The Little Pocket Bible
Before going ashore on Utah Beach, someone handed Louie Havard a pocket Bible that he carefully placed in the left breast pocket of his uniform jacket. He didn’t think too much about it after that due to the heavy fighting on D-Day and afterward. His unit, Company L of the 4th Division, remained in almost constant contact with the enemy as it fought inland.
A few days later Havard was seriously wounded near Cherbourg. He was struck in the chest by shrapnel, which would have entered his heart, except for the presence of the little pocket Bible in his chest pocket. The book deflected the metal fragment just enough to miss his heart and go into his left arm. He was evacuated to a field hospital where he underwent the first of many operations. After his first surgery, the doctor presented him the Bible that was in his pocket and told him that it had saved his life. Years later, Havard’s daughter observed that she and two succeeding generations also owed their lives to that Bible.444
We are amazed at the story of one small Bible deflecting a piece of shrapnel and extending a man’s life. His family joyfully accepted this event as a miracle and a blessing to themselves and untold descendents to come. Even more amazing is the knowledge that every Bible contains all that is necessary to save human souls, and that millions have been blessed by the power of this great book. Every human being is able to claim this greater miracle through the life-changing message revealed in its pages. Through Jesus Christ we are offered the unearned gift of a relationship with our Father in heaven during this life and throughout eternity.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
—2 Timothy 3:16–17