I believe that, like veterans, praying military wives make supplications to heaven for our troops that we would never think to pray.

I admire the generations of praying military spouses represented by women like Mildred Taylor, Diana Juergens, and Jessica. Although fifty years spans the age difference between the oldest and youngest of these military wives, they collectively and individually have years of experience supporting our troops in prayer.

Of the three, Mildred Taylor has the most experience praying for our troops, especially for one Soldier in particular. Her order of prayers for our men and women in uniform is for: (1) their safety, (2) their good judgment to carry out their duties, (3) that they will remember their obligations they undertake to become a soldier, for example, that they won’t forget their duty, (4) that if someone near or next to them is not a Christian, that their hearts will be open to Christ, and (5) that they will have faith not to worry about their families or the battle. Mildred also prays for the families at the same time as she prays for the troops.

Next in years of experience, Diana Juergens prays for our troops. In her "Prayer Warriors" chapter of Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith, she writes of praying for safety, strength, and morale and for praying for the soldiers under her husband’s command—along with praying for their families. Diana has a heart for encouraging her sister military wives. I can’t help but think that some of the prayers she’s learned to pray for herself she also prays for them, too.

The youngest of these three praying military wives, Jessica, also prays for our troops. She prays that God will guide them in their journey and keep them safe, especially if they are overseas or in scary places. Jessica also prays for their families back home to handle their troop’s duties and deployments well and continue to support their troop. Jessica prays for deployed groups as well as for individuals she knows within the groups. When her military friends' marriages are on the rocks, she prays that they make it through the deployments and the hard times. She prays for all the troops safe return home and for peace.

With their years of experience as military spouses, I’m thankful that Mildred, Diana, and Jessica all support our troops in prayer.

There are probably more commonalities in the prayers of these three military wives than I know about, but in looking a second time, I find that all three pray for the troops’ safety AND for their families.

And that’s a good place for us to start, too.

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Are you a praying military spouse? If so, I’m interested in how you pray for our troops. If you’re not a military spouse, do you know one? If so, the next time you visit, will you ask what prayers he or she offers for our troops? I’ll be interested in hearing back from you, too. Next week, I’ll introduce you to a woman who plans welcome celebrations when troops return home. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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In Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith Diana Juergens writes about a trip when, at breakfast, their family fortuitously met a WWII vet and his wife. Since then, this veteran has continued to encourage and bless Diana and her Soldier husband.

I’m also fortunate that I’ve met a couple whose prayers for my son encourages and blesses me, too.

About five or six years ago, I met Donn Taylor and his lovely wife, Mildred, at what has become the annual CLASS Christian Writers Conference.

Donn is not your typical writers conference poetry teacher. For one thing, he writes in different genres: mysteries and suspense in addition to poetry (read his Rhapsody in Red, The Lazarus Files, and Diamonds and Dust: Poems of Earth and Beyond). For another thing, before he completed a PhD degree at The University of Texas and taught English literature at two liberal arts colleges, Donn led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia.

When I met Donn and Mildred, my son was deployed to Iraq for the first time. I told them about his duty and destination. They joined me in prayer for him. These silver-haired saints said they would continue to pray for my son.

I felt confident that they would.

From Donn’s years of active duty and Mildred’s years as a military spouse, I also knew that this couple would offer prayers for our men and women in uniform that I will never think to pray.

Over the years, Donn, Mildred, and I have continued to trade and share prayer requests. We’ve prayed together for Mildred's health issue, which is in remission, along with prayers for my son’s duties and deployments, his health and his happiness.

Recently I called Donn and Mildred and we talked about their approach to praying for our nation’s troops.

Donn looks at the objective rather than the means. Donn explained his method by referring to Augustine’s Confessions. That is, Augustine’s mother prayed for specifics about locations she perceived would either contribute to or be a hindrance to her son’s salvation. While the Lord didn’t answer the means she prayed for, He did answer her prayers in that her objective was achieved.

