2. December 2014 - "It's a Miracle" - John Corcoran

John is the President of God's Squad Motorcycle Club Pilgrim Chapter, Ireland. John is married to Karen and they live in County Carlow in Ireland. Carlow is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow and is home to John and Karen.

John is currently studying to be a christian pastor. John is a rugby fan, father and a passionate Jesus freak. He may be small in stature but he sure makes up for it by having a big heart for the last, the least and the lost to which he has dedicated his life.

John writes...............

A dear friend and brother suggested that I might offer some thought’s on paper and kindly suggested a few topics. In respect of his suggestions I was grateful as my mind was blank on anything meaningful to write. That’s the "HOW" involved in the writing of this blog. The "WHY" well I hope by sharing this snapshot of my life I might offer hope to others that right now are broken and don’t know how to make the pieces fit. I was never satisfied to be on the terraces in life, I want to be in the game. I was well and truly in the game in April 1993 and was more in the game than I bargained for. I was serving as a professional soldier. I was within one month of completing my second "Tour of Duty" in The middle east, south Lebanon to be exact.

I was serving with a "Multinational Rapid Reaction Force."  Our mission to deploy to "Serious Major Incident" areas using heavy armoured vehicles or air mobile (Assault Helicopters). Our primary function was to protect lives. Part of that multinational force involved other specialists, from Finland and Norway. Today I have the honour of yet again standing side by side with my Finnish and Norwegian Brothers but this time within God’s Squad Christian Motorcycle Club, again with a view to saving lives.

In April 1993 the IDF ( Israeli Defence Forces ) invaded south Lebanon as a response to continuing Hizbollah rocket attacks on Northern Israel in an offensive operation Titled ‘’ Grapes of Wrath’’. What happened next is well documented. Over two weeks of intense fighting between IDF and Hizbollah Fighters. Over two hundred lives were lost.

I was well trained, extremely fit and very well equipped for our ‘’Peacekeeping’’ role in this conflict. I now know that being well equipped extends beyond what we can see and measure. I experienced things that I will never forget. Yes! It was my job I volunteered. Not all scars are physical however. While carrying out daily patrols in and around the major area of conflict, I daily passed an area marked with a cement boulder. 

You see local Lebanese christians believe that this was the site where Jesus of Nazareth performed his first miracle. (Turning water into wine) 

This boulder held an inscription which marked the spot. On my map the village was given the name Quana but in the past it had been spelled Cana. The Gospel story of John reports that Jesus indeed performed his first miracle there. I was not too sure about any of that stuff.

If your still reading this, miracles still happen today. I returned from that conflict with demons, scars and brokenness so much so that the medical professionals placed the label of "Post Stress Disorder Syndrome" on my condition.

I did not know how to deal with this change in me. There were bouts of depression and binging. I tried stuff, stuff that held reality at bay for a while, only for a while. In the end I came to the end of myself. Surrender is not in the frame for a military man, its no option or the last option. I surrendered, I needed help outside myself not just to deal with the symptoms but get to the root cause. I wondered if that Jesus did do Miracles, would He do one for me. I met that same Jesus spoken about in the John's gospel story, He rescued me and put my broken pieces together.

 I am well and truly back in the game. If your still reading this, there is always hope, you just have to know where to find it. Thank You .