Dear Team,

I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy in the midst of flu season! This week, I want to share with you another aspect of military life that presents us with ministry opportunities.

Training exercises. Job related schooling. Temporary Duty Assignments. Deployments. There’s a number of military affiliated things that take a service member away from their family. The separations can last anywhere from a few days or weeks to several months. Many of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving 18 month deployments. Family separations are just a way of life for the military family.

Granted, the nature of a separation can impact the emotions of a family different. Obviously a student with a parent deployed downrange to a hostile environment would experience a different set of emotions than a student whose parent is gone for a 6 week training class. But regardless of the circumstances surrounding a separation, life is difficult when a parent is gone. Students are bummed when their mom or dad miss important events in their lives: sporting games, plays, choir or band concerts, birthdays, holidays, ... the list goes on. Home life can become a bit more stressful as the non-military parent becomes a single parent. Teens are often asked to help out more around the house and often need to babysit for younger siblings.

As a youth worker, there are many ways that I can encourage students in my youth group while their parent is away.
I can attend extra-curricular events and cheer really loud for my students or I can take a student out on a coffee date and spend time talking one on one (giving some much needed special adult time).

It’s my desire that youth group be a safe place where students can come and process their feelings and be with peers who are experiencing similar things. It’s also my desire that students would learn to lean on the Lord and find strength in Him during challenging family separations. I think it’s important that they know they’re loved by the Lord!

This week, when you see your key...
Pray for the students and spouses of deployed personnel...that they’d feel encouraged by God’s love and experience the peace that only God can give.
Please continue to pray for me as I seek out opportunities to share about Malachi around Wisconsin’s Northwoods.
Thank you for praying last week for churches in the area. Last week I visited a church and was greatly encouraged by the sermon. I attended there today, and again was very encouraged. I think this maybe a great church for me to plug into while I’m living here. I spoke with the pastor briefly afterwards about going into ministry, and he said they’d love to pray for me! Praise the Lord for opening this door!

I’ve done some work on my blog this week, www.bethmabry.blogspot.com. On the right hand side, you’ll find a link that says “Check out the latest key club posts.” I’m going to post my weekly update/prayer requests here (in addition to e-mailing them out). This way, as more people join the club, they can scroll through and see what God’s done thus far into journey. Also, by clicking the “Learn more about Malachi” link, you’ll find some great videos and info about military ministry.

I have set aside special times throughout the week to pray for the Key Club, and specifically, individuals who make up this team. Please e-mail or call me (715-277-4520) with ways that I can be praying for you and your family. Or, feel free to call and just chat! :)

I hope you’re encouraged this week, as you think about how the Lord is answering our prayers!

For the Gospel,
Beth