President's Message

Fit for Duty, Fit for Heaven

With my son Daniel and my brother Allen I recently visited the national park at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The park covers the site where General George Washington and his troops encamped during the winter of 1777.   

In the visitor’s center there is an information kiosk, which contains the names of Washington’s troops. Along with each name is their record on the monthly muster roll.

On this April morning the three of us were looking for information on our ancestor, Jesse Bowling, my grandmother’s great, great, great, great grandfather.

The record of Jesse Bowling shows line by line that for each of the winter months of the encampment he was “Fit for Duty.” In January 1778 he was “Fit for Duty,” in February 1778 he was “Fit for Duty,” and so on.

This was a time when many of George Washington’s troops deserted him and many others died of malnutrition and weather induced disease. Those that remained loyal and faithful endured a miserable existence.

The Second Virginia Regiment to which Jesse belonged occupied a small knoll along a defensive line overlooking a field of fire with their backs to the river.

There were no strolls around the countryside; they stayed within a space of 20 or 30 yards for the entire winter. There were no Skype videoconferences with relatives back home, USO care packages or periodic furloughs.

They were simply fortunate to avoid starvation or to keep from freezing to death.  But they survived and went on to win the Revolutionary War.

After the war Jesse went west to Kentucky, became an itinerant Baptist preacher and a circuit judge. He was 17 years old at Valley Forge and lived into his 70s—thankfully for my brother, son and I who would otherwise never have been born. 

In ASI we are privileged to serve the Lord in many different roles. Some as supporting ministries. Some as professionals. Others as businessmen. Some as educators. Some as overseas missionaries. Some in media. Some in church construction.

Whatever our individual roll let us pray that we will month by month remain “Fit for Duty.” Then, by and through the grace of Christ, we and those who come to Him through our labors will one day be “Fit for Heaven.”  



- Norman Reitz, ASI president