Today is Veteran’s Day. I think about sacrifice. Our family will join together in a day of thanksgiving for sacrifices made for our freedom. In our hearts honoring in gratitude the men and women who have served, fought, and are still serving for the freedom we enjoy daily.
Freedom comes at a price. Sacrifice. Understanding many have gone through bloody battlefields, death, trauma, loss, difficulty, and so much more for the cost of our freedom.
My husband served three years in the United States Army. He was young. Although he never went to war, he has shared how he recalls thinking if he was called to war, plain and simple, he would go. Fear wasn’t a factor, the call was there, the order given, he just matter of factly knew he would march into it because that is just what a soldier does. He obeys and goes.
I didn’t know him at this time in our lives. I see how God was preparing this young man to be a spiritual soldier as my husband and as father to our two boys. As a spiritual soldier, he understands Who his Commander is. As he enlisted years ago into the Army of our Lord.
He sacrifices daily for the sake of our family. Through the zillion ways he serves us. As he is serving His Master Commander Lord and Savior. He gives generously. During difficulty. During times of my own weakness, when he is tired, he offers more to me. It is evident, under Christ, that “I” his wife, and our boys are his greatest treasures. He equips the boys spiritually through the battles of life. Teaches, trains, and prepares them for life.
I recall the days when our boys were little. The times that were hard financially as he was determined, and worked two jobs for a season, in order for me to remain home to care for our family and raise our children. I recall a few years later, when he went through a layoff. Determined again, to take on a job that he had never done before for a time. Hard physical work. Going into it, with no training. I remember him coming in the door, covered in plaster, debris, dust, exhausted and stretched mentally and physically. I remember feeling so thankful and grateful that he would do this for our family.
He is humble as well. He wouldn’t say any of this is a “sacrifice”. “It’s just what “I” do.” Rather the way I see it, as he was matter of factly ready as a soldier to go into battle and simply do what he was called to do, he is the same in his position as a soldier for the Lord as husband and father.
Ultimately, I point to Jesus. Who calls us into battle. To die to ourselves, sin, and live in spiritual sacrifice to Him. Jesus the ultimate Sacrifice. Saving sinners from death. Giving it all because that is JUST what the LOVING GOD of the universe is all about. Jesus went to the cross, and through the bloody battle, He won. We are free. Free from sin and free to live in newness of life. Under His command.
As our family reflects through a special dinner, dessert, teaching time, and movie night centered around our grateful hearts for this country God has blessed us with, as well as the people who gave so much for our freedom, those who continually still serve, we also and most importantly will reflect on the ONE WHO gave it all so that we are free today, tomorrow and most importantly for all eternity.
My husband is my hero. I yearned for a life living in HIS LIGHT and stepping away from the darkness, in serving the Lord in my home with our children. It seemed impossible in every way. Yet when it was time to enter into this call, my husband has labored and toiled and made every effort through some difficult seasons to keep me here in my call. As I press on too, along his side, a soldier in the battle for what is right for our family.
I just think it is super important to reflect on sacrifice. Super important that we realize we have a high calling in a real battle to offer sacrifices daily. While it may not seem like some “super hero” achievement, and while truly our SUPER HERO JESUS is the strength to give us the ability to keep moving forward in the battle daily, sacrifice is something as a Believer we are called to do daily. The war against family, roles, and order by God’s design is real, and incredibly important to God. We may never go to the actual battlefield, but we know we are truly in a Spiritual Battle everyday against the enemy and hell. We are thankful we know our victory is secure, because of what Christ secured for us on that cross.
So as we honor what we have been given today, I thank God for all my brothers and sisters in Christ, Who have been saved through the precious sacrifice of the Savior. Who are soldiers in the call, in obedience to the Commander of heaven and earth. I hope and pray, others will find the TRUE SACRIFICE of LOVE through JESUS. Understand the depth of the price He paid to give freedom, and enjoy serving for the KINGDOM to come.
ADDITION TO INITIAL BLOG WRITING (ONE YEAR LATER):
9 MONTHS AFTER WRITING THIS BLOG, MY HUSBAND WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT LEFT HIM WITH A FRACTURED SPINE IN THREE PLACES, RODS, SCREWS, AS WELL AS AN INCOMPLETE SPINAL CORD INJURY, THAT LEFT HIM PARALYZED. THE BATTLE WAS ON. HE DID NOT PANIC, BUT WAS COMPLETELY CALM. HE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED INTO THIS BATTLE WITH HIS FOCUS COMPLETELY ON “IN GOD WE TRUST”. I HAVE WATCHED HIM FIGHT HARD. ENDURE BRUTAL MENTAL, PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY. I SAW HIM STRONG, DETERMINED. I SAW JOY.
I SEE A MAN WALKING TODAY, OVERCOMING OBSTACLES. NEVER GIVING UP. REFUSING DEFEAT. BECAUSE HE HAS TRUSTED IN GOD, WORKED HARD IN THE STRENGTH THE LORD GIVES. CREATED BY GOD WITH A DETERMINATION, FIGHT, STRENGTH, JOY, THAT HE GIVES GOD GLORY TO.
I AM ONCE AGAIN, THANKFUL FOR GOD GIVING ME – OUR FAMILY – A STRONG, DETERMINED MAN WHO I GET TO CALL “HUSBAND” – OUR SONS GET TO CALL “FATHER – DADDY” – AND HIS MOTHER WHO LIVES HERE BECAUSE HE BROUGHT HER HERE IN LOVE, WANTING TO SERVE AND CARE FOR HER – SHE CALLS “SON” .
HE CHALLENGES US. TO TRUST AND NOT FEAR. TO LIVE IN JOY AND NOT DEFEAT. TO WORK HARD. TO NEVER GIVE UP. TO PERSEVERE IN JOY.
ON THIS DAY, AGAIN. I AM THANKFUL. MOST IMPORTANTLY HIS SERVICE TO HIS COMMANDER IN CHIEF – AS HE WORKS HARD FOR THE LORD AND FOR HIS FAMILY. HIS DRIVE, HIS PASSION. HIS CALLING.
“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
2 Tim. 2:3-4
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SOLDIERS FIX THEIR EYES on the COMMANDER
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2