Purpose in Your StrugglesSample

 BE ALL YOU CAN BE

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Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."

- Genesis 12:1-2

Reflect

The recruiting slogan for the Army in 1981 was “Be all you can be!” The jingle was a successful attention-grabber. The promise for a young person to reach their full potential encouraged many to find a military recruiter and sign over a few years of life to Uncle Sam and his friend the Drill Sergeant.

Likely, no recruiter enlisted you as a military wife, but the promise of that slogan is one you can take as your own, if you are willing.

Willingness is an inclination or readiness to do something, and it is a trait displayed in the life of Abraham and his wife Sarah. God invited Abraham to follow him into an unknown territory with the promise of making him all he could be. Sarah’s willingness to go on the journey is impressive. Travel in the Near East during this time was dangerous and difficult. The road system was—well, there was no road system. The journey was by foot, with a donkey to serve as the moving van. Sarah had no military sponsor to write and give her information about what to expect at her next duty station.

Besides the logistical challenges, Abraham and Sarah were not young people. If the setting were today, Sarah would be looking for a place to put down roots. Yet she was willing to follow her husband into the unknown.

Military life can be an adventure into the unknown. You may have left home, family, and friends to follow your husband to an unfamiliar place. The adventure is not without challenge, but it makes for an interesting life. The happiest military wives are those who have—or can cultivate—a willingness to embrace the unknown. Are you willing to do all you can do in order to be all you can be? The good news is that God promises to be with you. We will see that his promises to Abraham and Sarah were fulfilled—and that his promises to you are sure.

Respond

Do you struggle with having a willing heart when it comes to being a military wife? List your specific struggles in a journal. Make this list a prayer guide.

Prayer

Father, please give me a willing heart to follow you. Help me to trust that your promises are true and that you want to use my experience as a military wife to make me into the best follower I can be. Amen.