John E Howard

The Deacon and the Shield John E Howard

Eddy Riffle coexists with two identities-one that is filled with dark places created by the harshness of the Vietnam War and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The other is his life-long yearning for a Christian life with love, faith, and family. A hardened man, he will not allow himself to be treated for this conflict that rages within which has severely wounded his soul. For the individual, there is not much righteousness in war. To survive, things must be done without choice. They are hard to live with. And without public support and understanding, the soldier sometimes puts the blame on himself. With feelings of unworthiness, Eddy's belief about his eternal home was tarnished and, thereby, a barrier to God was erected, too thick to break. It was during battle action that he was nicknamed by his fellow soldiers, "The Deacon." His prayers before battles, his wisdom about questions concerning their anxiety, and his compassion for the wounded did not go unnoticed and earned him respect. Eddy Riffle's story is about inherent darkness that was consumed while on the battlefield-to sickness of soul and abandonment of faith, to loss of love and self-esteem, to a struggle for recovery, to the discovery of a "shield" that, if trusted, would free him to become what he once envisioned. God works in mysterious ways as portrayed within this inspiring tale.