Donn’s order of prayers for our troops is for: (1) their salvation, (2) their mission accomplished, (3) their safety, and (4) the enemy’s salvation and change of heart.

With his years of military service experience, I’m thankful that Donn, a praying vet, is praying for my son–and for all our troops.

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Have you ever been comforted knowing a veteran is praying for your loved one serving in the military? I invite you to post a comment. As with any couple, Donn and Mildred share the same goals and activities but take different approaches to accomplish and complete them. Next week, I’ll share with you Mildred’s order of prayers, along with some other things I learned from this tender-yet-stout-hearted woman. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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In Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith Diana Juergens describes challenges and changes necessitated by frequent moves of military families. She adds, ". . . prayer is the key that prepares my heart to say goodbye and start over again."

Diana’s prayers to prepare herself for her husband’s future assignments revolutionized my thinking.

I’d tried to the best of my abilities to support Ty’s choice to enlist, to have a good attitude for my family’s and for my son’s sakes, to be as emotionally steady as I can be during his various assignments, wherever they may be. However, I couldn’t recall a single time I’d prayed for God to prepare my heart for any of his assignments.

True, my situation as a mom is very different from Diana’s as a wife. For instance, as my son receives new orders, I won’t be packing up and moving a family from one location to the next. However, as a mom, I’ve done my share of praying, fretting and holding my emotional breath during my son’s tours of duty.

About the time I first met Diana, I was feeling jittery about what Ty’s next assignment might be. For weeks, I’d been fussing to God. I felt ruffled, lacking peace.

One Sunday during church services, I poured out my heart again to God. My prayers weren’t much different that day than they had been in the prior weeks. I was honest about my anxieties. I didn’t know whether to worry or not, and if so, how much. Obviously, I needed to start praying Philippians 4:6 again: "Be anxious for nothing , but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; . . ."

My son–or the military– might not know yet what Ty’s next orders will be. But God does. And He is trustworthy. That Sunday in church my anxieties ebbed away and I felt a sense of calmness wash over me.

I hadn’t prayed that God would prepare me for my son’s future orders. However, God in His mercy gave me peace in the midst of my unknowing anyway.

These days, as awkward as it still feels to me, I’ve begun to pray for God to prepare my heart for Ty’s future assignments. Not that a change of orders will mean a physical move for me. Yet, I am thankful that God moved the mountain of anxiety in my heart. He removed my fears and gave me something better: " . . . the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

From experience, I know I'll be anxious from time to time. I know that I'll have times like a couple of hours ago when I heard and read something that touched my deepest fears and I had a melt down. I happened to be with safe friends who understood and gave me grace, space, and plenty of hugs.

Thankfully, I also have another Friend. When I'm anxious or melt down, I know where to go, what to do, and Who to talk with about it.

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Like Diana, do you pray for your heart to be prepared for the next assignment for your loved one who is serving in the military? What difference do you think that will mean to you and your loved ones? Next week, I’ll point you to a group of people who can pray for our military like no one else. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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In Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith Diana Juergens observed, "Just as a warrior will choose the offensive to protect those in his care, I was learning to pray by faith in advance for those in my life."

Diana’s words made me think back to my son’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduation. There, in an address to a class of new 2^nd Lieutenants, General Shalikashvili gave a tribute to his first Sergeant. The General detailed for the graduates what he’d learned years previously from that Sergeant.

After OCS, Ty went on to another training. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to my son, I started praying that he would be assigned with an outstanding Sergeant much like General Shalikashvili had been many years before as a new 2^nd Lieutenant. Within weeks of Ty finishing his training and getting a new assignment, he told me that the Sergeant was a great guy.

In our last visit, more than a decade after Ty graduated from OCS, somehow the conversation made a turn and he mentioned the same Sergeant. Ty has nothing but good things to say about the man. I could tell by my son’s voice how highly he respects him.

