stepped on an IED.

It coulda killed everybody.

I'm not a bomb maker, I don't know what happened,

but it went off but it didn't explode.

We were you're just covered at HME powder.

And so many guys that have lost,

that had wives and kids and dogs and families

and the rest of the rest of their life to live

and I shoulda died over there man.

(Adam crying)

Hey.

Maybe the fact that the IED didn't explode

means God has a bigger purpose for your life.

A second chance.

And I'm sure that us meeting was no accident.

[Adam] You sound like a preacher man.

Well, that's what they called me in the army.

(Adam laughing)

If you wanna hear someone, who's way better,

you should come to our church tomorrow.

Everyone there would love to have you, man.

No pressure,

it's just an offer.

(birds chirping)

In recent weeks, we've examined the themes of courage,

love and sacrifice, as seen in the life of Jesus.

As I've said, in many ways, Jesus was like a soldier.

This world was enemy territory that he entered into

knowing what would happen to him.

But he gave his life, not only for those who loved him,

but for those who hated him,

including the very ones who nailed him to the cross.

Think about that.

Paul writes in Romans 5,

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person

"though for a good person,

"someone might possibly dare to die."

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this."

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

But the story doesn't end there, does it?

On the third day after his death,

Jesus rose again.

And what that means is that we can be raised to new life,

forgiven our sins and made right with God.

If we simply turn to him in faith,

turn away from our sins and trust in Jesus

instead of ourselves

and God will heal us no matter how broken we are.

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ Father, I thank You ♪

♪ For this glorious rescue ♪

♪ This moment of breakthrough ♪

♪ Father, I thank you ♪

♪ Father, I thank you ♪

♪ 'Cause your promise remains true ♪

♪ There's nothing you can't do ♪

♪ Father, I thank you ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

Hey, your right, in your right.

(suspenseful music)

Clear.

Keep it together Tubby, keep it together.

- I'm good, I'm good. - Okay.

(suspenseful music)

Hey sweetie, what are you doing?

I'm baking cookies for the picnic.

I see that.

And that's a great thought,

but why don't you let Mommy take over from here

and then you can help me frost them.

I hope Adam's gonna love these.

I know he will have those.

Let me do this and.

(laughing)

You're getting it all over Mommy.

Hey Pastor, how's it going?

[Pastor] Brandon, hi, it's.

I'm not sure how to tell you this, it's about Adam.

Well, what about him?

[Pastor] He's dead.

I have a good friend who's a police officer,

they found him late last night.

And it looks like he took his own life.

I'm so sorry, Brandon.

(gentle music)

Damen right, Damen Mudrick?

You served one tour to Iraq, two to Afghanistan.

Yes, sir.

Oh, based on your last mission,

you were awarded the Bronze Star.

Congratulations.

I think it's fair to say that you've fallen

on some hard times haven't you?

It's fair to say.

Do you know this man?

He was handed over to us by the Iraqis.

They say he's Al Qaeda.

He says that you gave him something,

something very important.

Sergeant, what did you give him?

We lost a few guys outside the city to these RPGs,

coming inside this warehouse,

they doused the building with gunfire.

My team took the top floor.

We were only there

to make sure that there were no survivors.

Tubby you got the rear?

Yeah, I got it.

Gamma, go pull security on rear.

Alpha, we got inventory, let's move.

[Soldier] Captain, we got aa live one.

Take him, take him, take him.

He was in bad shape.

We figured it die so.

[Robert] So what?

So we left him.

Sergeant, this man should have been a prisoner.

Sergeant, what did you give him?

We gotta get outta here.

Hurry, hurry.

I gave him a bible.

An English bible.

(clock ticking)

Hey.

Hey, good morning, Pastor James.

Good morning, may I?

Absolutely.

A bus picks her up down the corner.

(both laughing)

Is Brandon here?

Yeah, yeah.

It's okay, if I speak with him for a moment?

Come on in.

Thank you.

Brandon, there's no way he could have known.

I have heard so many stories

of people who seemed completely fine.

You just don't know.

There's nothing you could have done.

But you knew you could have done something?

God.

God was there.

Just watching when Adam picked up that knife.

He was watching as he slit each of his wrists

and he didn't do a thing to stop it.

God was there when Adam was in Afghanistan,

seeing people's limbs get blown off,

children get shot,

but he didn't stop it.

No, all he did was stop the bomb from going off

just to make sure Adam lived a little bit longer to suffer

before he died anyway.

That's the God I preached to dozens of soldiers

and said he loved them and wanted the best for them.

