Live Fire with Chuck Holton

Chuck’s piece on Mike Sonenschein airs on the November 22 show. Mike is an old army buddy who found Christ in the desert of Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in 1990. Chuck originally wrote Mike’s story in his book, Stories from a Soldier’s heart.

The piece is highlighted at the beginning of the show, but doesn’t air until about 19 minutes in. You can watch the show online for the next two weeks.

Click here to watch the show.

Mr. Holton,

It is 29-Oct-2004 12:30pm as I scribble this note on a pad in the parking lot of “Delta Rock”, Fort Benning. I have just completed watching airborne graduation of our son Chase. I also just read the last page of your book.
RIP is to start soon. As I wait in the car I feel compelled to write you this note telling you how God has used you to touch the lives of our family.

In June 2003 our son Chase signed a DEP contract after just completing his junior year in high school. Although we have always been a strong Christian family (1 son and 1 daughter), Satan had infiltrated our household during Chase’s early high school years. Chase was looking, but he didn’t know what for. Experimentation with drugs came as they were readily available in his middle class suburban school. I have no doubt that it was God’s intervention that enabled him to be caught early and avoid prolonged use.
Chase realized drugs were not what he was looking for, but he was still searching for something. School was a breeze for him with straight A’s through the 7th grade (in gifted and talented classes). High school was now becoming boring and his grades reflected it. He then started researching the military and became fascinated with the Rangers.

I knew nothing about what a Ranger was, in fact I don’t think I had ever heard the term. Chase kept talking about his new quest. I was channel surfing one evening (I watch about an hour of TV a week) and you were on a show. I believe it may have been Pat Robertson or the 700 Club (not sure).
As you talked about your book, I looked at my wife in utter disbelief. A Christian Ranger book! As the saying goes, God can accomplish more than we can ever imagine. He had done it once again. I immediately went to the computer and ordered your book off of Amazon. When it arrived Chase read it in two days (he is a non reader). My wife and I did not immediately read the book, but we noticed a change in Chase. He began writing notes and poems to hang on his wall in his room. These elaborated on how he felt God had a plan for his life, and that attempting to become a Ranger might be part of that plan. He also commented on how he was afraid, yet not afraid.
He had more peace than he had ever experienced. He told his sister that he had never felt closer to God.

This note has become longer than I intended. After my wife Cathy and I read your book, we now have more of an understanding of where the changes in Chase came from. God used you again! With OSUT and Airborne behind him, I am leaving your book with him as he prepares to start RIP. He says he has soldier friends he wants to share your book with. God only knows if it is the plan for him to finish RIP and Ranger Training. What I do know is that we serve an awesome God. As long as we seek him there can be no wrong decisions. Thank you again for letting God use you to make an impact on our lives.

God bless you and your family,
Layne & Cathy
Tulsa, OK

Chuck’s latest article with Focus on the Family appears in November’s Plugged In magazine. It deals with a creative method that he used in a recent speech to ask “Are you financing the darkness?” by bringing Eminem into the church.

click here to read the article. (look at the bottom right corner of the page)

Many of you have asked to be informed when I have a CBN piece airing. Many times, however, I don’t know myself until after the fact. I’ve been working as an adventure correspondent for CBN now for over a year, and this is one of the first posts about my work there. I guess I’ve been too busy doing to spend much time writing about it. Anyway, the most recent story I’ve had aired was on my trip to Jordan, which you can read all about at our Jordan blog. Or you can see the transcript of my story on CBN’s website.