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A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq
On April 10th, 2003, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, faced with the task of seizing the presidential palace in downtown Baghdad, ran headlong into what Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North called, "the worst day of fighting for U.S. Marines." Hiding in buildings and mosques, wearing civilian clothes, and spread out for over a mile, Saddam Hussein's militants rained down bullets and rocket propelled grenades on the 1st Battalion. But when the smoke of the eight-hour battle cleared, only one Marine had lost his life. Some said the 1st Battalion was incredibly lucky. But in the hearts and minds of the Marines who were there, there was no question. God had brought them miraculously through that battle. As the 1st Battalion's chaplain, Lieutenant Carey Cash had the unique privilege of seeing firsthand, from the beginning of the war to the end, how God miraculously delivered, and even transformed, the lives of the men of the 1st Battalion.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
October 28, 2019
Great book written by a Navy chaplain serving with the 1/5th Marine Regiment in the days leading up to the US-led Invasion of Iraq to the capturing of Baghdad. This is a very spiritual book of young men giving themselves over to the power of God as witnessed by Carey Cash and the witnessing of His love and power through miracles they see everyday on the frontlines of the battles they fought. The book is also kind of a combat chronicle of the 1/5 Marines in this timeline as there are some vivid descriptions of the combat these brave young men went through. Highly recommended to Christians.
October 1, 2009
I have a close friend who has a son (Josh) who recommended this book to me. Josh took 2 tours in Iraq and told me that this book depicts the war in Iraq very accurately. Wow! What a great book. It is amazing what God did in spite of the horrors of war.. A table in His presence.. A blessing to read. Thank you to all those who protect our freedom. Thank you for all you who protect my freedom. May God bless you and your families!
March 7, 2010
Amazing book! I picked it up after I heard news of my close friend being called into Iraq. I worried for him, seeing all the horror in the news with the war. This book encouraged me and really showed mr that no matter what God is always in control. I'm blessed to have my friend come home from Iraq, knowing God kept him!
August 9, 2013
It was okay, but not great. As a reader, I would've liked to read more story and less eulogy, less religion. The miracle the men experienced was truly incredible; I wish it, and the discussion of the vagaries of war, had been more center-stage in the book rather than a conclusion to 200 pp of other stuff.
The book is written to describe a group of Marines who passed through explosions, etc, that easily should have killed everyone, yet no one was seriously injured. Once arriving at this part, I felt it wasn't handled with the strength and focus that it should have been, especially considering it was the point of the book in the first place.
The writing wasn't as tight as it needed to be - too many of the author's digressions, I thought, interfered with the flow of his story. The chronology was jumbled. There was a heavy emphasis on the love of God/Jesus/etc (maybe 40% of the text); while important to the story and the chaplain's work, this only caused the book to drag when the book should be picking up speed. In fact, one can skip over most of it without losing any of the storyline. Also, I had to read some combat scenes two or three times to understand what the author was trying to describe.
One thing I did particularly appreciate, and will remember, is the author's description of the oppression of women in Iraq and his religion's (Christian, Baptist) belief in the equality of the sexes. That part was movingly written and well done. The author's discussion on jihad as a tool in the Muslim world was also something to think about - regarding violence in the name of a religion, "these things don't come out of thin air," the author writes. I must agree.
The book is written to describe a group of Marines who passed through explosions, etc, that easily should have killed everyone, yet no one was seriously injured. Once arriving at this part, I felt it wasn't handled with the strength and focus that it should have been, especially considering it was the point of the book in the first place.
The writing wasn't as tight as it needed to be - too many of the author's digressions, I thought, interfered with the flow of his story. The chronology was jumbled. There was a heavy emphasis on the love of God/Jesus/etc (maybe 40% of the text); while important to the story and the chaplain's work, this only caused the book to drag when the book should be picking up speed. In fact, one can skip over most of it without losing any of the storyline. Also, I had to read some combat scenes two or three times to understand what the author was trying to describe.