Did God hear my prayers for Ty to be assigned with a great Sergeant? In retrospect, I wonder if that same Sergeant’s mother was also praying for the 2^nd Lieutenant with whom her son would be working.

Since Ty enlisted, I’ve prayed some prayers for his future, supplications like "Lord, help him learn what he needs to learn." However, I realized many of my prayers for my son have deal with his current, situations, circumstances and assignments. "Lord, give him strength for this training. Lord, give him wisdom. Lord, protect him from all harm. Lord, please keep all his Soldiers safe. Lord . . . "

Since reading Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith, my prayers for my son have again added more forward-looking supplications. I’m still praying for his todays, but now, thanks to Diana, I’m praying again that God will prepare him, and those with whom he’s assigned, for their tomorrows, too.

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What are your general or specific prayers asking God to prepare a friend or family member serving in the military for their next orders? Next week, I’ll share with you another way of praying–which I’d never heard of of before–but which also supports our troops. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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Diana Juergens wrote Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith to encourage and give perspective to other military spouses.

It does that and more.

Diana’s book is a real-life story about a real woman/wife/mother of eight daughters believing in God’s faithfulness.

It also contains what might not normally be expected: hope that sprang up from times of loneliness; a personal passion for ministry that grew out of the pain of separation due to her husband’s unaccompanied tours; and a family vision for being involved, reaching out, caring, and serving others.

Reading her book reinforced my admiration for Diana’s attitude and discipline as demonstrated in a passage that begins: "The stability I represent makes me the heart of our family, the vital organ needed within the body of our family."

She goes on to explain that before an accompanied tour of South Korea, she and her husband chose for their family to travel and stay together even though there was no government housing available for months. Diana writes:

God provided a small, yet beautiful apartment for us. It was about eight hundred square feet, and at times it felt like we were on top of each other. However, we adapted quickly and we were extremely grateful for our place of refuge in the midst of a new and unusual culture. We had each other and we were experiencing everything together!

The challenge of maintaining a peaceful home became a daily priority in our close quarters. Children who fought, argued, and demanded their way instead of getting along would make a notable difference in the atmosphere of our apartment. A scripture verse that was instrumental to maintaining my goal of a peaceful home was 1 Corinthians 10:24, which says, "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well being." It became a memory verse for our daughters. We saw how it impacted their actions and words toward one another and toward us. It also impacted my own life, as a wife and mother. Days where I was tired and weary from the intense schedule reminded me to continue to serve my husband and family. It was my job to look out for their well being. God had proven in my life that His ways work. I knew applying God’s word to my situation always changed my attitude. Since then, that particular verse has been fundamental in teaching our children that peace in our home comes when we strive to sacrifice for one other. It was their part in maintaining a place of refuge for their dad and for the rest of the family.

Although I’m not a military wife, I’ve read and reread Wife of a Soldier, a Journey of Faith. I recommend it not only to military wives, but also to those who are friends and family members of service men and women, and for anyone who supports our military.

If you’re interested in ordering Diana’s book for yourself or as a gift of hope and help for a military spouse you can find it online at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

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Have you had opportunities to encourage a military spouse? Please post a comment. Next week I’ll highlight an avenue of prayer for our troops that we may overlook. Copyright 2010, Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved

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I met Diana Juergens at the Protestant Women
of the Chapel  West Region Conference last fall.  Over the
duration of the event, I had the opportunity to learn a little bit more
about her. She's a former Army aviator, wife of a Soldier for 23 years, and
mother of eight daughters, ranging in age from 4 to 21.

I attended Diana's workshop on the topic "Parenting During Deployment." I
didn't attend because the topic was relevant to my circumstances. I'm not a
military spouse raising young children whose parent is deployed. My goal was
to attend as an encouragement to Diana.

