Customer Reviews

Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives

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In case I can only hold your attention for 1 minute, then I want to say right off the bat....go buy this book! If you are a military wife, it's a must have. If you are a civilian and know anyone in the military, it is the PERFECT gift.

Faith Deployed is a devotional book with approximately 80 excerpts written by Jocelyn and 14 other Christian military wives from all branches. Each devotional includes a scripture, 2-page anecdote, a couple of questions to ask yourself based on the reading, and a prayer related to the topic.

Here's what makes this book a must have for any military library...

* It's easy to read. Each story is 2 pages! Within a few minutes you can have a great morsel of truth to get through your day.

* As it's sub-title states, this book is a "daily encouragement for military wives," reminding each of us that we are not alone even during the longest deployment or tenth PCS.

* The excerpts go to the root issue-what do the reactions to our life circumstances reveal about our heart? Military wives, just like any Christian woman seeking to honor the Lord, must choose to handle life in light of eternity. This book will remind you to do just that!

* I have to admit my biggest fear of the book is that it would be shallow. On the contrary, these women are honest, vulnerable, and intelligent. They quote other good authors and scripture. I was convicted time after time because the truth they were sharing comes right from the Bible.

* This book would definitely work if your military member is deployed, but it is completely relevant if your spouse is at home! And then you'll already own it when your spouse does deploy and you need that extra encouragement to look to the Lord.

Isn't it funny, how even after being an army wife for a very long time, we may still have stereotypes with which we look at the wives in other branches of the military?

I can honestly say, that have never met a Coast Guard wife. I have seen a couple blogs of them online, and seen them on a few military forums, but I have never actually known any.

When I picked up the book, and customarily flipped it right over to read the back, I noted that the author was a Coast Guard wife. And again, quite honestly, my initial reaction was, "A Coast Guard Wife? What does she know about hardships? It isn't like their husbands deploy or anything."

Well, I was very happily proven quite wrong. Joceyn Green was accompanied by many other contributers in "Faith Deployed." And as I read through the book, I noted that many of the hardships, struggles and trials that Jocelyn wrote about, rung very true in my ears.

She got it.

I am not normally a "devotional book" kind of person, and I generally skip over the prayers at the end of each, but I found this book very enjoyable and encouraging. I think it would be especially helpful for new military wives.....of any branch of the military....in seeing that there are many others who "have been there and done that."

Isn't it nice to sometimes be proven wrong?

It teaches us to be humble.

[...]

What a great book! I have now sent this book to several friends whose husbands are deploying. They have raved over the books' relevant content to their exact situation and the uplifting positive encouragement!!! It's one book every military wife should have on their bookshelf.

I have a friend who's husband is deployed in Afghanistan and I've been searching for the perfect gift to let her know how much I appreciate her faithful service, too. With Faith Deployed, I've found it. Jocelyn Green and her army of been-there, walked-a-mile-in-your-shoes writers, have packed a lot into this little book. Through this book, I know my friend will be ministered to in a way I'm not able to. So many of the books I looked at offered nice stories and gave great advice, but Faith Deployed goes deeper. It connects biblical principles to the real needs these keepers of homefront share. I know my friend will find in the pages of this book, a new set of friends, and closer walk with the One True Friend who never leaves nor foresakes. Thanks, Jocelyn.

I purchased this book on my Kindle. At the time I was reading anything I could on Christian Military Wives. There is not much out there. Once my husband actually left, this book was such a treasure. I would pick it up at night when I was lonely and there would be a reading about Loneliness is not being alone. Reminding me there is no place I can go that God is not with me. I have shared different excerpts from in with my military wives group Victorious Military Wives. Even though we are all at different places, Newbies, retired, active, reserve all can connect with these wonderful uplifting stories of encouragement.

My wife has read many biblically-based books on military life. One such book is Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives, by Jocelyn Green (and contributing writers). As my wife shared these encouraging devotionals, I realized this book not only was applicable to military wives but to the soldiers lives, as well. While on temporary duty, I ordered my own copy with much expectation.

As I read through each devotional, I found relevance to my own life, as well as helping me understand my wife's experiences. After receiving news of a potential deployment, I was reminded of God's Sovereignty when I read Jill Hart's devotional, "Blessed Contentment." Jill Hart's personal struggle to find contentment in the midst of her circumstances helped me realize the importance of a grateful heart.

Sarah Ball's devotional "In Everything Give Thanks" spoke directly to my circumstance when she questioned, "Who could possibly expect me to be thankful during deployments? The uncomfortable answer to that question: God does. God expects and desires my thanksgiving in all circumstances. God does not command us to be thankful for everything, but we are expected to give thanks in everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) She continues, "I was relieved to realize that I didn't have to be thankful for deployment, but convicted of my need to continue praising God even during deployments." After receiving word of my now impending deployment I, too, am convicted of my need to offer my praise to God.