One thing I did particularly appreciate, and will remember, is the author's description of the oppression of women in Iraq and his religion's (Christian, Baptist) belief in the equality of the sexes. That part was movingly written and well done. The author's discussion on jihad as a tool in the Muslim world was also something to think about - regarding violence in the name of a religion, "these things don't come out of thin air," the author writes. I must agree.
March 24, 2019
This book does an excellent job of telling the tale of one groups experiences during Operation Freedom in Iraq. It doesn't glorify war or minimize the loss, pain, and suffering experienced. It shared how faith in God was found and nurtured during such a difficult time.
June 23, 2020
This is such a great book!
April 9, 2019
My husband so enjoyed this book that afterwards he decided to give it to his dad, who seldom reads but occasionally does enjoy an exciting book. I was curious what made this book so good that my husband thought his dad would enjoy it, so it is out of my usual reading genres – war stories. Lt. Carey Cash, a Navy chaplain’s autobiography about the war with Iraq.
I chose to read it on a flight because it takes an exciting book to distract me from the mechanics of flying, and this book worked fine for that purpose. It was gripping and well-told. I'd recommend it to others, which is why I'm rating it a 4. I probably wouldn't reread it, however, which is why it's not a 5.
It seemed funny to me that while I was flying, something I hate to do, the book kept talking about courage. I do know that these men’s courage far surpassed my own, so much so that there isn’t any comparison.
I realize that there are differing opinions on the war with Iraq, and whether or not it was warranted. Lt. Cash just briefly told what they knew at the time, and the reasons for the war. I did have a Muslim friend tell me that it unnecessarily antagonized the Muslims of the world. Lt. Cash did consider it a justified war.
Lt. Cash wrote about both those soldiers who died and those who received unexplainable answer to prayer and lived. He didn’t try to explain (much) why some lived and some died, except to treat both with honor, and to say that God loves both those who lived and those who died, and to say that both outcomes brought attention to God in different ways.
Lt. Cash talked about working with clergy from other Christian denominations, and I realize he was only talking about his own experiences. But I wondered where the clergy were, if any, for the Islamic people, or Buddhists, or Hindus, or Jews, etc. In particular, I wondered about the perspective of the American Islamic leaders during this war on Iraq, and how they would’ve comforted and encouraged their American troops. Certainly, there would have been more grief. I used to talk over such things with a Muslim friend of mine, until I moved out of state.
I would also have been curious to see whether any of these American troops of other faiths had also experienced the unexplainable protection in battle. It’s not that I am skeptical of miracles – I think I may have witnessed a couple myself – but I am probably more analytical and reserved about them than most. I do believe that God has the power to work miracles; I think that most events that people call miracles are not. I would not be surprised to learn that God did, indeed, miraculously protect His people.
The flashbacks were confusing, but I think I followed it. I would have preferred the story to be in chronological order, with Lt. Cash’s brain tumor coming first rather than during his remembrances on the battlefield.
I especially liked Cash’s comments, “It occurred to me that anybody who said, ‘The perfect will of God is the safest place to be’ had never crossed the border into Iraq. God’s will may be the best place to be, but it isn’t necessarily the safest. Following Him sometimes means that we are led into the shadow of death, where valiant and faithful men will give their all.”
I think those kinds of thoughts frequently about various popular “Christian” sayings. Taking the statement to an extreme, martyrs may indeed be in the ‘perfect will of God’ and still die horrifying deaths. (I am not commenting on whether these soldiers were in the ‘perfect will of God’ or not. I didn’t know them, and sometimes I know the ‘perfect will of God’ even less.) If the statement is not true for the extreme case of martyrdom, it’s probably not always true for other risks, either. I suppose one could say that although the ‘perfect will of God’ may not be the safest place to be in this life, it is the safest place to be for the next, but that’s not usually what people mean when they say it.
