Storytellers (Col. Norm McDaniel)
In our annual summer series, Storytellers, we will hear from a variety of wonderful guest speakers. This week, our series continues with Col. Norm McDaniel, Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war, and Cornelius Muller. They are discussing Col. McDaniel’s experiences and God’s providence and mercy throughout.
Together, watch this short video about their upcoming film, “Love Brought Me Home” and then discuss the following questions.
1. IHave you ever had to wait a long time for something you deeply hoped and prayed for? What was that experience like?
2. Colonel McDaniel’s family spent a year and a half not knowing whether he was alive or dead, yet his wife continued to pray and believe he would come home. What does this kind of persistent faith teach us about trusting God when we don't have answers?
3. Col. McDaniel’s son says, “Even though we didn't know where he was, we believe God did.” How does this statement challenge or encourage us when we find ourselves in situations where God seems distant or circumstances are beyond our control?
4. Colonel McDaniel describes moments when prayer was the only thing that kept him going. Think about a difficult season in your own life. How has prayer sustained you, changed you, or helped you endure—even when your circumstances didn't immediately change?
5. The video repeatedly connects faith with hope and perseverance, especially when the world seemed to say that hope was gone. What is the difference between Christian hope and simply being optimistic that things will work out? Where do we find hope when circumstances don't turn out the way we want?
6. The story emphasizes that suffering affected not only Colonel McDaniel but his entire family. How can our faith—or the faith of others—help sustain a community during difficult seasons? What does it look like for a church to “carry” one another when someone's faith is struggling?
7. In the video, Cornelius Muller says that faith can sustain us “even in the darkest places.” Where do you see God at work in the world today, particularly in places or situations where hope seems fragile? How might God be inviting you to become an agent of hope and faith for someone else?
(*Video available after Sunday services)
