FORT BELVOIR, Va. (May 10) -- The Fort Belvoir community focused on how faith plays a role in building resiliency, during the annual Installation Prayer Breakfast, May 3, at the Officer's Club.
Editor-in-Chief of Guideposts magazine, Edward Grinnan, spoke about how faith and resiliency helped him turn his life around.
Grinnan was invited to the breakfast because of the magazine's relationship with Belvoir.
Guideposts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing hope, encouragement, and inspiration to millions across America and the world, according to Richard V. Hopple Guideposts President and Chief Executive Officer.
The Guideposts magazine provides direction and guidance through true stories, written by ordinary people, which share their experiences about extraordinary events in their lives. These stories not only captivate readers, but also inspire people to put faith into action and rise above their toughest personal problems, according to Hopple.
The audience listened to a reading of Psalm 146. The psalm discusses how God is in control and involved in human lives and that no matter how tough a person's life may be at times, they are never alone, according to Chaplain (Lt. Col.) James King, deputy garrison chaplain and senior protestant pastor.
Grinnan, who stayed afterwards to sign copies of his new book "The Promise of Hope," joined the staff of Guideposts in 1986 after battling alcoholism.
King said Grinnan's story fits right in with the resiliency the Army tries to instill in its Soldiers.
"At the times we think things are at their worst, God is still present even if we don't realize it," King said. "The Army has done a lot to build resiliency in our forces, and this is a perfect example of spiritual fitness and resiliency."
A person's life is that person's spiritual roadmap and their experiences teach them the role faith plays in their lives, according to Grinnan.
"Our stories tell us who we are and what's important and there is a path we are meant to follow," said Grinnan. "We don't always see it when we are on it, but it's there and it's exciting."
Almost everyone at the event picked up a copy of Grinnan's book and received an autograph. They told him how much they appreciated him sharing his story.
"(Grinnan's story) was very inspirational," Spc. Tony Roderick, Headquarters and Headquarters Company Special Activities chaplain's assistant, said. "I've hit a little bump in my life, so his story gives me hope. I've never read the Guideposts, so I have something to look forward to now."
He also said he enjoyed listening to Grinnan speak, since he likes to hear the view points of older people.
"I think experience gives the best knowledge, because I'm younger," said Roderick. "So, I like to talk to older people about their stories and see what I can learn."
Sharing how faith can help make a person more resilient is important to King, and he feels that was accomplished during the breakfast.
"We can discover how God works in our lives. There's a great power in sharing that with other people," said King. "As each of us experiences God at work in our lives; that becomes an example and inspiration to others. It multiplies the effectiveness."
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