Who are those people—uniformed and ringing bells—in the thick of Christmas foot traffic? Salvation Army volunteers, you knew that!  But could you pass a pop quiz about the actual Army and its members? Whose army is it?  And who joins up?
Short answers: In 1865 in England, this Christian army—now in the U.S. and 117 other countries—formed to spread the Gospel and meet human need without discrimination. Every year in the U.S. alone, The Salvation Army helps some 30 million Americans through food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims . . . and aid to the disabled, elderly, ill, homeless, and underprivileged children. A full 82 cents of every dollar spent supports those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.
As for who joins, one unforgettable example is the late Captain Normajean Honsberger. Not just at Christmas but through every year of her adult life, Normajean and her husband, Allen, served and preached as officers/pastors in the Salvation Army.  Then they received the ultimate assignment: Normajean, mother of three, was diagnosed with cancer. And for eight years, this army officer pushed back with an unlikely weapon: “God doesn’t ask of me something he hasn’t empowered me to do,†she wrote in her book, Will You Choose Joy? “I can’t change my circumstances.  The only control I have is how I respond to them. I choose joy!”
Cancer . . . and joy? There’s more. Before Normajean lost her eight–year battle, Allen was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and died within months. In Will You Choose Joy?, Normajean recounts burying her husband and going home to her empty bedroom. Now did she rail at God? Absolutely. Did two beloved parents leave three teenage children behind? Yes. Did her story end in bitterness? No. Weaving her sermons and her life—one barely distinguishable from the other—Will You Choose Joy? shows the struggles and triumphs of a committed soldier of the Army—and the Lord.
For more information visit: www.shop.salvationarmy.org