Meeting you was the best thing

that could've ever happened to Adam.

God used you to help save his soul,

even if none of us could help save his life.

So that's it.

That's all he promises.

Nothing for this life.

Ella we made it to the playoffs.

Emma was great.

I know, Angela didn't even miss one goal.

What is the matter with you?

You coulda hurt me, don't you pay attention

to what you're doing?

What is going on?

I'm sorry.

I was laying on the.

I was just, I was trying to, I'm sorry listen.

Go to your room.

Go to your room.

Right now, go, go, it's okay, go, go.

I'm sorry, I didn't know.

[Katherine] Gary, you need help.

Help, yeah okay.

I'm gonna go see Tom in his bible friends

so that they can quote cliches at me

and tell me what a horrible person I am.

You're not a horrible person.

But you need help, but I can't give it to you, I have tried.

Gary, you listen to me right now.

I will not let you hurt our children.

Even if it means I take them away from you.

(suspenseful music)

(guns firing)

Get the medic, come on.

Chris, Chris, come on man.

Chris please look at me.

Look at me.

- Come on, come on. - We can make it.

Gotta come on.

[Soldier] Hang in there, hang in there.

[Man] We can stay here, we can't stay here, man, come on.

(gentle music)

(birds chirping)

He believed you, you know,

we all did.

Damen, I'm so sorry.

Strangest thing though,

this mission, when we first started out,

had to clearest feeling that I was gonna die.

Can I see your bible, I don't have mine anymore.

Read that.

Verse four.

"He will wipe away every tear from your eyes."

"There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain"

"for the old order of things has passed away."

Chris found that one the other day.

He always liked to read from the end of the book.

Do you want to know what's better

than having every tear wiped away?

Never having to cry 'em in the first place.

(gentle music)

(birds chirping)

[Tubby] I just want to go.

I need to see my family again.

(birds chirping)

Tom, it's Gary.

What time did you say that meeting was again?

Welcome everyone, I'd like to thank you

for coming to today's meeting.

I know it's time away from your family, but we are family,

we have a bond of brotherhood

and it's great that you can come here

and share time with us.

It's a safe place to talk about things,

if you feel like talking about it

or listen to the experiences of others.

Thanks again for being here.

So I did a two tours in Iraq

and when I come home, life's never been the same.

I have anger issues and these demons in my head,

it's hard to sleep at night

and I know I'm hard to live with,

with all the issues that I deal with.

My wife left me.

She couldn't deal with it anymore.

I don't have a relationship with my kids.

It's just me,

me and the demons.

His first assignment was in Iraq

and he said, "Honey, you stay home"

"and plan the wedding while I go and defend our country."

So off he went

and I went home and started planning the wedding.

But Daniel never came home.

And there was no wedding.

He called us one day and he said

that they were shipping him out to Afghanistan

and he promised me, he'd be back.

I'm gonna tell you I prayed every single day for him.

As a mom, I was never so scared.

I remember the day sitting in that chair,

right in front of that flag-draped casket.

And I said, there is no way that my son is in that casket.

They didn't even have much to identify.

I know the government made a huge mistake

and my son is gonna come home to me, just like you promised.

(people chattering)

- You said 12:30. - Around 12:30.

12:30 again.

So you off next week.

You guys just open a Walmart?

We're the Honor Guard.

We conduct military service for a fallen brothers.

And this is Doug,

we just slewed his casket today.

Doug was the comrade here at the VFW Post 573.

I've known him ever since I was a kid.

We do about a hundred funerals a year.

A hundred?

I'm so sorry guys, I didn't know.

That's what we do, we continue to serve.

[Man] And we're always looking for new members.

Hi, my name's Thomas.

I'm not really here for myself,

I'm here for my father, these were his.

Every 4th of July, we would all

watch the fireworks together as family, you know.

And after he came back,

he didn't want to watch 'em with us anymore.

You said they scared him too much.

The other night my father took his own life.

Now I gotta explain to my little brother

why his daddy's not gonna be around anymore.

How do you explain to a 12 year old kid

that his dad's not gonna be around anymore?

I appreciate everyone sharing.

Thank you for being here, it means a lot to everyone.

Before we close, does anybody else have anything to add?

Yeah, I got something.

My name is Gary Newhouse, sergeant, Army.

My friends are well, my fellow soldiers,

they call me Tubby.

I joined the military because I needed change,

I needed a direction.

And I did get change.

You know, my unit, we had this idea

that if we carried Bibles with us everywhere we went,

we would be safe, we'd be protected.

But obviously that didn't do us too much good.

