Fire Road: The Napalm Girl’s Journey through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace

My belief is that a careful study of peace will have a far greater unifying effect than even the most exhaustive excavation of the horrors of war. Living a life at peace, and being a people of peace, is how problems get solved.

My 'position' on this, and all matters, is forgiveness. My 'position,' if you will, is love. My faith in Jesus Christ is what enabled me to forgive those who had wronged me - and as you know, the wrongs were severe. My faith in Jesus Christ is what enabled me to pray for my enemies rather than curse them. And my faith in Jesus Christ is what enabled me to love them. I do not just tolerate them, nor am I merely civil toward them. No, I love them. It is this love, alone, that ends wars.

If you worry, you harm yourself and you neglect to care for me. But if you pray, you bless us both.

Fear cannot be present wherever faith is exercised.

...free your heart from hatred; live a simple, not complicated, life; give more to those in need that you meet; expect less, and you'll know less dissatisfaction... Walk by faith, and not by fear.

Choose to free your heart from hatred... Only God can right the wrongs we have known. And to carry around hatred and bitterness is to forfeit our one beautiful life. Come to God. Choose to love God. Lean into God's supernatural strength, knowing it is the only means for doing supernatural things. Let go of the hatred. Let go of the bitterness. Allow God to do what is his alone to do.

We are all walking one fire road or another, be it paved by relational upheaval or financial upheaval, physical or emotional or the general inconveniences of life. But when you and I come along with a posture of peace, or with gentle and kind words, or with an offer of prayer or a hug, or with anything that looks and acts like Jesus, it is as though we have used a fire extinguisher - the flames that burned hot settle down.

The fact is, we all are children of war, whether we have seen a single bomb fall from the sky. A battle is being waged inside of us, and the spoils are our souls.

There is no power like the Lord's power. There is nothing as good as the goodness of God.

...I had to decide whether I would travel the road paved with life and peace and joy, or the one marked by suffering and bitterness and rage. Would I hand over my life to the lordship of Jesus or not? Which path would I choose?

I decided that regardless of what was happening around me, I would choose to be content.

My childhood was everything a childhood should be: carefree, cherished, whimsical, provisioned, enjoyable, abundant, alive.

Living a life at peace, and being a people of peace, is how problems get solved.

turn your worry into prayer. If you worry, you harm yourself and you neglect to care for me. But if you pray, you bless us both. You get to come nearer to God in conversation, and you get to minister to me from afar.

I believed passionately in the remarks I had prepared and hoped that in some small way I could persuade those listening that regardless of the question, war never is the answer.