July 4, 2014

[Dr. Chuck D. Pierce of Glory of Zion ministries writes]

A Time to Reflect on Freedom
We are living in the season of "70."  The number 70 is linked with "seeing," a new spring of life, and breaking out of captivity. This year was the 70th anniversary of D-Day.  That event, with great loss of life, stopped the course of anti-Christ's move to rob our freedom for the future.  Last month, Ben Windsor traveled to France to take part in activities surrounding the 70th anniversary of D-Day.  I asked him to write up his thoughts on what he saw and learned.  I believe it will encourage you, as you reflect on the freedom we celebrate as a nation at this time.

[Ben Windsor remembers]
I have had the desire to go to France and Normandy for many years. It started with my love of history, especially World War II. This really started to take shape, once I started to understand the significance of my birthday, June 6th, 1984. That was the 40th anniversary of D-Day. As I approached my 30th Birthday and the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I knew I had to be in Normandy, to be a part of the ceremonies in some way. As I started planning my trip with my parents, there were several key places I wanted to visit, to help my understanding of the events that took place during that time period in Europe. We decided to visit several key places.

We started in Munich, Germany, and from there we went to The Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden Germany, and then the Dachau Concentration Camp. The Eagles Nest was an engineering marvel that was produced to show off what the Nazi regime was supposed to "represent." But at Dachau, we saw what the Nazi regime truly represented. Dachau was the prototype for all concentration camps developed throughout the rise of Hitler's Germany. As I walked up to the gate of the camp, I could feel the pain of what happened on these grounds within me. This place was Hitler's First Fruit in his "final solution" and as I walked through that place, I felt the evil that was represented by it. I started praying as I walked through the museum and the emotion of that terror of that place just hit me. I could barely speak.

It was a very somber car ride for the next hour, as we headed towards Bastogne, Belgium, which is one of the main focus points of the Battle of the Bulge.  Nearby is also the American Cemetery at Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, which is where General George S. Patton is buried, as well as nearly 6,000 American soldiers killed in the region during the war. It is one of 12 American Military Cemeteries in Europe. It is very similar to the one on the bluffs of Omaha Beach. It was another moment to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

From there, we moved on to the Normandy region of France, so that we could spend time during the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and be a part of some of the festivities. We spent 4 days there visiting different sights, from Omaha Beach to Utah Beach, Caan to St. Mere Eglise. We went to many museums and historical battlefield sights. I walked on both Utah Beach and Omaha Beach. I saw the formidable obstacles that those men, our veterans, had to overcome in the assault on Fortress Europe. They went willingly, many of them volunteers, knowing the odds were stacked against them. Many of those men were as young at 16 and 17 years old. They knew that someone had to stop the evil that was attempting to take a hold in the Earth, and they went willingly.

As I walked on those beaches, and in the bunkers, I came across some of the veterans who had returned to remember. I was honored to go up to them and shake their hand and thank them for their service, for them fighting for my freedom. Every one of them that I talked to said they were there to do their duty. They were there to help France be freed from the oppression and occupation that they had been under for 5 years. I was surprised at the number of people that flocked to the region to celebrate. People from all over Europe came to Normandy, to participate in the festivities. It is like a 4th of July celebration in France. People dressed up in uniforms from all of the Allied militaries from the 40's and reenacted the time period.  They restored military vehicles from the war and drove them from one battle site to the next, treating every veteran like a celebrity. The veterans were asked for their autographs and photos. They were asked questions about the war and their experiences, and every person I saw talking with a veteran would thank them.

As an American, I was thanking them for fighting for my rights and freedoms. Europeans thanked the veterans for liberating them and saving them from oppression and evil that had spread all across Europe. It changed my perspective as I witnessed this. This trip reinforced several things that God has been doing in my life, with me embracing my call and my gift. It helped reinforce my desire to understand war strategies, and how I can apply that knowledge to understanding strategies of the enemy and how we can intercede and strategize to move forward. This trip was an amazing experience and I am so blessed that I was able to be there on the 70th anniversary of D-Day. I was honored to be there, and I was honored to represent Glory of Zion and the Global Spheres Center there. 

[end of Ben Windsor's description of his D-Day anniversary trip to Europe]

Blessings,
Chuck D. Pierce

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