When War Comes Home

I may have written about this already, but I can't recall.

One of my friends, Jenn, from Fort Hood recommended a study called When War Comes Home to help me better prepare for Tim's return this time around and assist her in dealing with her husband's PTSD. This book is phenomenal and if you're a military wife you should stop reading this and order it NOW before continuing on =)!!!

Jenn's husband has been deployed five times with the Army and a few other times when he was with the Marines. Understandably, he suffers from severe PTSD and she suffers from his symptoms just the same. While Tim was deployed the first time she was one of my go-to gals due to her great experience in this area. 

The Army has a phrase called "battle-buddies" that describes a soldiers' partner in war. They look out for one another and support each other in all ways. This book calls for you to have a battle buddy to complete the study with; Jenn and I are now committed battle buddies and plan to continue reading new studies together once this one is completed. She is currently stationed in Alabama so we have phone dates once a week to discuss our weekly chapter. We've also started holding each other accountable for memorizing scripture, and recite our chosen verse to each other each week. Another HUGE advantage to having a battle buddy is that I can count on her to be a prayer warrior for my family and me. 

This past week we read chapter 9, entitled "Who Is The Real Enemy." I had chills the moment I started reading and for several pages thereafter. I wish every military wife would be equipped with this book during deployments and I certainly wish I had it to prepare me for Tim's return last time. My husband is a generous, loving, supportive man (as we all know), but his return from war was challenging and I feel as if we were both ill-prepared to deal with his experiences in Afghanistan and the readjustment period that follows. This chapter reinforced the knowledge that in our struggles, Tim is not my enemy, Satan is. My husband, in reality, is the victim of Satan's attacks. The authors explain it is "better that you should stand should-to-shoulder fighting your enemy together." And as George Washington so wisely stated, "There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the enemy." With the guidance of this study and the experience of one deployment under our belts, I feel Tim and I will be much better equipped to handle his homecoming this fall. Plus, we have the added bonus of sweet Adeline to fill us with joy and melt our hearts!

Thank you, Lord, for my battle buddy, this life-changing study, the comfort of Your Word, my perfect-for-me husband, and the gloriousness of marriage. 

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