Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
As military families, we’ve been chosen to travel a difficult path. It’s one punctuated by highs and lows, twisting through long dark valleys. The road is rocky, and the going is tough. But it’s a road we never travel alone.
God promises to never leave us or forsake us, and he’s true to his word. Here are six milestones you can mark as you travel the military family’s walk of faith.
1. The Marker of Provision
Too often for coincidence, I’ve found that the people and circumstances are already in place when I reach a time of need. God knows what lies ahead of us, and he’s gone on to prepare it.
2. The Marker of Joy
It’s hard to be joyful when a loved one is in harm’s way. Learning to focus on the good and not the bad is a lesson that carries over into all aspects of life. When I conquered this lesson, my entire life perspective changed.
3. The Marker of Perspective
Speaking of perspective, that’s another milestone I’ve found. Having a son at war gave me a brutal lesson in what’s really important. Family, friends, and especially our relationship with God are now the foundation of my life. Stuff is just stuff, but relationships are what truly matter.
4. The Marker of Gratitude
During this life experience, I learned to be grateful. There were so many blessings that came our way; the prayers of friends and the community where we live, the times when people reached out to my son and to our family, most of all the constant, sustaining peace from God.
5. The Marker of Patience
This one, even more than the others, was tough. We live in a world of instant gratification. In most cases, what we want is within reach. But waiting through deployments, waiting for communication, waiting for leave time all taught me the hard lesson of patience. Waiting is hard, but the reward is sweet.
6. The Marker of Faith
Through my son’s service I discovered something about faith. It’s a muscle and needs regular exercise to become strong. Having a son at war provided that exercise. The faith developed through his deployments has continued to stand me in good stead as other life stresses have continued to pound us.
These are the markers I found on our journey as a military family. I’d love to hear about yours. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