We were stationed up on a fob in the Kunar Valley,

small ambushes day and night.

And I'd find myself asking,

where's God in all of this?

But I know now, I know that God is with me,

he's the only reason I'm here.

(class applauding)

Are you sure you want to do this?

Yes sir, I am.

This is very serious.

You want to see it from a different perspective, son?

You hand a flag to a wife or a daughter,

you watch their hearts break at the playing of, "Taps."

I know how hard it is.

But you have another chance.

Just don't let your mind go dark.

'Cause when you do,

it's over.

Well, there they are.

You want me to go with you?

No, I got to do this myself, thanks though.

(gentle upbeat music)

(car engine revving)

♪ When I'm weak you make me strong ♪

♪ When I'm alive you shine your light on me ♪

♪ 'Cause I'll never get by ♪

♪ Living on my own ability ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ How refreshing to know you don't need me ♪

♪ How amazing to find that you want me ♪

♪ So I'll stand on your truth ♪

♪ And I'll fight with your strength ♪

♪ Until you bring the victory ♪

♪ By the power of Christ in me ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

(birds chirping)

(telephone ringing)

Hello.

Preacher.

Damen, what's going on man.

I tried calling since we got back,

but the number you gave me doesn't work.

Yeah, yeah.

Hey listen, do you remember that mission

at the warehouse right before Chris?

Anyway, that wounded guy,

you remember I gave him my bible?

Yeah.

You're not gonna believe this.

I can barely believe it, I can barely believe it,

but he's still alive.

If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened.

What, what wouldn't have happened?

He took that one bible,

and over the last two years,

he's been planting churches all over Iraq.

He wasn't even a terrorist,

they were holding him against his will.

And he's been.

What are the odds of that?

I don't know about you,

but I left Iraq thinking that God was nowhere in it.

But because of what you did,

hundreds of people ain't saved over there right now.

And that's not all,

Yasin, that's his name, Pastor Yasin.

And I got to meet him.

The government granted him asylum here.

He tried to thank me for saving his life.

But I told him that you were the one that gave me a bible.

He'd like to meet you if that's cool.

Well great, I'd like to meet him too,

and see you again.

Where are you guys?

(airplane engine roaring)

(birds chirping)

After we last met in Jalalabad,

they put me in the military.

I refused to join

and they called me terrorist,

sympathizer to American.

They put me back in the prison.

After that, they traded me to your government.

I have this for years now.

I have read it many, many times.

And this is what I come to know about it.

God always will finish the work he has started.

(gentle upbeat music)

I think it's awesome,

he's gonna get housing assistance.

I just wish more homeless veterans would get that.

Yeah, I tried for it but.

Look, when I got back home,

I didn't even wanna stay at my old place,

Chris and I shared it.

Everything just reminded me of him, you know.

So where do you live now?

Well, I mean, I got some money.

The government wasn't totally without sympathy.

I'll be all right.

I'll get back on my feet.

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Daddy is coming home yeah, yeah ♪

♪ And I'm coming home ♪

♪ Saw locked up, went to you bed ♪

♪ Looked at your face and then I said ♪

♪ Lord thank you for taking me in ♪

♪ 'Cause I've done a lot of wrong in my life ♪

♪ I drank one too many every night ♪

♪ That's another sad song about my life ♪

♪ So maybe don't wake up the kids ♪

♪ I know they're just fine ♪

♪ It's just me and you in our bed tonight ♪

♪ And I'm hoping to have the same dream ♪

♪ It took two to make, took one to figure out ♪

♪ Took the rest of us to work this out ♪

♪ I know someday you'll be mine ♪

♪ And I'll be back for one more fight ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ To hold on to me ♪

♪ I know this coming fast it's just you and me ♪

♪ And I gotta back to a war ♪

♪ That I'm fighting for what is right ♪

♪ Because there's sand in my eye and I can't seem to see ♪

♪ And the dust has got me so blind it almost sees ♪

♪ And I can barely breathe ♪

♪ I can barely breathe ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ So don't wake up the kids I know they're just fine ♪

♪ It's just me and you and our dreams tonight ♪

♪ And it's gonna be a good now ♪

♪ 'Cause now it's more than two ♪

♪ It took more to make three ♪

♪ And it was just you and me and see everything ♪

♪ I ever wanted now ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ 'Cause my babies all know when daddy is home now ♪

♪ That daddy is home now ♪

(gentle upbeat music)

♪ Daddy is coming home ♪

♪ Daddy is coming home ♪

♪ Daddy is coming home ♪