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by Chantal Graupmann
Chantal Graupmann is an Air Force wife and mother to two children. She is striving to serve women in the midst of motherhood and military life, and is passionate about building community. She loves finding time for DIY projects, experimental cooking, and travel.
Editor's Note: This month we are welcoming two new members to our blogging team here at CMWF. Today's post is Chantal's first one with us. Welcome, Chantal! We're so glad to have you sharing your story with us!
As followers of Christ we all have defining moments in our faith where God asks us to follow Him.
Choosing to let Him guide our family as we joined the military was one of those moments for me.
When my husband and I got married, the military was not a thought in my mind. We planned to stay in our home state of Minnesota, where almost all our family resides, and raise our future children. We never discussed other options. But two years into our marriage the economy took a downhill turn, and what I thought would never affect us, did. My new husband lost his job, and we were faced with the same difficult situation of unemployment that many Americans were facing. Young and newly married, we were completely unprepared for the difficulties that lay ahead.
During the following year and a half, finding work was tough. I was earning my Bachelors degree and working part time, while my husband painstakingly searched for suitable work to keep us afloat. With little hope in sight, we turned our ears all the more to Jesus in desperation. Jesus, what do you have in store for us?
Never before had we been so open to listening to the Lord.
God began to deal with my lingering fears as my husband left for basic training. He led me to the first chapter in Joshua, specifically verse 9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Those words spoke so strongly to my heart during the time my husband was away. They were a source of great comfort. He was encouraging me to trust in His plan like never before and I knew He would form our family into what it should be.
A little over three years have passed since I was encouraged with that passage in Joshua. As I look back, I can see how God has used the military to shape our extended and immediate family. He has kept His promises to me, and no matter where we are, He has provided us with support in the form of family and great friends. Our family is stronger and healthier than it was before the military because distance has forced us to communicate better. God has placed others in our lives at each duty station to fill a specific role where family would traditionally serve, which has created lasting friendships.
This passage of scripture continues to encourage me on the days I feel like military life is an impossible feat. It reminds me that He has chosen our family for this task, and no matter where the military may take us or how it will separate our family, He will be there to provide for our needs and to strengthen us.
Reflection What fears are lingering in your heart today? Where are you struggling to trust in God’s provision? Who is one person you can come alongside of today to encourage with the message of God’s faithfulness? Prayer Lord, thank you for your constant presence in my life. Thank you for your promise to be with me wherever I may go. Your plan for my family is perfect and as you continue to lead me, I hold onto your promises for the difficult and sometimes lonely days that military life holds. I pray that you continue to go with us all our days.
by Mary Parker
Lately, on Sunday nights, I’ve had trouble getting to sleep. Thoughts of Monday morning “what-ifs” and “to-dos” keep my brain riveted in cyclical momentum. This has resulted in several crabby (to put it mildly) Mondays, after a great day devoted to God just 24 hours before. The same restlessness plagues my brain as we plan a cross-country trip during the holidays to see our family for the first time in two years. A time that should be full of joy and relaxation is haunted by worry and anxiety. The harder I try to plan and fix, the messier everything seems to get. In the situations of holiday planning and late night restlessness, I often find that the comfort I’m seeking only comes when I surrender my tired body and brain to Jesus. So instead of staring at the ceiling in mind-numbing thought, I thank Him for the mercy He provides for me to start each day anew, for the lessons of loving others that make my marriage, familial relationships and friendships more fulfilling, for providing more than my family could need or imagine and encouraging me to give freely to others. The list goes on, and I find myself beautifully rested and restored when I awake Monday morning.
When I begin praising God for all He has done and continues to do in my life, I become less concerned with what can go wrong. I can even remember the times when things have blown up at work or with family, and the times I rely on God to see me through are infinitely more successful than when I rely on my own devices.
For some of us, restlessness comes with the daunting challenges of the work week. For others, it’s during the nail biting moments of the college football game when we say things we probably shouldn’t (myself included), while prepping the prized Thanksgiving turkey, or while planning to spend holidays apart from loved ones.
