“If this little book could only talk!” is the premise of Guiding Missal (based on a true story) about a lively prayer book that accompanies three military men as they live through momentous events in our nation’s history.

In 1942, George Panko is drafted into the US Army and volunteers to be a forward observer conducting covert operations behind German lines during the Battle of the Bulge. In his combat jacket pocket, he carries a small prayer book, My Military Missal. The little missal provides solace as well as a running commentary on the battle and the deeds that earned George two Bronze Stars.

George’s son, Butch, enlists in the US Air Force in the 1960s. Before his son leaves for basic training, George entrusts Butch with his tattered military missal. Butch finds himself decoding top secret information in an underground bunker during the height of the Berlin Crisis. He and the little book are praying that WWIII isn’t about to break out.

Fast-forward to 1991: Butch Panko’s future son-in-law, TO Williams, overcomes a debilitating condition to enlist in the US Army. In 1992, the newlywed is grateful for the well-worn prayer book Butch gives him just before he’s deployed to Africa. He and the book find themselves plunged into an unrelenting fight for survival on the streets of war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia, during Blackhawk Down. By God’s grace, they both live to tell a miraculous story of deliverance in that hopeless situation.

Deftly combining fast-paced action with humor, history, and scenes of family tenderness, Guiding Missal is an inspiring account of God’s faithfulness in times of trouble, making it a must-listen for history buffs as well as anyone who seeking hope and encouragement for self or others.