MY PRAYER FOR YOU

(Male version)

Lord, give this soldier strength today

To see his duty through

Give him peace beyond all measure

Help him to fully rely on You

Bless him Lord with perfect health

As he serves his country well

Give him angels to guard every step

May Your praises he boldly tell

Surround him Lord with men of like mind

And protect his heart of gold

Give him courage for the journey Lord

Until his loved ones he will hold

LCain Aug 2013

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

(Female version)

Lord, give this soldier strength today

To see her duty through

Give her peace beyond all measure

Help her fully rely on You

Bless her Lord with perfect health

As she serves her country well

Give her angels to guard every step

May Your praises she boldly tell

Surround her Lord with those of like mind

And protect her heart of gold

Give her courage for the journey Lord

Until her loved ones she will hold

LCain Aug 2013

BEING STRONG IN THE LORD

It takes a lot of strength and courage to leave one's family for extended periods of time, whether at sea, overseas, or under the sea...and any other facet of the term "deployed." Not only do family members of the serviceman or woman need strength during an absence, but our troops do as well. We may be missing one or two individuals...they are missing many loved ones!

One doesn't have to be deployed to be missed or need strength! Mothers miss their sons and daughters as soon as they aboard the mode of transportation that will take them out of their arms and into the arms of the U.S. Government. I can guarantee you that our Christian military mothers and grandmothers have been face down on their knees before the Throne of Grace on multiple occasions from the onset of enlistment to the day those discharge papers are in hand! Proud, yes.But the soldier isn't the only one who needs strength and courage! Their families do too.

So how do we, as Christian military families, be strong "in the Lord?" Let's address three ways:
1. Scriptures written on our hearts, and minds
2. Prayer
3. Support networks

1. SCRIPTURES: Below are some Scriptures that may help in times of weakness

* Deuteronomy 31: 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave nor forsake you. Verse 8: The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.


*2 Chronicles 20:15-17 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but GOD'S....you will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."

*Psalm 27:14  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

*Psalm 27:1-3 The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

*Psalm 118:6-7 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look on triumph on my enemies. Verses 13-14 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

*Isaiah 40: 28-31 The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. he will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

*Ephesians 6: 10-17 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's (enemy's) schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

(All of the above scriptures were taken from the NIV version of the Bible.)

2. PRAYER 

God knows our hearts even before we utter the first word! But He wants that personal relationship and communication with us that comes in the form of prayer.If you read the Psalms you will hear David crying out to God in many distressing situations. But one thing he makes clear over and over again. God hears our prayers! Every single one.

*Psalm 3 O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." (Selah) But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. (Selah) I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. (Selah) NIV


Below is a prayer poem I wrote in 2012 for our military men and women:

A Military Prayer

Lord, I answered a special call

To serve, protect and defend

Be with me, Lord, wherever I go

Be near me til this journey ends

Protect us all here on the ground

Out at sea and in the air

Guide our each and every step

Keep us safe within Your care

LCain 2012

3. SUPPORT NETWORKS

After my son's enlistment in 2005 I sought out women of like mind to share the journey with. I had a few friends who weren't as new to the "military mom" arena and they were also Christian women. I learned a lot from them! I found a Christian military mothers' group nearby that I participated in when possible given my health issues at the time (recent blood clots in both legs). I gleaned a lot of wisdom from these ladies and enjoyed my time with them! It was important to me to find a Christian support network b/c I needed Jesus at the center of this journey....I needed (and still do) His peace and strength to endure what my son may be asked to do for his country. But to my disappointment, there weren't many Christ-centered organizations for military support out there! The term "political correctness" ring a bell? 
Dig deep. Research. Call churches and ask around. There are Christian military moms and grandmothers out there. And I am sure they are looking too....

