REJOICE

A day to recount His provision.

His faithful, faithful provision.

Over 8 months of deployment complete.

Only a few days remain. . .

It was before Christmas that a day was given, the gift of a day.

A day to reflect.

In this stillness of the Raphine Retreat, a day in which to reflect upon all that the Lord has done during these past months of our lives.  During this season of deployment.

"Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart.  For consider what great things He has done for you."

1 Samuel 12:24

The provision of a full day simply to rest, to be, to reflect, and to give Him the glory.

The day began in that huge chestnut leather chair, the one I sit in every morning, the one I pull closer to the fire's warmth.  I began there, snuggled in my pajamas, snuggled into a mug of coffee.  The day embarked with the fire, a mug, a pen, my journal, and Christmas lullabies. . .

The day changed to a trip into town for a cup of soup and some homemade focaccia bread at the local bakery.  A treat for myself and moments to talk with our Soldier.

Back to the retreat, back to the same old leather chair.  Back to the journal and the pen and the lullabies, added this time with a cup of tea and an afternoon nap.  

Moved for a long soap in the jacuzzi tub with a glass of red wine and an overabundance of bubbles and One Thousand Gifts.

I reflected upon each of the months, these 8 months that have composed the symphony of this season.  To each month we assigned one word, a word to proclaim and to pray over each month.  The words:

Preserve

Deliver

Shield

Redeem

Song

Endurance

Rest

Glory

and now for these last few days until our Soldier is once again home: Rejoice

These words have come together to be the theme of this season, words that describe our Lord and describe how He has provided throughout these months.  For indeed:

 He has preserved!  He has delivered!  He has shielded!  

              Each and every single one of the soldiers in the 3rd Platoon of Bravo Company are returning home to their loved ones, to their families, alive.  HALLELJUAH!! What wondrous things He has done for us!

For indeed:

He has redeemed and will continue to redeem!

            Lost moments, bad days, moments of breakdown and despair

For indeed:

He has been our song!  He has given endurance!  He has given and will continue to give rest!

            Look at where He has brought us. . . to the final days of deployment

For indeed:

He has received and given glory!

           The Bronze Medal given!

For indeed:

He has allowed us to rejoice! 

          in all that He has done and what He will continue to do.

Amen.

Through this deployment and upon reflection, we have seen and beheld:

The Lord longs to give and will continue forever more to give good and perfect gifts

"My God shall meet all your needs according to his glorious riches" Phil 4:19

"Blessed be the Lord!  For He has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me while in a besieged city"  Psalm 31 

That psalm that we have proclaimed and prayed over this whole of deployment with fervent hearts and believing minds, He has done!  He has wondrously shown us His steadfast love and may we never forget it but continue to proclaim and to fear and give glory.  

For He has

and forevermore will 

Provide