When I received Diana's double-sided handout, with its six-point outline and
three-dozen plus references to Scripture, my first thought, was, "Oh, my!
How is she going to get through all of this?" I needn't have been concerned.
Diana is an engaging speaker. She has great credibility to her audience of
military wives missing their husbands and raising children who are missing
their daddys during deployments. She also completely covered the material in
a calm, confident, competent manner and gave the other military moms in the
audience focus, hope and practical tools for the times the need them most.

Diana may not have prepared for someone in her audience who is not a
military wife, but rather is a mom with a son in the service. However, afterwards, I
realized that almost every point she brought up, every Scripture she listed
to help military wives parent children who are left behind during
their husband's deployments, can also help troops' parents. I
saved Diana's handout, with my scribbled notes, to take out the next time my
son is deployed.

From her workshop and other discussions with Diana, I heard and observed
some of the things that helps her make a positive difference in her
circumstances and calling. These are: her faith in God, her love for her
husband and children, daily time in prayer and studying Scripture, running
daily, and the discipline she learned while serving in the Army.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to connect with Diana Juergens. In talking
with her and listening and observing her, she helped me also understand
other military wives, and also my role as a mom of the military.

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Next week, I want to tell you more about the book Diana has written.
Copyright 2010, Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

P. S. February 8-14 is National Salute to Veterans Week, intended to
encourage citizens like you and me to isit, write, and encourage the vets in
our local VA hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.

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One of Media Life Magazine’s recent teaser proclaimed: "Haiti benefit averages 24 million viewers. Airing on 33 networks, the telethon raises $61 million, as stars lend their presence to fund-raiser for quake-stricken country."

Let me tell you a little about one of the many men and women in uniform who are my stars lending their presence to the quake-stricken Haiti.

Less than a six months out of Coast Guard Recruit Training, a 19-year-old Seaman has been involved with giving humanitarian aid to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. His Blue Star Mother, Louise, said, "His cutter was one of the first to arrive at Haiti, and his fellow Coast Guardsmen were among the first US assets to land and set up medical aid."

Some of the Coast Guardsmen on shore performed medical triage in a cleared court yard. Within a day, other Coast Guardsmen had cleared up, cleaned up, and shored up a safe place so some of the injured could be treated indoors. Because the Haitian Coast Guard base had been destroyed by the earthquake, some of the injured Haitians were brought back to the US Coast Guard cutter. Louise said, "I think all of the injured were civilians who came to the clinic because they heard there was help available."

The Coast Guardsmen worked as a team, each doing their duty and their job–and much more besides. Some scavenged on shore for wooden sticks to be used as splints to stabilize broken bones. On board, the Seaman and his shipmates were also busy cutting ceiling tiles to be used as improvised splints.

He also assisted in the flight operations work. He fed and gave water to the waiting injured. He helped load injured Haitians from the cutter's small boats into huge helicopters that would medevac them farther from shore to the larger Navy ships with medical personnel and facilities on board.

To get a bigger glimpse into the Coast Guard’s humanitarian efforts, check out the following articles: Coast Guard Relief Efforts in Haiti One Week Later (Coast Guard News, January 19, 2010), This is Why We Signed Up (Concord Monitor January 19, 2010), Portsmouth Coast Guard Cutter Helps in Haiti, (Coast Guard News January 20, 2010), Coast Guard cutter delivers medical supplies, help; 'we saved a lot of lives' (The Washington Post, January 15, 2010), or watch the Coast Guard Commandant Addresses the Troops on Haiti on YouTube.

In the still chaotic situation on Haiti, the Seaman and the rest of our Coast Guardsmen, Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen presence gives hope while they are making a positive difference in the lives of those who have been shaken by the earthquake.

I do appreciate the celebrities raising funds for the stricken Haitians. Even more, I appreciate the men and women in uniform who have raised their hands to protect and defend our constitution. They train, they work as a team, and like the Seaman and his fellow Coast Guardsmen, they are ready at a moment’s notice to respond as needed to any crisis.

