Be All You Can Be in the Lord’s Army

Our young heroes are so inspired to make a difference in the Lord’s Army as they meet the brave men and women of the United States Military during our Military Quest. They were honored to begin our quest with a video call straight from the Naval base in Virginia Beach with LT Commander Bryon Thomson or “Dr. Bryon.” They were amazed to meet a doctor who also served in the Navy. The lieutenant was very impressed with the respectfulness, curiosity, and confidence of our heroes, fully prepared with questions they came up with on their own:

Each week during this session, they will be getting to know the real heroes in every branch of the military who serve and protect our country. This week, the heroes started “Basic Skills Training” learning all about the U.S. Army. They also encountered many members of the Army through their research and found out various ways the soldiers serve, either as chaplains, doctors, engineers or even artists.

During one discussion, the heroes learned about an Army officer who chose to become an Army chaplain, LT Amy Wainwright. After hearing her testimony, they conferred with one another whether they would have made the same choice, which is to go back to training as a chaplain instead of going out on a mission after completing basic skills training. They unanimously agreed that it is more important to follow God’s calling even if it means to go back to school or do more work and training.

Throughout the week, our heroes have been living up to the Army Values. They discussed the meaning and gave examples for each value,  then they pondered which one they believed was the most important value. Several heroes recognized the importance of respect, especially for their parents. Some heroes acknowledged that selfless service is most important as they correlated it with their hero’s contract promise, to think of others before themselves. One hero pointed out personal courage to be most important for a soldier when facing enemies.

Further into the discussion, some heroes expressed their fears going into battle. So the heroes started to describe the greatest fears that the soldiers face when they go into battle. Many established their fear for safety and staying alive. In light of this, the heroes recognized the sacrifices that soldiers make to protect our nation. One hero believed the biggest sacrifice they make is to be separated from their families. But most of them agreed that it would be hardest to face the enemy. Then one hero reminded his friends about another battle we learned from the Bible and provided the group with a direct quote from Ephesians 6:12, pointing out that we too “go to battle like the soldiers, but we fight in a spiritual battle in an unseen world… but we do not have to be afraid because Jesus is on our side, so we are safe and we always win the battle!”

By learning about the sacrifices and dangers our military heroes face, our young heroes have become very determined to support our deployed troops throughout this quest by preparing care packages for them. They agreed to sponsor a unit with ten members, one for each hero. They are so excited to get to know the members that they have started writing letters, making cards, and drawing pictures for them. In addition, the heroes carefully peruse the wishlist provided through HeroBox.org to decide what they would like to add to the care packages until the last day of the quest when they will be ready to pack and ship the boxes to their sponsor unit. And they promised to ask for permission before raiding their pantries and supply cabinets at home.

Military Quest

Our Week At A Glance

Week 1: February 19-23, 2018