Pair of Tulsa chaplains write a special devotional book

Tulsa Police chaplains write a book for those who serve and those who wait. <br/><br/>News on 6 anchor Lori Fullbright says itâ€™s called Coming Home and it contains daily devotionals, war letters and

Friday, December 10th 2004, 11:28 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police chaplains write a book for those who serve and those who wait.

News on 6 anchor Lori Fullbright says itâ€™s called Coming Home and it contains daily devotionals, war letters and journal pages so people can write down what they're going through both in the war and at home.

Rev Danny Lynchard has been at the center of every police and crime crisis in this city for more than 20 years. As a police chaplain, he's offered words of comfort and encouragement to the families of fallen officers, to the victims of crime, to the men and women who've seen too much. Now, he and fellow pastor Emilie Hawkins, a chaplain for the National Guard, want to offer hope to men and women serving our countries and their families.

Rev Danny Lynchard: "I felt helpless. I felt, they're over there, I'm here, what can I do? I can pray, but, wanted to pray more effectively, that's how it evolved." The idea of helping turned into a book that includes a brief daily devotional, letters and pictures from past wars and plenty of space for people to keep a journal. A journal that can be passed down for generations or as a way to give perspective to this difficult time.

Rev Emile Hawkins: "Remind themselves of why they joined in the first place, as a trophy to remind them they did what they were called to do and they're proud it worked out the way it did."

The devotionals are non-denominational and focus on emotions soldiers might experience like fear and loneliness. Rev Danny Lynchard: "When God says he'll hold your hand, please don't take that as a hand patting party. He infuses you with his might and his fight. He's a soldier's soldier, watching your back while getting your life back on track. With God you can do the impossible."

Pastors Lynchard and Hawkins will do a book signing Saturday at Steve's Sundry near 31st and Harvard from 10 AM to Noon. There will be a box there for people to donate the books to the Blue Star Mothers. They want to include the journals in the holiday care packages they send to our troops overseas.