I will be honest that I did not join the military hoping to go to war. I am thankful I did not have to. Some of my “battle buddies” wanted to deploy and retire. I just wanted to serve and leave. While I left the military with physical injuries, others left with both physical and unseen wounds.
As we celebrate veterans in the U.S., I would like to encourage you to honor veterans by doing these two important things as often as possible:
Pray: I believe praying is one of the ways to honor veterans. In the process of fighting for global and national freedom, some war veterans have become mental prisoners of war. Regardless of our views on military service and war, we ought to pray . We should not discriminate in our prayers. Veteran suicide rate in the U.S. is alarming. According to the U.S. Veterans Affairs, “In 2017, the suicide rate for Veterans was 1.5 times the rate for non-Veteran adults, after adjusting for population differences in age and sex.” You can read more about veteran suicide prevention Here.
As a Christian, I believe Jesus is the healer of broken hearts and wounded souls. He can take away those tormenting memories, shame, and guilt that contribute to suicidal thoughts and suicide. I am glad my local church honors veterans by praying for them and blessing them materially, please encourage your local church to do the same.
Pray for their families. Many veterans end up separating from and later divorcing their spouses due to unseen wounds and difficulty transitioning from military to civilian life. Pray that God will heal the hearts of families affected.
After separation from the military, veterans are prone to become depressed due to uncertainty about their future. You can start by asking God to reveal himself to veterans in your neighborhood, that they will come to know the love of Christ.
Thank them for their service: War veterans are not hard to find these days. Most of them have overcome the shame associated with serving. They put on hats that show where and when they served. Please express your gratitude for their service if possible. Some have license plates indicating their veteran status. You can leave a Thank You note. Some organizations provide food for homeless veterans, you can find one near you via Google. When war veterans were on the battlefield, I am sure they believed they were fighting for freedom and some of them truly did. Let’s appreciate them and set aside negative opinions. Let’s see through the eyes of love.
Remember, a military veteran is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, child, and friend.
Thank you for reading and praying for veterans all over the world. God bless you!
PS: Fellow veterans in the U.S., here is a comprehensive list of veterans day discounts and Free meals published by the VA 😉 Enjoy!
Great advice and fabulous post!
Thank you ♥️
Thank you for reminding us to pray. I remember hearing on the news that some of these veterans are homeless. I cannot imagine why a government would allow that to happen to someone who have served their country with their life. We will pray for them.
It is a sad situation. Thank you for praying.
Such a great post sis. I read about them and even watched some of the torment they have to recall in movies that end up shattering them and making them feel lost in their world. Unable to recover. But introducing Christ to then goes a long way. When we struggle so hard, like most of them are – He stills our storm (internally and externally).
Love this. And hope to be a part of this. Some time in the future. @the Homeless veterans nd also civilians.
Absolutely, Jesus is always the antidote to misery and all evil. Thank you ♥️
Yes sis. He is!.
You are welcome. 🤗
Wow💞💞 Love this. I’ve watched movies and interviews about Veterans. And many of them have PTSD. I know a lady here who is seriously sick because she joined the military. She can’t even have children of her own. And the government is not helpful her as they ought too. It’s so sad to see homeless veterans. These are people that served the country. They need our prayers and help. 🙏🏾😢❤️
Ikr. It is sad that some veterans don’t get the post-separation benefits they are entitled to. Thank you. We will pray and help♥️
Sincerest gratitude for your service, yourself and all veterans are truly brave and the heroes of your time. May God continue to keep each of you as you re-navigate your normal lives. I could not have done what you did.
Thank you. Amen!