I'll end today's post with words to a song by Steven Curtis Chapman "His Strength Is Perfect"

His strength is perfect, so perfect
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me 
No great success to show, no glory of my own
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He'll carry us when we can't carry on
Raised in His power
The weak become the strong
His strength is perfect, is perfect
His strength is perfect

We can only know the power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes
His strength in us begins when ours comes to an end
He hears our humble cry and proves again

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He'll carry us when we can't carry on
Raised in His power
The weak become the strong
His strength is perfect, is perfect
His strength is perfect


May we all remember the strength that can be found IN HIM to meet our every day...no matter what the journey brings our way.
LCain

LOOKING FOR TESTIMONIES!!!!

I want to include stories from other military moms on this site so that we encompass all branches of the military and all seasons of service. And that includes...stories from our troops' Grandmoms! I am looking for stories of faith from our military moms and grandmothers. (See my first post from Sept 30 for suggestions on topics.)

I am hoping this blog becomes a way for others to share their stories that might otherwise go untold....getting experiences and "God things" written down makes them last. Many people have read the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. Lets gather our thoughts and make this a place to share what God has done in the lives of our military families...from the perspectives of our moms and grandmothers. Let's pray these stories touch the hearts and lives of those who need to hear them!

If you have a story to share, please email it to me at LCain43@windstream.net and in that email include permission to print the story on this blog. *Please do not include names of servicemen/women or details about service that could jeopardize the safety of our troops. After reading your submission I reserve the right to edit anything I feel would be a safety concern or otherwise deemed inappropriate for this site. There will be no monetary compensation for your story and I do not earn any profits from your story. This is a voluntary site of believers sharing testimonies of God's faithfulness in their lives during military service. I am not a professional writer, but simply a plain old military mother who loves to write, and loves to hear and read stories of faith in the field! May God get the glory in all that is said on these pages!

LCain

 WELCOME TO PSALM 91 MOMS

Psalm 91 says:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." (NIV)

As a Christian military mother, I have prayed this prayer since 2005-the year of my son's enlistment in the United States Army Reserves. I have written Christian based patriotic pieces off and on since that year, mainly to save for my grandchildren, but God has used them in a variety of ways! These writings have given me an avenue of encouragement, expression, and focus. 
Between 2005 and now my son got married, and now has a four year old boy and identical twin girls who will soon turn three. He has progressed in his Army path, his Christian walk, and his role as a husband and father. This blog is established to offer Christ-centered support and encouragement to other military mothers wherever they may be...first timers, seasoned veterans, or those in-between.
I pray that these words be His, not mine! I pray you will be blessed and lifted up! Supported and encouraged! During their military service the soldiers and their families need Jesus' peace, strength and protection. For me, I know my son is His, and He is in control...I just  need that peace and blessed assurance each and every day.

(Photo from Proverbs 31 Ministries)

Some of you may have already experienced one or more deployments with your son or daughter's military service. If so, we welcome your prayerfully given comments and suggestions to others currently experiencing deployment. 

Topics we would like to see submitted include: 

1. As a mother of a deployed soldier, how did you best manage your worry and concern over safety? 
2. How did Jesus make His presence known to you or your soldier during deployment? 
3. What scriptures did you or your soldier cling to in this journey? 
4. Did you participate in any troop support programs and what were they? 
5. How did your community or church family show support to your family during deployment? 
6. Did your soldier experience any difficulties that still need prayer? 
7. How did your soldier's spouse/children best manage the absence?

  We will lift one another up, encourage one another, and learn what works best in this  new journey.We will pray for one another and offer loving, kind, supportive words. Holy Words...If your soldier needs prayer, please let us know! This blog is also for mothers of soldiers who are training on the home front, currently deployed, or who have returned from deployments. Bottom line, it's for ANY military mother...any branch, any avenue of service. They are all heroes in my book. :) And they all need our prayers.

Let's get started with a prayer I wrote in 2011:

Jesus, I thank You for this soldier who willingly works to free
Countries from great oppression or tragic tyranny
I thank You for their choice to protect the US of A
And to defend its freedoms and keep terrorists at bay
I ask You now to guard, keep, direct and stay
Close beside our troops in Your Holy name I pray
LCain