“O God, hear me! Not once in my life have I ever spoken to You, but today I feel the urge to make You an act of worship. You know that even from my infancy they always told me that You didn’t exist… I, stupid, believed them.

I had never marveled at Your great works. But tonight I looked up from out of a shell hole at the heaven of stars above me! And fascinated by their brilliant magnificence All at once I understood how terrible the deception…

I don’t know, O God, if You will give me Your hand. But I say this to You, and You understand. Isn’t it strange, that in the midst of a terrible inferno, the light should appear to me and I should have discovered You? Beyond this I have nothing to say to You. I am happy just because I have known You.

At midnight we must attack, But I have no fear, You are looking out for us. It is the signal. I have to go. It was wonderful to be with You.

I want also to tell You, and You know it, that the battle will be hard: it could be that, in this very night, I’ll come to knock at Your door. And even though up to now I haven’t been Your friend, When I come, will You let me come in?

But what’s this? Am I crying? My Lord God, You see what has happened: only now I’ve begun to see clearly…

Farewell, my God, I am going. It’s scarcely possible that I’ll return.
Strange; Death now has no fear for me.” — Aleksander Zatzepta

The above writing was found in the jacket of a Russian soldier, Aleksander Zatzepta, composed just a few moments before the battle in which he lost his life during World War II.

I am thankful for hope at the last minute.  Perhaps hope to face death is needed even more than hope for living. Thankfully my God provides both.