Meditations From Iraq

In January 2003, Lance Kittleson’s army reserve unit was deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. For the next 14 months, his ministry was transformed – instead of pastoring an Iowa congregation, he now served under harsh and sometimes dangerous conditions as a chaplain for a support unit on the edge of war. Yet even in this chaotic and challenging environment, his trained pastor’s eye finds the presence of God in moments both mundane and exhilarating.

In this collection of e-mails sent to family and friends during his time in the Middle East, Kittleson shares insightful, poignant, and humorous meditations on faith and life. You’ll get a firsthand glimpse of military life, as well as the remarkable ways of the spirit (both divine and human) at work. When the camp’s altar suddenly disappears, you’ll read about how Kittleson comes to understand that the crude replacement altar hastily assembled from discarded shipping crates is a better symbol of Jesus than any fancy altar in an ornate sanctuary. You’ll also see how the sight of a superior officer offering a cup of coffee draws quizzical responses from servicemen accustomed to a rank-conscious army.