Faith and Endurance During a Storm

This week, it has been 5 months since Josh's IED attack in Afghanistan.

Two things are on my mind/heart:
1. I'm so very thankful for the path that we're on as a family, and
2. I love to watch God move.

James 1: 2-4
" ² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."
-New Living Translation

The same verse in the New King James Version reads:
² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The first time Josh deployed, I didn't know these verses.  I didn't have them memorized, I hadn't read them, maybe I'd heard it in passing, but my soul knew it.  I knew that I wouldn't be walking down a challenging road without purpose.  At the time, we were married less than a year, expecting our first daughter and facing a 15 month deployment - so I thought it right to tell God that I knew what He was up to - that He wanted to teach me something and since I already knew that fact, that He should hurry up and teach me whatever it was He had in mind, so He could send my husband home sooner! 

...that's when He taught me patience.

Looking back, now that we have three little girls, I can very clearly see just why he did that.  Did I mention they are strong willed?  But he also taught me patience for a number of other reasons - commissary lines, Army pharmacy lines, field time, a life in the military - enough said.

He taught me patience and then proceeded to test it, fine tune it, and then USE it.  Repeatedly.  I should admit before we go much further, that I'm one of those people.  There's that saying "Don't pray for patience... because we only learn patience by experiencing the situations that generate it."  Well, I knew that, and prayed anyway because like I said, I love to watch God move and I love to grow. 

This is where verse 2 came in without me knowing it.  "...when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy."  ... See, I'm not as crazy as I thought I was!!!!

At that time, my "trouble" was a long deployment.  But currently, our latest "trouble" is dealing with the aftermath of the IED attack that flipped, tossed, and turned Josh's vehicle around in Afghanistan  (Check out the 2 previous posts for more info and pictures.) leaving him a bit... broken.

But also note that verse 2 says that our troubles are an "opportunity for great joy".  When your husband has just been blown up, one's initial response might not always be to be joyous.  Not going to lie, after my initial phone call, I did cry - hysterically - for about 30 seconds.  Thankfully, the recipient of that voicemail was gracious enough to delete it.  Now this was the moment of truth - I could refuse to take advantage of the road I was on and proceed to wallow, and fall to pieces OR I could trust in God's promises.  After my 30 seconds of wallowing, came much prayer.  And then He proceeded to carry me.

But what if the person on the other end of the phone had picked up?  Would I have so readily fallen into my savior's lap?  Or would I begin to squander the precious opportunity that He was presenting me with by humanly trying to control this situation which was so obviously out of my hands?

We took advantage of the opportunity.  We made lemonade with those darn lemons and I encourage you to do the same!!

Josh and I have said from the beginning, if someone had to walk down this road, we're glad it could be us.  We're thankful to weather this storm because we know we will endure.  At Fort Bliss, being a wounded warrior in Josh's condidion is not a road well traveled.  Josh as an individual and "we" as a family unit, have had to "take what we can get", and "make do" what what we had in a time where it was unacceptable.  Hopefully, we can bring the "system" to a place where it is ready to accept wheelchair bound soldiers - where ramps and adaptable equipment are quickly and easily accessable; to a place where the system can anticipate and provide the needs of the soldier and family; to a place where entitlements, allotments, programs, help, respite... are all given, provided, and known about.  THIS is where we have been placed, and this is our job right now - to do our best to work out the kinks...  We're thankful for all of our friends and family who have supported us and met our needs and blessed our family over the past 5 months... and who continue to support Josh with prayers of healing. 

Verses 3-4 say: " ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

This "trouble" or "trial" is long but over, or maybe with it just came many smaller ones.  But whichever way you choose to look at it, we know that our faith will continue to be tested and our endurance will continue to grow, and for that I am truly joyous.   

2 weeks ago, Josh took his first steps in SNEAKERS!!  Here's a video catching his first softshoe steps!!

Video of Josh walking in sneakers for the first time.

In the midst of one of our "trials" he thought it would help to wear a uniform.  Verdict is out on that, but the boots did support the ankles a bit more and he was glad to be back in uniform again!!  ....though after 2 days of combat boots, his ankels revolted.  His profile now lists softshoe as part of his uniform. Baby steps!