When Sara’s husband Cliff was scheduled to deploy to Iraq in 2007, she realized another benefit her trips to Iraq provided.
“My experience in Iraq helped me so much to be able to share and explain things to other military wives,” said Sara. “They ask, ‘Why does he have to leave and help these other people?’ I can tell them I’ve talked to Iraqis and know how thankful they are.’”
Sara understood that she needed more than that insider perspective to get through the upcoming deployment.
“God made it very clear that I must have other women to connect to during my husband’s absence,” said Sara. But she was four hours from Cliff’s drilling base and she knew no other military wives in her town.
Before Cliff deployed, an army wife living in Nashville while her husband was deployed saw a newspaper article about Sara and contacted her. The two met for lunch.
“We had the best time talking and laughing and realizing that neither of us were crazy; we related to what we were going through,” said Sara. “We wondered, Is there someone else in Nashville who would enjoy this fellowship too?”
Within a month, Sara created a website and an email address with the intention of finding other Christian military wives in Nashville. It worked. In December 2006, ten ladies from all branches came for their first meeting and began meeting monthly. Wives of Faith was born.
Soon, other military wives across the country heard about Wives of Faith and modeled their own groups after Sara’s.
“We have ladies who contact us all the time about starting chapters,” said Sara. “I’m in the process of putting a lot of content on the website (www.wivesoffaith.org) to help them along the way.”
Military wives have emailed Sara for help with marriage, family, and deployment struggles. “So many times all I can do is pray for them and point them in the right direction,” said Sara. “But when I walk beside another military wife, I am making a difference in ways I might not realize.”
No matter what challenges God allows us to face, we can all use those to support and encourage others in the same situation.
Lord, help me see my trials and springboards for ministry to others.
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)