My biggest problem with the scenario is that sometimes the American troops fired first, before any provocation. I realized that this happened long after attempts at diplomacy with Iraqi leaders had failed, but so many of the Iraqi troops had surrendered, that I would have always wondered. I do know that some of the American lives probably depended on them taking the advantage of striking first. As for me, personally, I would have preferred to die rather than to commit murder, particularly if it’s unknown whether the individuals would be violent. I am not a complete pacifist, but I am too much of a pacifist to sign away my right to conscience to anyone, particularly a government. However, I do appreciate and respect those protectors who think otherwise, who are willing to fight, to protect, to put themselves in harm’s way for another. They have my full respect.
I did have some minor quibbles with the theology in this, but nothing really worth mentioning. It didn’t detract from the story. Sometimes various people took Biblical promises made to other, specific people in the Bible and applied these promises to themselves in the Iraq war. But those particular promises were not always written for them. God’s character and loving nature does not change, however, and it is appropriate to ASK Him to extend those promises to us as well, but not to presume that they are ours.
The topic reminded me of other assaults on freedom of religion for military chaplains, where they are prohibited from sharing their faith, and where some don't want them to be able to pray in uniform. But it seems to me that it would be impossible to share hope without sharing your faith. That doesn't even make sense, never mind that Christians are called to do precisely that - share their faith. Those in the military deserve to be able to find hope in their hard situations.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
https://aclj.org/religious-liberty/pr...
Favorite quotes:
“They were desperate. And desperate men do not hunger for trivialities. They hunger for someone to point them to the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They long for a relationship with God.”
“Through it all, she [his wife] has been the nurturer to the kids, staple of sanity for the home, and chaplain to the chaplain.”
“It occurred to me that those people who prayed needed to know how God had resoundingly answered their prayers on the battlefield. This book therefore, is also a loving testimony to God’s power in answer to prayer.”
“Help me to faithfully offer to these men the same strength and courage that You have given to me so many times before.”
“I remembered how many letters I had received in Kuwait from churches and schools across the United States, telling me that people everywhere were praying specifically for God to grant our men faith and courage as we crossed the border into harm’s way.”
“It was a story not of death and tragedy, but of a sovereign God who, knowing the trials we will face, providentially prepares us to face them.”
“Sometimes our greatest ministry to others is simply to speak the Word of God into a situation where it has not been spoken before and without frantically explaining and expounding, to allow God, in His own way, to meet those deep and often imperceptible needs that lie in the inner reaches of every human heart.”
“White knew the issues of politics, not merely for popular reasons, but insofar as they touched the moral pillars of his life and faith. I think that’s what made him such an anomaly to his friends. He came across as very cool, very smooth, and yet there was far more to him than met the eye.”
“Evidence to them of man being made in the image of God – God, who is the source of all heroism, the bulwark of all courage, the foundation of all sacrifice.”
“Semper Fidelis. Perhaps the most closely related word in all of Scripture is the Hebrew word hesed. Nearly untranslatable in English, it is a word used to describe the unending faithfulness that God has for His people; a faithfulness that, even when rejected, remains true; even when snubbed, He is not offended; even when forgotten, does not forget. Hesed describes God’s undying commitment never to cease pursing our hearts, never to cease desiring our best, never to cease employing whatever means necessary to gain our loving companionship so He can grant us indescribable blessings of abundant and eternal life.” Beautifully said, and yet, there is a time when God does let us go, if we are still rejecting Him when we die.
I chose to read it on a flight because it takes an exciting book to distract me from the mechanics of flying, and this book worked fine for that purpose. It was gripping and well-told. I'd recommend it to others, which is why I'm rating it a 4. I probably wouldn't reread it, however, which is why it's not a 5.
It seemed funny to me that while I was flying, something I hate to do, the book kept talking about courage. I do know that these men’s courage far surpassed my own, so much so that there isn’t any comparison.
