Pilgrims Deployed
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD . . . – Psalm 33:12 Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving in the tradition of the Plymouth colony’s harvest at the…
Thanksgiving Reminders
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Our family has a tradition of gathering…
A Look at Parenting During Deployment
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. Editor’s Note: I asked Diana Juergens, author of Wife of a Soldier, A Journey of Faith, to share with me her thoughts on parenting during deployment. Rich and Diana are…
It Was at Gettysburg
The speech known as “The Gettysburg Address” was the dedication ceremony message for the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, given by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863—150 years ago today . . . But have you ever wondered how this particular visit to the battlefield affected President Lincoln? Coming just 4 ½ months after the Union army’s decisive defeat of the Confederate forces at the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln was so moved by the view of acres of soldiers’ graves that he gave his heart and life to Jesus Christ right there.
Marriage Communication — A Tennis Match
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry . . .” — James 1:19 “Communication is a…
Legacy of Service
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. 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 you nor forsake you. —…
Happy Birthday, Marines!
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. Outdo one another in showing honor. — Romans 12:10 My husband and I have the privilege of working with all five branches of the military. But until two years ago…
Small Groups on the Front
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. —…
October 31st
Today is October 31st—a date most well-known for the holiday we call Halloween. In a 2007 report, the estimated economic impact of Halloween is between 4 billion and 6 billion dollars—and now estimated to exceed $8 million. In Al Mohler’s article “Christianity and the Dark Side—What about Halloween?” he quotes historian Nicholas Rogers as saying, “Halloween is currently the second most important party night in North America. In terms of its retail potential, it is second only to Christmas. This commercialism fortifies its significance as a time of public license, a custom-designed opportunity to have a blast. Regardless of its spiritual complications, Halloween is big business.”
But did you know that October 31st is also the anniversary of the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany?
“Deep Calls to Deep”
How is communication going with your spouse during this deployment?
During the Vietnam War, the only voice communication my husband and I had was MARS radio. Better than nothing, but only three minutes once a month and punctuated with the required “over” before we could exchange pleasantries—all overheard by a Ham radio operator somewhere on the west coast.
So letters were our main form of communication—