Being a military spouse is no easy task. With the frequent deployments, moves, and changes in duty stations, it can often feel like you are wandering in a wilderness with no clear direction or purpose. However, just like the Israelites in the Bible who wandered through the wilderness for 40 years, your journey as a military spouse is not without meaning or purpose when we lean into what God has for us.
“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.” Deuteronomy 2:7 (ESV)
The Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land should have taken about 11 days. Instead, it took forty years! It’s easy to think of the decades-long wandering as nothing but a punishment for the Israelites for their lack of faith. But it was so much more than that. The people remained in the wilderness so they could learn to trust God. This was a teachable moment. Notice in the verse above that God did not say, “I’m leaving you in the wilderness for forty years, good luck!”. He was with them every step of the way, and they lacked nothing.
In your Military life, have you too experienced a type of “wilderness”? Have you been on a long journey unfamiliar to you? Maybe a long deployment, separation from your spouse, or maintaining good relationships with your children? These are all transitions that have to take place in Military life.
God knows what you’re going through. He is with you. And when we trust in Him, we will lack nothing. With these things in mind, we have created Journey of a Military Wife, an ASM program designed to guide and inspire Military wives with waypoints along the journey to pause for reflection and inspiration.
Waypoints to Guide Us Through the Wilderness
At Armed Services Ministry we know the strength and determination needed to be a military spouse. Since we believe that our true strength and courage can be found when we follow Jesus, we’ve designed a study specifically tailored for military spouses. Journey of a Military Wife (JoMW) is an online Bible study where faith, family, and friendship meet Military life. It is a four-book series, each book divided into two journeys. The series was created by Brenda Pace, a Military wife , author and speaker.
Check out the topics covered in this series:
Dedicated
The Dedicated Book of JoMW asks the question, “Instead of feeling like Military life happened to you, what if you believed Military life happened for you?”. This book follows the steps of God’s most faithful, wherever the path may lead.
- Journey 1: Dedicated to God’s Plan, follows the journey of Abraham and Sarah to discover how living fully dedicated to God fits into His purposes in the world.
- Journey 2: Dedicated to God’s Mission, joins Jesus and His disciples on a trek through the Gospel of Mark, where we see Him as a Man on a mission.
Devoted
The Devoted Book follows Military spouses and families as they navigate life together to discover how strong, healthy relationships can grow, even in times of separation. Learn how the Scriptures play a vital role in this and ask, “How can the Holy Spirit guide me in my relationships?”.
- Journey 1: Devoted to My Husband, where we learn how six women in the Bible overcame life’s greatest challenges through faith, love, and devotion.
- Journey 2: Devoted to My Children, we observe Noah, Mary, Jesus, and others as they guide you through acts of love and devotion to children.
Deployed
The Deployed Book discusses that one word that can strike fear and doubt into the heart of the bravest Military wife. During this time of waiting and grieving, there is the ability to learn spiritual and mental resilience until your loved one comes home. It answers the question, “How can we be patient and trust in God as we await the return of our loved ones?”.
- Journey 1: Deployed Not Despondent, follows the people of Israel as they “deploy” with Moses in the wilderness.
- Journey 2: Reunited and Resilient, witness a generation as they rebuild a city with Ezra and Nehemiah.
Directed
The Directed Book focuses on the transitions of moving from one assignment to the next. Military families move—a lot—and each one of those moves brings its own set of adjustments. Here, you’ll set out with the Bible’s heroes of faith as they moved from place to place.
- Journey 1: Determined to Thrive in Relocation, follows Biblical stories of people God moved from place to place and how His grace helped them triumph over stress.
- Journey 2: Determined to Thrive in Transition, covers stories of faith heroes who experienced extraordinary transitions that changed the trajectory of their lives toward God’s purpose.
Through studying JoMW, you can have peace in knowing that God will help you through each step of your Military journey.
Letting God Lead in Your Journey
Sometimes we, like the Israelites, need to take a little detour before we reach our destination. Still, we need to stay the course, remembering that God is with us and His provisions will abound.
Do you feel like you’re being kept from the “Promised Land” in your life? God may be leading you through your own wilderness to learn how to obey and trust in Him. When you seek His will and follow His voice, He will guide and protect you on your journey, as you travel toward your next destination in the journey of life.
Follow God’s lead, learn from the waypoints, and finish the race with excellence. As the apostle, Paul said:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV)
