Inspire, Spring 2012

time. Of course, my fellow students were not fond of this. (I doubt my fiancée, Lauren Williams ’12, ever sat next to me on those days!) One morning, my roommates decided to play a prank on me and switch my mandatory Army PT shirt with a similar looking grey shirt that said “Colorado Rockies.” Once at PT, I soon realized why everyone was laughing at me, and the result was a punishment of 100 pushups. I can laugh about that, too — now. Preparing for Duty We often traveled to Indiana’s National Guard Base for training. I often found myself shivering alone in the cold and rain as I pulled security duty for my platoon or squad. Those times always challenged my resolve. It seems the harder you struggle together with a group, the more you bond together. This has definitely been the case with my friends in ROTC. When we graduate and head out into the ranks as second lieutenants, many of us will have to rely solely on the small group of men and women next to us. As officers, we have to answer for everything that happens to our soldiers. Maintaining camaraderie among the ranks remains mission-essential. While many of my ROTC experiences have been challenging, I am constantly finding that I can always push myself a little further. As I get older, I find that each new step initially seems difficult because it is the most difficult thing I have done up to that point. When I am constantly pushed beyond my limit, it puts everything else into context — what was once difficult has become easy. A Bible verse that brings this point home for me is 2 Corinthians 12:9–10: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Persevering through hardship will be a challenge for the rest of my life. I understand that as a student, I am living in a protected environment with little responsibility. Upon graduation, I’ll be commissioned, getting married, and starting a family. I have faith, despite the struggles to come, that I will always know where to find my strength. Living the Motto As part of my contract with the Army, I will serve four years as an Army nurse after graduation. I will not receive my duty station until after I pass the nursing boards — all I can do is study hard and make sure I pass on the first try. If I fail twice, the Army will “re-branch” me and place me where they need me the most. My fiancée and I pray that, following our wedding in June, we will have an idea of where we will be living for the next four years. I look forward to serving as an Army nurse. Cedarville has given me the opportunity to enter the medical profession as a critical thinker with a biblical worldview. My ROTC battalion’s motto is “Deeds Not Words” — I pray my life reflects what I believe and will point others to Christ, no matter where He leads me. Paul Purtell ’12 is a nursing major from Cedarville, Ohio. Upon graduation, he will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. You may contact Paul at spurtell@cedarville.edu. “While many of my ROTC experiences have Been challenging, I am constantly finding that I can always push myself a little further.” my cedarv i l le CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 17