Ken Korkow hated. He was a Marine who served in Vietnam and survived the 77-day Khe Sanh siege, in which 6,000 Marines were surrounded by 40,000 North Vietnamize soldiers.[1] Many of Ken’s friends and fellow Marines were killed in the cruel battle that was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war. Ken himself was blown up by a mortar round and lived. But before the mortar hit, Ken had killed many enemy combatants. At the end of the battle, he swore never to have friends or feelings again—he’d rather not deal with the pain of losing more friends. Ken returned to his South Dakota home and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross for his time in battle. Yet, his attitude did not change, he hated life, people, and God.
Ken was driven; driven by hate, driven to satisfy his own wants. He made money, had fun, and lived life on the edge. Yet he wasn’t satisfied. He had a deep emptiness that no amount of money, material wealth, or human relationships could fill.
Reflecting on life, Ken wrote,
People don’t run to pleasure, they run from pain. [T]he primary reason we overdose on booze, gambling, business, drugs, adultery isn’t because those things are so great (especially when they each have a negative consequence). The main motivator is some pain in our past that we seem incapable of relieving to try and cover over the hurt.[2]
Although he lived and recovered most of his physical abilities, for years Ken remained angry and disappointed with God. He finally came to realize that God loves him and offers him forgiveness in Christ Jesus. He also learned that “God doesn’t waste pain.” Ken humbled himself and accepted the forgiveness God offers. This changed his life, his attitude, and his purpose.
This past June, Ken told me, “Tim, at 77, and with my health problems, I don’t have much more life ahead of me. But my desire is to make an eternal impact on the lives God puts before me.” Ken and his wife Liz have done that through their Ranch Ministries, which is located on the ranch where Ken grew up in South Dakota. Getting to know Ken, reminded me that if we are still on this earth, God is not finished with us. He has a purpose and plan for everyone, even old worn-out warriors.
Ken loves people and wants to know their stories. He has a habit of asking direct questions as he prods for more. I was one such victim of Ken’s relentless prodding! He asked for me to share my story. “Start at the beginning,” he said. So, I began with my teen years and told him my life’s story.
At the end of each “chapter” of my story, Ken prodded, “Then what?” I went to the next chapter, then the next, until I was telling him what my future plans were. Then he’d say, “Then what?” Finally, I realized Ken was most concerned with my eternal destiny. I shared that my faith rests in Christ alone for my eternal destiny.
We all live with a terminal illness. Our life on earth might be 60, 70, 80 or more years, but it will end. Then what?
Bringing Hope to Law Enforcement
The Strong Blue Line Foundation—at no cost to officers or their agencies—brings hope to LEOs with training seminars that help them navigate a myriad of issues they deal with. One issue is suicide. Statistics show that officers are much more likely to die by suicide than being murdered in the line of duty. In the “Suicide is Not an Option” seminar and book, officers learn not only why people who claim to be Christian opt for suicide, but where they can find real hope. Please partner with us to make strong officers with strong relationships by giving them real hope for complete victory! To help, go to TheStrongBlueLine.org and click on the “Donate” button.
On the Road
Later this month, Sherry and I will be in Nampa, ID speaking at a First Responder Symposium sponsored by Courageous Survival. Then we’ll be on our way south for seminars in Louisiana and Colorado.
Pray for your police!
[1] https://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/khe-sanh/
[2] Lessons Learned The Hard Way About Combat, Korkow, Ken, n.d., printed with permission)
