On this Veteran’s Day, we honor you the veteran who doesn’t choose where you’re going to live or how long you’re going to live there,
who concedes safety and comfort, familiarity and stability,
and surrenders your own good for the good of others.
Thank you for giving up your freedoms so we may be given ours. We are so grateful.
And on this Veteran’s Day, I offer this prayer to the military spouse. Because when we build up military spouses, they are able to better build up and serve their own military-service member husbands and wives.
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Dear Father, who knew this military spouse before she was born,
Who sees all her days lived and those yet to be lived.
And who holds in His hands a string of all her moments — her joys and her trials.
The One who promises to twine them all into a trail toward good.
Bless her in her struggles, lift her when she stumbles, and carry her in her sorrows.
When she has a to-do list miles long but is worn out from starting over, show her how to simply start with the next small thing. Nothing has to be done today but the next small thing.
When she’s tired out from filling countless roles beyond wife (and mom), freshen her with the knowledge that you are a God who works in countless ways to fill her empty places, to be what she cannot.
When she’s hungry for real community, provide her with friendships that last beyond state lines and country boarders, friends that feel like family.
When loneliness comes close, may she feel You come closer still.
When she’s depleted of resources and bare as the kitchen cabinets, fill her to the brim with Your hope that says you got this, daughter, because I got you.
Nourish her weary places with Your Spirit.
Be there for her by being there for her children, providing them with the security of home found best in people not places.
Provide for her by bringing her children good, for-them friends who invite them to their lunchroom table, their neighborhood games, and their kind-natured hearts.
Provide this brave woman with soul stability that relies on a steady, Rock-solid foundation (Psalm 18:2).
When hard goodbyes — and difficult hellos — land on her doorstep, may she get through them by welcoming the faith and trust that walk with them.
When deployment looms, may she know she is as cared for during her military husband’s absence as during his presence.
Help her to release all her fears to You, the One who wants all of them (see Psalm 34:4).
And when her husband comes to her with hard stories from difficult places, may the ears of her heart be ready to listen as he’s ready to share.
Cloak her in your mercy as she waits, waits, and waits some more.
Be her mirror that reflects an accurate vision of herself so she knows she is already enough — right here, right now.
Enough of a wife.
Enough of a mother.
Enough of a sister.
Just enough.
When she feels no adoration for her location, may she know her assignment is authored by You — the One who determined the exact places she should live (see Acts 17:26).
May she know the indescribable value of her own service and sacrifice as a true hero at home.
Let her know it’s okay to fall apart and that nothing is gained from having it all together all the time. And when she does fall apart, give her friends that are safe places to break wide open and share the shards of the mess.
Who encourage Christ’s love between the broken pieces.
And may she understand that You, Lord, turn shattered shards into shimmering beauty.
May gratitude be her default reaction because gratitude precedes miracles. Because You refuse to let the hard things, the crouched-in-the-corner crying things, the hard-to-be-thankful things be wasted.
And from dawn’s early light to dusk’s fading away, may laughter find her and grace feed her.
And may Your love protect her and Your hope heal her.
In the name of Your Son, Jesus, who loves her wildly,
Amen
Download your free printable of this prayer here.
Leave a CommentNote: For flow and ease of reading, I used the feminine pronouns in this prayer as most of our regular readers here at (in)courage are women. If you would like a copy of this prayer that has been written specifically for the military husband, click here.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Kristen,
This really touches the heart…for all of us who haven’t walked this path, may we be softened to pray for and reach out to the military spouse. May we look to be in the answers to her prayers. May we be cognizant of the great sacrifices she makes each and every day to keep the home fires burning while her spouse is fighting for our freedom to come and go and worship as we please. Give us gratitude, both inward and outward, that blesses these women and men who remain behind and are the backbone of our Nation. God bless our veterans, those who have given their lives for our country, and those who serve and especially those who serve the ones who serve. Amen
Beautiful Kristen…God bless you for your service and for how you encourage all the military spouses and families! Honoring you today!!
Bev xo
Kristen Strong says
And may God bless you for all the ways you encourage as well, Bev. Thanks so much for your words here. They bless and they matter. xoxo
Jessica says
That was beautiful and really touched my heart
It’s a prayer for so many more then just military wives…I felt like it was a prayer for me…
Kristen Strong says
I’m so glad it spoke to you personally as well. Much love!
Amanda says
Thank you
Kristen Strong says
And thank you, dear Amanda.
Lisa says
This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you….as a veteran and a prior military spouse. I will be sending to all of my friends that served and continue to serve as encouragement, as I know all those feelings you have placed in this prayer. Blessings to you and again, thank you!