I realize that there are differing opinions on the war with Iraq, and whether or not it was warranted. Lt. Cash just briefly told what they knew at the time, and the reasons for the war. I did have a Muslim friend tell me that it unnecessarily antagonized the Muslims of the world. Lt. Cash did consider it a justified war.
Lt. Cash wrote about both those soldiers who died and those who received unexplainable answer to prayer and lived. He didn’t try to explain (much) why some lived and some died, except to treat both with honor, and to say that God loves both those who lived and those who died, and to say that both outcomes brought attention to God in different ways.
Lt. Cash talked about working with clergy from other Christian denominations, and I realize he was only talking about his own experiences. But I wondered where the clergy were, if any, for the Islamic people, or Buddhists, or Hindus, or Jews, etc. In particular, I wondered about the perspective of the American Islamic leaders during this war on Iraq, and how they would’ve comforted and encouraged their American troops. Certainly, there would have been more grief. I used to talk over such things with a Muslim friend of mine, until I moved out of state.
I would also have been curious to see whether any of these American troops of other faiths had also experienced the unexplainable protection in battle. It’s not that I am skeptical of miracles – I think I may have witnessed a couple myself – but I am probably more analytical and reserved about them than most. I do believe that God has the power to work miracles; I think that most events that people call miracles are not. I would not be surprised to learn that God did, indeed, miraculously protect His people.
The flashbacks were confusing, but I think I followed it. I would have preferred the story to be in chronological order, with Lt. Cash’s brain tumor coming first rather than during his remembrances on the battlefield.
I especially liked Cash’s comments, “It occurred to me that anybody who said, ‘The perfect will of God is the safest place to be’ had never crossed the border into Iraq. God’s will may be the best place to be, but it isn’t necessarily the safest. Following Him sometimes means that we are led into the shadow of death, where valiant and faithful men will give their all.”
I think those kinds of thoughts frequently about various popular “Christian” sayings. Taking the statement to an extreme, martyrs may indeed be in the ‘perfect will of God’ and still die horrifying deaths. (I am not commenting on whether these soldiers were in the ‘perfect will of God’ or not. I didn’t know them, and sometimes I know the ‘perfect will of God’ even less.) If the statement is not true for the extreme case of martyrdom, it’s probably not always true for other risks, either. I suppose one could say that although the ‘perfect will of God’ may not be the safest place to be in this life, it is the safest place to be for the next, but that’s not usually what people mean when they say it.
My biggest problem with the scenario is that sometimes the American troops fired first, before any provocation. I realized that this happened long after attempts at diplomacy with Iraqi leaders had failed, but so many of the Iraqi troops had surrendered, that I would have always wondered. I do know that some of the American lives probably depended on them taking the advantage of striking first. As for me, personally, I would have preferred to die rather than to commit murder, particularly if it’s unknown whether the individuals would be violent. I am not a complete pacifist, but I am too much of a pacifist to sign away my right to conscience to anyone, particularly a government. However, I do appreciate and respect those protectors who think otherwise, who are willing to fight, to protect, to put themselves in harm’s way for another. They have my full respect.
I did have some minor quibbles with the theology in this, but nothing really worth mentioning. It didn’t detract from the story. Sometimes various people took Biblical promises made to other, specific people in the Bible and applied these promises to themselves in the Iraq war. But those particular promises were not always written for them. God’s character and loving nature does not change, however, and it is appropriate to ASK Him to extend those promises to us as well, but not to presume that they are ours.
The topic reminded me of other assaults on freedom of religion for military chaplains, where they are prohibited from sharing their faith, and where some don't want them to be able to pray in uniform. But it seems to me that it would be impossible to share hope without sharing your faith. That doesn't even make sense, never mind that Christians are called to do precisely that - share their faith. Those in the military deserve to be able to find hope in their hard situations.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
https://aclj.org/religious-liberty/pr...
Favorite quotes:
“They were desperate. And desperate men do not hunger for trivialities. They hunger for someone to point them to the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They long for a relationship with God.”
