As she fights courageously to finish the song, tears flow throughout the tiny church. Grown men, toughened by years of harsh experience, cry freely, unashamed of themselves. There is a sense of cleansing and renewed trust. And, as if in answer to her simple song of faith, word of her son is received the following day. The waiting is over.
Uncertainty gives way then to bitter sorrow.
But this mother's faith will not perish in the midst of such grief. Instead it will more than endure the long years ahead. Springing from the depths of a broken heart, her faith will be fed by constant nurturing from the Word of God and steadfast care from her church family. Through the years it will be tested by tenuous exposure to the harsh winds of adversity and affliction. But the faith of the young soldier's mother will only grow stronger.