Book Review: Seal of God by Chad Williams


Hats off to Dad- he just sailed right on through this book!

thanks dad button



seal of god coverSynopsis: Days before Chad Williams was to report to military duty in Great Lakes, Illinois, he turned on a television and was greeted with the horrifying images of his mentor, US Navy SEAL Scott Helvenston, being brutally murdered in a premeditated ambush on the roads of Fallujah, Iraq. Steeled in his resolve, Chad followed in Scott’s footsteps and completed the US military’s most difficult and grueling training to become a Navy SEAL. Chad served his country on SEAL Teams One and Seven for five years, completing tours of duty in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq.

Part memoir, part evangelism piece, SEAL of God follows Chad’s journey through the grueling Naval Ops training and onto the streets of Iraq, where he witnessed the horrors of war up close. Along the way, Chad shares his own radical conversion story and talks about how he draws on his own experiences as a SEAL to help others better understand the depths of Christ’s sacrifice and love.

Review: This book is one of the most inspiring and awesome books to come along today in a world of greed, narcissism and down right attitude of “I don’t need anyone’s help, I can do it myself” as my 5 year old granddaughter tells me all the time!

The story is about a young man that accomplished many things growing up: he was an outstanding little league player, a professional skateboarder during his teenage years, deck hand on a sport fishing boat, made commercials on television, each of which (except little league) made him a good deal of money for someone so young. He tried going to college which didn’t work and then made up his mind he would become a US Navy Seal. 

Williams tells how an ex Navy seal inspired him, and taught him what it would take to complete this next challenge in his life. Then just before going into the Navy to become a Seal, his mentor and good friend was ambushed in Iraq, while working with the civilian security forces there. This event only fueled his desire to become a Navy Seal. During his training he worked hard to complete this task, knowing that out of a class of 173 only 17 or so would finish, and become a Seal. He completed his training and did indeed become a Seal. 

Then it hit him again, “I’ve done this and is this really what I wanted?” This had become a pattern in his life, I’ve done this or that but still something is missing. His life as a Seal was getting out of hand. He lived the party life, as was expected of him, and still he didn’t understand what was missing. As time went by his loving parents told him he had to settle down, or don’t come home anymore. Knowing they were serious about not being able to come home anymore, he tried to get on their good side and go to a church meeting with them. After telling his girlfriend to go with him and not doing anything, so they could go party later that night, it happened. 

Greg Laurie spoke that pivotal night and aroused a feeling in Williams, that caused him to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He then goes on to tell how badly he was treated by his fellow Seals, for no longer wanting to party with them, but instead tell the world about Jesus. I could go on and tell you how this turned out, but you will have to read this great book to see the power of God, and what happened next!

I highly recommend “Seal of God” to everyone. On a scale of 1 to 10, if I were the one to do so, I would give it a 15. It is well written and well stated, and a wonderful read!  


About the Author: Chad Williams is a former Navy SEAL, having served his country proudly from 2004-2010. Now engaged in full-time ministry work, Chad uses the training and experience he gained as a SEAL to help communicate the Gospel to others. Chad and his wife, Aubrey, live in Huntington Beach, California.


Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from the Tyndale Blog network,  for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or other, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it



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