“Through it all, she [his wife] has been the nurturer to the kids, staple of sanity for the home, and chaplain to the chaplain.”
“It occurred to me that those people who prayed needed to know how God had resoundingly answered their prayers on the battlefield. This book therefore, is also a loving testimony to God’s power in answer to prayer.”
“Help me to faithfully offer to these men the same strength and courage that You have given to me so many times before.”
“I remembered how many letters I had received in Kuwait from churches and schools across the United States, telling me that people everywhere were praying specifically for God to grant our men faith and courage as we crossed the border into harm’s way.”
“It was a story not of death and tragedy, but of a sovereign God who, knowing the trials we will face, providentially prepares us to face them.”
“Sometimes our greatest ministry to others is simply to speak the Word of God into a situation where it has not been spoken before and without frantically explaining and expounding, to allow God, in His own way, to meet those deep and often imperceptible needs that lie in the inner reaches of every human heart.”
“White knew the issues of politics, not merely for popular reasons, but insofar as they touched the moral pillars of his life and faith. I think that’s what made him such an anomaly to his friends. He came across as very cool, very smooth, and yet there was far more to him than met the eye.”
“Evidence to them of man being made in the image of God – God, who is the source of all heroism, the bulwark of all courage, the foundation of all sacrifice.”
“Semper Fidelis. Perhaps the most closely related word in all of Scripture is the Hebrew word hesed. Nearly untranslatable in English, it is a word used to describe the unending faithfulness that God has for His people; a faithfulness that, even when rejected, remains true; even when snubbed, He is not offended; even when forgotten, does not forget. Hesed describes God’s undying commitment never to cease pursing our hearts, never to cease desiring our best, never to cease employing whatever means necessary to gain our loving companionship so He can grant us indescribable blessings of abundant and eternal life.” Beautifully said, and yet, there is a time when God does let us go, if we are still rejecting Him when we die.
February 15, 2019
Powerful
This book was amazing! I know God exists, and that prayers are answered every day, but to hear about God being present and protecting so many during war..... just phenomenal!
This book was amazing! I know God exists, and that prayers are answered every day, but to hear about God being present and protecting so many during war..... just phenomenal!
October 25, 2012
Our God is good, great book to renew your faith in God.
January 3, 2015
Miracle after Miracle. An amazing story. I highly recommend it. Gave many copies away as gifts.
March 17, 2023
The war in Iraq from the perspective of a chaplain. Many ways God intervened.
July 15, 2019
This book was amazing. Having two sons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, this book was more than simple entertainment or casual reading.
I like the way Lt. Cash didn’t sugarcoat or minimize the Marine pros experience or the dangers, stresses, and horrors of war. At the same time, he presented a witness to a living and powerful God who is just as active today as He was then.
The chapter on the prayers for the troops by stateside people was a truly poignant chapter for a person who spent many hours praying for two sons and sometimes wondering if they had any effect. Seeing the effects on he troops and the hand of God in action confirmed for me the fact that no prayer goes unheard.
A truly inspiring and amazing book. I highly recommend it.
I like the way Lt. Cash didn’t sugarcoat or minimize the Marine pros experience or the dangers, stresses, and horrors of war. At the same time, he presented a witness to a living and powerful God who is just as active today as He was then.
The chapter on the prayers for the troops by stateside people was a truly poignant chapter for a person who spent many hours praying for two sons and sometimes wondering if they had any effect. Seeing the effects on he troops and the hand of God in action confirmed for me the fact that no prayer goes unheard.
A truly inspiring and amazing book. I highly recommend it.
September 14, 2024
I can't recommend this book enough. Our veterans and active duty military rarely talk about their time in combat. Some memories are better left unspoken.
Carey Cash tells the stories that our soldiers can't. He takes you there, and you feel their fear as if you are right beside them.
