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“Faith forged in the crucible of combat! Chris Plekenpol is a warrior, and he has compiled a great guide for victory in battles that we all face.” Oliver L. North Host of “War Stories” on Fox News and author of The Assassins
“There is no theory here. Just the battle-tested insights of a soldier who has learned to trust his heavenly Father in the valley of the shadow of death. You are going to love this book.”
Andy Stanley Pastor, North Point Community Church About Chris Plekenpol Chris Plekenpol traveled much as a child, growing up in Illinois, Texas, California, and Japan. He earned his mechanical engineering degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1999. It was in December of 1999, that Chris put his trust in Christ at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.
During the seven years he spent in the U.S. Army, Plekenpol quickly rose to command. Following his qualification for Airborne, Jumpmaster, Air Assault, and Ranger, Plekenpol joined the 82nd Airborne Division. As a lieutenant, he led an Airborne Cavalry Scout Platoon, was promoted to be the executive officer of that same troop and was chosen to represent the 82nd Airborne Division in the 2001 Best Ranger Competition. After being selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course, CPT Plekenpol turned down the offer to pursue ministry.
Although, he planned to leave the Army in 2004, Plekenpol was given the chance to command a tank company in May of 2004 responsible for being part of the Defense of South Korea. However, twelve days after taking the Guidon as Commander of Apache Company, 2-72 Armor, Plekenpol was chosen to lead his company in Iraq. As a combat company commander, he was responsible for one hundred men, six of whom he would eventually lose, and a total of $85 million worth of military equipment. His men played a key role in assisting the 1st Marine Division in taking Fallujah in November 2004, played a large part in the first free elections in Iraq in January of 2005, and had the responsibility of securing and capturing terrorists along the highway that connected Fallujah and Ramadi
Plekenpol began writing Christian Devotionals in Korea a year before being deployed to Iraq. While in Iraq he continued his devotional writing aimed at offering insight into the war to U.S. supporters, and to be used as a preparatory tool for his future seminary work. But when his email devotional list quickly grew to hundreds of people requesting his writings, he began compiling his works into a full-length release chronicling his time in Iraq. The resulting books, Faith in the Fog of War and Faith in the Fog of War II, offers readers a firsthand account of the Iraqi war and the unshakable faith that saw Plekenpol through the battles raging both on the ground and in his heart.
A born leader and dynamic speaker, God has called Plekenpol into ministry, he resigned from the Army in August 06, and is currently a student at Dallas Theological Seminary. Chris has been sharing his story of faith amidst struggle and heartache across the country in churches, conferences, and retreats. Chris is now on staff with I Am Second (http://iamsecond.com), a movement that puts Christ first in everything. He serves as the Community Organizer, responsible for the campus ministry, community partnerships, and conferences. Chris chronicles his life of being second with his new book Stumbling Souls to be released in April 2010 by Authentic publishing. In this book, he seeks what happens when he puts God's agenda ahead of his own when he takes in a homeless, homosexual, hurricane Katrina victim off the streets and into his home. |