Lisa
Kristen Strong says
Thank YOU dear Lisa for your tremendous service. You are a gift! So much love.
Penny says
Kristen,
This deeply touched me, thank-you from my heart. I know it would of brought my grandmother, and especially my mother a great deal of comfort.
I am grateful to you, and to those who have, and do provide us with this service. May God bless them, keep them safe, and bring them peace, comfort, and strength.
In Remembrance,
Penny
(In Canada it’s Remembrance Day)
Kristen Strong says
I was thinking of our Canadian friends like you on Remembrance Day! So thankful for your family’s tremendous service, and for your own generous words here. They matter. Much love to you sweet Penny. xo
Amanda says
That was a beautiful and touching prayer, and I am not even a military wife, so I know this is going to bless the military wives it reaches. Thank you <3
Kristen Strong says
Thank you for the encouragement, Amanda. xo
Rebecca L Jones says
Lovely. You should pin this to as many Pinterest military boards as possible. I would, but the one I contributed to was taken down after some glitches.
Kristen Strong says
Thanks for that great suggestion, Rebecca!
An says
Kristin, I praise the Lord for this grace-filled posting and thank you for these words of prayer 🙂 Having been both veteran and spouse, these words brought tears of sorrow, but also gratefulness and joy. It is hard to be in both places, yet our Lord was a warrior of Love who showed true loving sacrifice while His mother supported His ministry and friends, showing us the way through military service with love and grace, through the suffering that can follow military service. May we, veterans, spouses, and civilians feel His gentle touch of mercy, unity, and hope today as one body of warriors, military and prayer alike, come together in gratefulness and love for the one Warrior who saved us all :). Thank you to each of you for your service!
Kay says
Thank you for this beautiful prayer. I am a veteran’s wife (49 years) and have found that being a military spouse or the veteran him or herself is a lifetime calling. The prayer still applies. Please reach out to your neighbors, veterans or otherwise, pray for them and be the family style support that they need.
In Thankfulness and Remembrance,
~Kay
Becky L. says
I am a vetran and so is my husband. I became a mother while in the USAF. That was a change but it worked out ok. It’s interesting to look back to 40 years ago when I first went in (Aug). How my life changed. But I stayed true to my faith in God and enjoyed the chapel on overseas at base I was at. Amazing sweet friend Deb was my second roommate in barracks and a Christian. So many stories to share but not here in comments. I’m glad I served. Thankful for God being there in the midst of my life story. Thanks for this post, Kristen.
Carlyann says
Thank you and thanks to All my fellow comrades and their families
Amy says
Thank you so much for your kindness and prayer. As a military wife of 19 years (since we were married)… I thank you for thinking of us spouses. Hardly anyone recognizes the difficult sacrifices the spouse or children have to make each day. We didn’t choose this life but yet we serve and support our loved one with pride and love. Many hard times of a loved one coming back from Afghanistan and the denial of any problems he had. The military would not help our family with counseling until our service member went for help first. That just didn’t happen. I continue to pray for all military members and families that God would help in their daily lives with coping with being one unit family again, with PTSD, with helping have positive memories. I remember one day my husband was home with us and the next he was gone and in a war zone. Washing our family’s clothes and slowly seeing his dirty laundry disappear before my eyes. It felt like he had died… since one day he was there and the next he wasn’t. I am proud of our boys who survived a year without their Daddy. Seeing their friend’s Fathers at their soccer games or attending school functions and not having their Dad there. Heart wrenching… Worrying for their Dad’s safety and praying for God to keep him safe and allow him to come home. Not something children of 5 and 2 years old should have to worry about. Thank you Lord for keeping our military and their families safe while they are away in a war zone. Amen…
jennifer says
I love this prayer, and I printed it for my sister. My mom is coming today to spend the weekend with her. My brother in law is deployed. Perfect timing for a special prayer. One note: there is a misspelling on “rolls” on the line where is says when she’s tired out from filling countless “rolls” … I think it should be roles. 🙂 Just a note to the editor. I know my sister loves to eat rolls but also fills many roles!
Beth Williams says
Kristen,
May we never ever forget the service and debt of gratitude we owe our servicemen! We should always remember those left behind. The spouse & children. They need our support and prayers even more. They didn’t choose their roles, but accept them graciously~ In my area our VFW and American Legion remember our veterans in nursing homes and assisted living by giving them special bags filled with “daily need” items and a lovely poem on the front. Those people need to remembered also! Never ever forget the sacrifice of ALL who served in any capacity!
Blessings 🙂
MAUREEN GUEST says
Thank you Kristen, for your beautiful prayer and thoughts.
from the spouse of a retired AF Vet.
Valerie says
So perfect. A million thanks