I continued to find nuggets of truth in each devotional. The Holy Spirit has made my marriage a great priority in my life, second only to my relationship with Christ. I read with great anticipation Section Two, Guarding The Heart: Protecting Ourselves from the World's Temptations. In Affairs of the Heart, by Jocelyn Green, I was reminded to watch carefully over even the small traps that can lead to an emotional affair. There is always more I can do to guard my heart. Jocelyn writes, "One way to play it safe is to guard our mouths. Flirting, complimenting, complaining, confessing, and inappropriate counseling and praying are all ways of communicating that could lead to a deeper relationship - in other words, avoid them!"

There are many truths of God's word which relate to life. The final devotional, "Making Ourselves Ready", by Jocelyn Green, clearly speaks to all of us in the military. She declares, "God wants to be more to us than merely our Creator. By assuming the names Bridegroom (Nymphios) and Husband (Aner), Jesus reveals the kind of intimate relationship He desires to have with us, His bride." What do brides have to do with men? In scripture husbands are told to "love our wives, just as Christ, also, loved the church" (Ephesians 5:28). We were given marriage, as the example to understand our relationship with Christ.

I highly recommend that husbands read Faith Deployed, as there is great wisdom which can be applied toward every soldier's life. I would encourage you to read this book with your wife. If deployment or temporary duty prevents you from doing so, then share your thoughts through e-mails, phone calls or other forms of communication. The words you read will lead you closer to Christ and bring you closer to one another.

I think the title of the newest book by Jocelyn Green "Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives" really sums up the content and the purpose of her book. However, I think it is not just for wives and could just as well be for husbands with spouses overseas, or mothers and fathers and even children. There are some fundamental truths and thoughts through the book that lend it to a great audience of readers. And that is my only negative comment about a delightful and much need book.

This book would make a great gift to give to those who have relatives overseas in the war areas or not. The book is heavy with biblical quotes and lots of real life advice from wives representing all the military branches of service. Green does a good job of weaving in her writing with those of the contributing writers to form a emotional and spiritual foundation from which the reader will find some inner strength and peace from.

I highly recommend this book and suggest that all those who have any military connections buy a copy and keep it in your personal library. It is good insurance against all those worries that may grip you when you are waiting for your loved ones to return back home.

Rev. Bill McDonald Jr.

Founder of The MIlitary Writer's Society of America

Author, Minister & Purple heart Vietnam Veteran

I am a bibliophile. Which means simply, that I devour books. I am also an Army wife currently in my 3rd deployment, he has been gone simply 4 of the last 7 years. I suffer and I suffer mightily when my other half leaves, as we all do. Each deployment has been different in many ways. I however, felt trepidation greater during this pre-deployment period than I have ever felt before. A fellow wife recommended this book to me and I ordered it on Amazon. I live in Germany and God delivered this book on Angel's wings, it was here in two days which is a miracle. I am 7 weeks into this deployment and have never ever felt the spirit of the Lord guiding me as I have this time. I owe so much of that to this amazing, well written book. It speaks to both enlisted and officer's wives. It has no condescending message. It has the message of Truth and PEACE. My poor book is tattered to pieces as I carry it everywhere and when I have two minutes I open it up and devour the message that God has for me. I urge every single soldier's wife regardless of rank, service or whatever, to purchase this book immediately. It has helped shelter my soul and guided me through rough patches with my children. It has eased my suffering and helped me to ease the suffering of others. I have grown in leaps and bounds in these 7 weeks, perhaps more than I have in the last 30 years of being a Born Again Christian. God is Faithful and is walking this deepest of valleys at my side and he has sent this wee little book to be a light when it is sometimes so dark, I cannot see beyond my tears. Thank you Jocelyn for such a compilation and for all the love and support you show your sister soldier's wives. This book will be my companion through the remainder of OUR military career. I could not give it higher praises as I have not the gift for those words. God Bless all of you and please, please, do not hesitate, you NEED this book. It will work wonders on your heart, mind and soul.

As a Christian military wife, it means so much to have a resource of encouragement from Christians who understand...those from the military.

Going through yet another deployment, I find that this is the book I pick up to "hear" other Christian military wives spurring me on, challenging me and encouraging me to run the race and run it well...

I also appreciate how the contents are laid out by topic so you can choose a devotional to meet you where you're at.

Benita Koeman

Founder, Operation We Are Here

This book warmed my heart and made it beat faster as I continued to read the selections. Even though I have no personal military connection I could easily relate and transpose situations to areas of my married life. What I read and learned has helped me pray more specifically for the women I do know that are going through this right now. I feel better connected to them and could possibly say something helpful, at least give them a heartfelt hug and a thank-you.

Every "encouragement" was so well written that it just flowed. The questions at the end of each selection, along with a prayer, were powerful.