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How do you support our troops providing humanitarian aid around the world? Next week I’ll introduce you to one of the many remarkable women I’ve met. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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I respect the military wives I’ve become acquainted with over the years.

Several years ago I providentially met a group of bright young ladies at the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport who were returning home from the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC) International Conference.

I asked a question to the group, "Why are you passionate about being involved with the Protestant Women of the Chapel organization?" Because they soon were ready to gather up their luggage and leave for their reassigned departure gate, I had an opportunity to jot down comments from only a few of them. To protect their privacy, I’m only going to identify them by their first name initials.

"The Bible studies help women know God’s truth." –D

"It helps us grow together as the body of Christ as we come alongside each other. We’re more alert and aware what’s going on in each other’s lives. PWOC gives us an opportunity to mentor and be mentored." –J

"I’m told I’m an evangelizer, but I just consider myself friendly. Many military families move and we have to leave behind our military friends who have become like family. At each move, we have a choice. We can either stagnate at home in our pj’s–or we can have a heart for others and get out and do something with them and for them. I love the ‘sisters’ I have in PWOC. It’s tough loving them and moving on. Or if they move first, loving them and being left behind. But there is comfort knowing that the Lord loves all of us where we are, regardless where the military sends us." –T

"Being involved in the Bible studies and fellowship is a way to cohesively show our love for the Lord. We come together as a body. When you’re a military spouse, it’ s hard when we move so much, but in our new locations PWOC is a way to find and connect with others who have walked in our shoes. It’s easier to talk to someone else who has walked the same path we’re now walking." –F

I felt disappointed that I hadn’t had the time to talk with every one of the women and ask them each about their passion for attending PWOC Bible studies and fellowship. However, as they gathered their belongs and walked away as a group, their actions showed their answer louder than their words. Contagious joy. Concern for one another. Everyone pitching in to carry the load. The stronger assisting the strugglers and the leaders helping the stragglers.

They were a group of young, bright, pretty women traveling back to their homefront homes, non-deployed hubbies, children, and whatever-was-normal-for-them-routines. I watched until they turned the corner and were out of sight.

Out of sight, but not out of my mind. I sat with a fuller heart in the now-emptier departure area. I bowed my head and thanked God that their Soldier-husbands have wives who lean on the Lord and on one another. Then I added thanks that these women are positive role models to our nervous nation.

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In addition to that group of young women I met who are connected through the Protestant Women of the Chapel, I’ve since met several great gals who are part of the Military Counsel of Catholic Women (MCCW). Do you know of other faith-based organizations that support military spouses? Next week, I’ll tell you a true story about a young coastguardsman and humanitarian aid. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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In November 2008, while traveling alone to join the CLASSeminar staff to train Christian Leaders, Authors and Speakers, I flew to Indianapolis by way of Dallas.

Arriving at DFW, I pulled my Porter Case to Gate D-33 to wait for my next flight. The area was packed with people. Looking around, I spied one empty seat half-hidden behind a stack of luggage. After ascertained the seat wasn’t being saved for anyone else, I sat and looked around.

I found myself in the midst of a group of women. Most appeared to be young—in their 20's and 30's—but all seemed to exude a graceful maturity. Although there were no children around, my first impression was ‘young wives and moms.’ Make that ‘young, JOY-FILLED wives and moms.’

I’m curious about people. Okay, call me nosy. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted to know why this group of friendly, young women were so visibly different from the other travelers in the airport who in contrast were weary, preoccupied, or wearing self-constructed cocoons.

I remarked to the young ladies in front of me, "This looks like a happy group."

They turned toward me with smiles and chorused their response. "We are."

One explained. "We just came from the Protestant Women of the Chapel International Convention held here in Dallas."

I’d heard of the organization and had been told that its members are military wives.

Most of the military wives I’ve known over my life are more my age. In the last five years, I’d also met through Blue Star Mothers some women whose husbands had also served.

