My husband served our country in the United States Air Force and is a veteran of the Gulf War. Of course, when he joined the military, he was not deployed immediately and sent into war. He went through intense training, building mental and physical strength and honing the skills he would need when the time came.
In life, we often wonder why we go through difficult times. We may question why God allows certain hardships and struggles to happen in our lives. In Romans 5:3-5, Paul writes, “…we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (KJV). Just as intense training prepares a soldier for battle, our trials and tribulations teach us and help us strengthen our faith. As we do not want to endure hardships, according to scripture, God can use our struggles to help us grow spiritually and transform us to be more like Christ. After all, 1 John 2:6 says, “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (KJV).
Let us praise even in the valley, knowing God has a perfect plan for whatever He allows in our lives. We are in training to be more like Jesus.
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As we remember our Veterans, I would like to thank all who have served our country and sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted.
This post is in honor of my husband, who not only served our country during Desert Storm but also sacrificed nonstop for our family. Throughout our marriage, he has worked long, grueling hours, putting in much overtime, to allow me to be able to stay home with our children. And every second he has not been providing for our family, he has spent in quality time with our family. So, today, I would like to thank my husband for all the sacrifices he has made, for our country and our family.
Stephen Adkins
The United States Air Force
Served 1989 – 1993
Veteran Gulf War/Desert Shield/Desert Storm
“DO THEY KNOW?”
For most, it’s a headline.
For him, it is real.
For most, it’s scenes in a movie.
For him, it is wounds that will never heal.
Back home, safe and sound,
They sleep in their bed.
He is in a foreign land,
With explosions and gunfire echoing in his head.
He thinks of his family,
The memories with them he has lost.
But their freedom and their safety
Comes with a cost.
When he gets home
Will they care?
Or will they go about
Completely unaware
Of the time he has missed,
The horrors he has seen,
The price he chose to pay
While they went about their daily routine.
Someday, will they understand,
Will they ever see…
The sacrifice that keeps them
The land of the free.
