Over 350,000 troops receive historic book of daily devotions

By J. Richard Peck*

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––Over 350,000 copies of Strength for Service to God and Country, a historic book of daily devotions, have been sent to U.S. troops.

Evan Hunsberger

The effort, led by the Nashville-based General Commission on United Methodist Men, began in 2002 when Evan Hunsberger, a California Boy Scout, saw a tattered copy of the book on the nightstand of his grandfather. Eugene Hunsberger, a World War II corpsman, told Evan he had carried the book through two wars.

Noting what comfort the book gave his grandfather, Evan made his Eagle Scout project the republishing of the book. He secured permission from the United Methodist Publishing House, the original publisher of the book, and he added devotions from contemporary leaders.

While he had the modest hope of giving out a couple of hundred books, the commission has helped him raise funds so 350,026 copies have been distributed.

New Edition of "Strength for Service"

Colonel Tom Clark, commanding officer at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, says he was given a copy of the original 1942 edition in 1980s while he was a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Years later, he found the volume had been republished.

“I found this little blue book to be incredibly useful in my daily devotionals as a guidebook that contained a suggested Bible passage, a sermonette, and a prayer,” said Clark. “Moreover, each entry was focused on service—a mindset and lifestyle with which I could identify. Strength for Service helped lead me to my faith in Jesus Christ.”

The commission has received hundreds of thank-you letters from grateful service men and women (see website StrengthforService.org). However, these expressions of gratitude belong to hundreds of churches that have raised funds for the printing and distribution of the books.

Evan’s grandfather did not live to see the results of his grandson’s efforts, but 350,000 service men and women are grateful to him.

*Peck is communications director of the General Commission on United Methodist Men