Whatever the restless moments in your life, I encourage you to praise Jesus in the midst for all that He has done, is doing, and continues to do in your life. Ultimately, thanking God for the blessings, which surely exist in our lives, is an amazing way to renew ourselves daily, as He intends: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him'” (Lamentations 3:22-24).
Questions for Reflection:
*If you are struggling with restlessness, is there something you need to give to the Lord?
*What are some specific blessings you can thank God for right now?
*How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness?
Prayer: Father, thank you for all the blessings you have put in my life, for loving me more than I can ever know, for pouring your mercy on me every single day, and for refreshing me daily. I seek you today and ask for help to recognize your great hand in this world. Help me to be thankful for my blessings and not take them for granted. I love you Father and am thankful for your supremacy in my life. Amen.
Mary Parker is an Air Force wife who works as a public relations writer. A South Carolina girl at heart, she and her husband have recently relocated to Fairbanks, Alaska. Mary spends her spare time honing exercise and cooking skills, and is a self-proclaimed DIY addict. You can read about how faith and hope shape military family life, and check out Mary's latest projects at her blog, Mary's Mischief.
Laura is a Christ-follower, Navy wife, mother to one toddler, writer, and coffee drinker. She writes about Faith, Military Life, and Motherhood at Embracing This Life.
The butter dish.
It's a simple yet useful tool every kitchen should have, and we have never owned one. This little fact drives me crazy. I cannot count the number of times I have noted that I need to buy one, but for some reason or another, a butter dish is never purchased. Instead, our butter gets placed in a bowl, on a plate, or sometimes even stays on the counter in its wrapper. This seemingly small annoyance irks me in a big way, as I constantly waste time and energy as I move the butter around the kitchen because the container is too large, takes up an awkward amount of space, or it makes a mess.
Yet, isn't that a picture of how our lives can be? We sit, day after day, knowing that a small change can make a big difference in our lives. Yet we move this or that, avoiding the real problem.
James 4:8 states: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
Our family is about to experience our very first deployment in a matter of just a couple short weeks. Not only that, but my husband and I have been making some decisions about the way we want our life to look, the way it should look, as followers of Christ. Talk about big changes.
These things, these important things, have been in the back of our minds for some time now. However, just like the butter in our kitchen, we have failed to address the small change that can make such a huge impact in our lives.
The simplicity and usefulness of James 4:8 bores into my heart: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
All we must do is draw near!
My countless hours of worry, of looking for answers, of outright avoidance have all been a waste of precious time. If I simply seek God, he will be my source of all comfort and he will guide me in the right direction with his constant presence and conviction.
This truth helps me stay calm in the midst of all the change happening in our lives. I have found that taking even 5 minutes in the morning to seek God makes a huge impact on my attitude and my perspective throughout the day.
*Are you willing to make a small change in your life and draw near to God?
*What are some practical ways to "draw near" to Him?
Chantal Graupmann is an Air Force wife and mother to two children. She is striving to serve women in the midst of motherhood and military life, and is passionate about building community. She loves finding time for DIY projects, experimental cooking, and travel.
by Brandis Trionfo
Meeting my Savior that day was the biggest change I’d seen, military or no.
Questions for reflection:
*What changes in your life have showed you your need for God and His grace?
*Where has the Lord met you in your life at the weakest moments?
Brandis is a former Sailor turned Air Force wife, a stay at home mom to 3 kids, and a lover of rustic country decor. She misses the Navy almost daily but is so very thankful for the time she gets with her family, dogs, & friends living near the beach. She occasionally blogs but mostly forgets at Anchored in the Air Force Life.
Of course! Silly me to think all this time that I was alone. See, in my fear of branching out I forgot to call on the one who is my refuge. I forgot to call on the one who gives me strength.
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.” (NLT)
Reflection How can you allow God to meet you in your lonely times? What would it look like for you to fully trust God with the season of life you’re in? Prayer Father, thank you for showing me that your ways are always right and that you are my fortress. Help me to not be scared. Help me to know that you are with me no matter where my fears take me. Help me to see where you would have me go and to know that you lead the way. I ask that you give me “family” to help comfort me along with your word. I pray in your name, God. Amen.