Book Blog: God Strong: The Military Wife's Spiritual Survival Guide - Sara Horn

I had heard good things about this book and my mom found it for me at a book sale. I think this book has actually helped change my life. Every military wife should read this book. I am new to military life, but we all go through similar struggles, things that other people don't always understand. The challenges we face may seem impossible and sometimes we feel like we can't do it, we can't live this way, but we do it because we love the amazing men in our lives and we want to support them in serving our country and helping others.

I have been praying a lot lately for patience and peace with the decisions my husband and I make, and peace with what comes our way in the future. This book has been a great addition to the prayer and attempt to really give my heart to God, letting go of my worries and trusting that my life will go according to HIS plan. It is always helpful to hear stories from other wives about the strength that they find in God that allows them to be a strong military wife, a strong woman. And it's even better to be reminded of God's promises - that he is always with us, that he has a plan for our lives that may be unknown to us. The titles of the chapters lay out these promises well:

My Strength Comes from God
Fear Blocks My Focus
I Am Not Alone
Superwomen Get Grace Too
God Is in Control
God Knows My Hurts
I Can Have Joy Despite My Circumstances
Worship Lessens My Worries
I Find My Hope In Christ

So often we feel like we know these things, but we don't actually trust in them. No matter what kind of life we find ourselves in, no matter what kind of struggles we go through, God is always there and we can find joy in any situation because of that. My whole outlook on military life has taken a turn for the better. While I still don't like the thought of deployments or being away from my family, I know that I will be ok. I'm trusting that if that's the way our lives go, it's because God has a bigger plan for us. My husband is very passionate about serving his country and helping people, and although military life is not the life I would have chosen for myself, I am blessed to have such a giving and loving husband who enjoys serving others and I am so grateful to have him in my life. I need to focus on the blessings I have been given and not give in to the fear and worry. I will continue to pray for God to strengthen me into a supportive wife, a faithful servant, a woman who is God Strong. With all the inconsistency and uncertainty that comes with military life, we always have one constant.

Sometimes life is hard

Today is the last day of October! Two more months and then January is here. I finally got to see my husband's face today on a webcam after 12 weeks. It was so good to see him, even if I couldn't hear his voice. We have had a stressful week trying to figure out our future. He has been considering re-enlisting so that he could get more experience for the career path he wants to take. I want absolutely nothing to do with re-enlistment and I don't want another deployment, so really there's nothing in it for me (besides free rent and medical care) and I would be giving up everything I have here - my job, my family, my friends. So we have been trying to come up with some way we can compromise, but it's not working out so far.

It seems like it is just black and white, one way or the other. One of us would have to give up a lot for the other person. I just am really reluctant to give up several more years of our life to the army when I know that another deployment and me being away from home is inevitable. I appreciate what they do, and I'm proud of my husband for his commitment and sacrifice, it's just not what I pictured for my life. I never would have seen myself as an army wife, but somehow I happened to fall in love with and marry a soldier. And I was under the impression that he would do his time and get out because that's what he told me from the start. If I would have known that he would want to stay in, I would have had to change my expectations and be ok with it before we got married. This was not part of the plan I thought we had. I would be more willing to move if he found his dream job somewhere other than MN. Still though, I really just want to be here. This is home. Our families are here, I love this place and feel like the only thing missing is him.

It's not easy to discuss this serious of decisions while he is on the other side of the world and we have not even had a chance to start our lives together. When all of our plans have already changed and I'm missing him so much because of the Army - not so excited about the thought of 4 more years. It's such a huge decision to make even if we were together. So this has been stressing both of us out a lot lately. Today we are leaning towards no because it would mean a commitment of 4 more years, but I'm sure this isn't the end. Please pray that we can come to an agreement that we can both be happy with, and that things will work out for his career and my sanity either way.