It boggles my mind to consider what a refuge a military wife needs to be for husband whose often dangerous duty to our country takes him far from his family. I wondered how flexible the wife must be when her husband's transfers necessitate packing up their households to live in another part of the country–or the world. Or what resiliency and resourcefulness a military wife must have when she can’t accompany her husband and instead stays behind to keep the home fires burning until he comes back. Or what towers of strength these women must be for their children–and for their sisters military wives. I wonder if many days the military wives themselves wonder about these same questions.

I can’t help but admire most military wives. What could I possible say to acknowledge these unsung heroines? A few words had to carry my heart-felt message: "Thank you all for your service to our country."

They looked surprised, abashed and pleased.

This hasn’t been the only time I’ve thanked a military spouse. Sometimes I’ll see a young married couple out in public and one is wearing a military uniform. If it’s at all possible, I take the opportunity thank both of them for their service to our country.

My words of appreciation seems puny indeed when compared to their combined commitment to our country. Yet, they usually respond in the same manner as the young ladies I met in the airport. The spouse will usually look surprised, and they both the husband and wife will look abashed and pleased at being thanked.

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Have you ever had the opportunity to thank a military spouse for his or her service to our country? Next week, I’ll tell you more about the group of gals I met at DFW Gate D-33. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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Our planning and taking action in a timely manner are all part of the gift we give when we provide our troops with greeting cards they can then use to connect on special occasions with their family and friends back home. Following are some tips to help you plan:

Ask your deployed military friends or family members if greeting cards and stationery are readily available. If the answer is no, offer to send some. This isn’t the time to manipulate through guilt or be heavy handed ("You WILL write home") or manipulate through guilt ("Your mom sits around and cries because she hasn’t heard a WORD from you in weeks").

If they answer they’d like some greeting cards, find out for which holidays or special occasions they’d like to commemorate. Will they be gone over Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas? Or do they celebrate a less recognized holidays like Groundhog Day? How about other occasions like birthdays and new babies, graduations and get well, weddings and anniversaries? Do they want to send funny or sentimental cards? Would they also like blank note cards or stationery and envelopes?

Figure the approximate amount of time needed to ship from your mailbox to theirs. If you already correspond by mail, you may have some idea how long this takes. Or ask in a phone conversation or e-mail. If you don’t know, send earlier rather than later. It might take a week or month to deliver your gift of cards depending on where you live and where they are stationed. It can take longer than that to be delivered if your friend or family member is in training, on missions, traveling, or otherwise unavailable.

Ask for the cutoff date for mailing to a specific military address. You don’t want to send mail after that date because it will probably come right back to you.

Determine the number of greeting cards to send. One special card? A packaged assortment of greeting cards for the same holiday so they can choose one and share the rest with their buddies? Also consider their space restrictions. Some beautiful stationery sets may be impractical due to their size and weight.

Shop early in the season for holiday cards. I learned from the folks at my local Hallmark store and the Current catalogue that greeting cards follow the typical retail schedule. When you start seeing heart-shaped candy boxes wrapped in red cellophane in the shops the first few days after Christmas, you’ll probably be able to find the first batches of Valentine’s Day cards, too. Of course, if you’re a super-plan-ahead person and buy cards at the end of one season for the next, you already have a stash of cards from which to choose.

Keep alert to offerings and sales of holiday greeting cards and stationery throughout the year not only at stationery stores, but also grocery stores and discount stories, going-out-of-business sales and estate sales, airports and speciality stores, museums and conference centers gift shops. Check out mail and web-order catalogues, like Current, which ships directly to APO and FPO addresses.

One last thought. Should we pick out a card and send it to our deployed friend or family member to send back to us?
 
As much as we'd like to sometimes, the answer is: Nah. Tacky.

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How else can you plan ahead to give the gift of communication between the troops and the homefront? Next week I want to introduce you to some military wives I met. Copyright 2010 Linda Jewell. All Rights Reserved.

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