But, he also tells the stories of hope, redemption, healing and miracles as he describes the hand of God over these men.
It is a story that will stay with the reader forever.
Have your tissues handy.
Thank you to every soldier for your service!!
Carey Cash tells the stories that our soldiers can't. He takes you there, and you feel their fear as if you are right beside them.
But, he also tells the stories of hope, redemption, healing and miracles as he describes the hand of God over these men.
It is a story that will stay with the reader forever.
Have your tissues handy.
Thank you to every soldier for your service!!
August 20, 2020
The overarching theme of this book is God's sweet presence bringing supernatural peace and miraculous rescues to the Marines in the battle for Iraq. The war is ghastly and yet noble. The Chaplain understands perfectly that the US military was granted a part in a bigger story, as they fought to free the oppressed people of Saddam's evil dictatorship. God still declares liberty for the captives.
April 9, 2023
Adm (then LT) Cash’s book retells his first tour. It is similar to military narratives. This one is different however as it is sprinkled in with spiritual testimony and Scripture. It is obviously written to those in the military, and especially useful for current and would be chaplains. Yet even the layman can see how God was working with these Marines during the Iraq War. It is challenging and deals with issues of faith such as loss, grief, and perseverance.
April 3, 2024
This was an amazing read and is a clear example of how God can and will protect His people. The book is filled with fascinating recounts of actual battles during the first war in Iraq. The author provides a firsthand account of those and how God's provision shown through each of them. Many soldiers gave their lives to Christ on the battlefield and were rewarded with peace and comfort in the midst of this world's cruelest behavior...war.
June 12, 2025
An excellent and engaging story that shows that God will uphold his purpose of salvation and that not a hair can fall off of someone's head without His permission. A great example of chaplaincy well done, primarily because Cash always points to Christ and the gospel. This is not a book about a chaplain giving self-help mumbo-jumbo to Marines, this is a chaplain who gives Marines the Word of God. Thank you for exercising the office of chaplain faithfully.
March 27, 2020
A book about modern day miracles. Will increase your faith! Several times I had to stop and wipe away tears so I could see what I was reading! A little confusing at the start because the author jumps around in time, and the last 3 chapters are the best.
May 10, 2022
An incredible book detailing God's provision, protection and peace in circumstances that are dire. I'd highly reccomend this to anyone who is interested in seeing God's provision in real life situations
September 21, 2024
Wonderful book! Even more intriguing since I’m a chaplain (hospital, not military). But most importantly it displays humanity, humility, strength, teamwork, sacrifice and the power of God’s love and God’s presence in the middle of war. ❤️
November 22, 2024
The book started slowly with a lot of background information (no doubt the reason why I set it down and didn't return to it for months), but the last half was extremely good! I wish I had finished it sooner, because it is well worth the time.
May 7, 2025
Heaven Rules
What a wonderful picture in words of God's amazing grace and power and love . Jesus said "Without Me you can do nothing". Everyone should read this book. It's a reminder of His faithfulness. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
What a wonderful picture in words of God's amazing grace and power and love . Jesus said "Without Me you can do nothing". Everyone should read this book. It's a reminder of His faithfulness. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
September 21, 2017
A great read from start to finish. Easy too! This first-hand account is gripping with every turn. As a Christian reader, it only strengthens a belief that God is with us and for us no matter what.
December 22, 2018
A great book that illustrates the power of God during the horrific times of war. Must read.
August 8, 2019
Simply one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. I recommend this to everyone.
November 28, 2019
Don't miss the last 2 pages of the epilogue.
May 10, 2020
4 1/2 stars. Excellent read about faith and adversity. I loved it.
June 2, 2020
I’m so grateful for our amazing military. Thank you all.
August 26, 2020
Seeing the hand of God in action as people are standing against injustices in the world is so powerful to see/hear/read. I really enjoyed this book and will read it again, one day.
November 12, 2020
An awesome statement on the power of God’s provision for his people.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews