Tour of Duty

While Joe was home on R&R, I received a copy of this lovely book:

She even signed it! *gasp* Woohoo!

I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen few to review it.* =) The Facebook site for Tour of Duty put out a post asking for 25 bloggers to volunteer. I, of course, jumped right on that bandwagon!

I didn't have much time to sit down and read it - what with Joe being home and traveling back to the mainland - but I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

The author, Sara Horn, does an amazing job of explaining to the reader that military wives are NOT in this journey alone. The book focuses mainly on the challenges, ups and downs, of deployment. All military wives face them and, generally, we all have the same struggles. I think what I love the most about this book is the way in which she compares our struggles with that of Biblical characters.

We are not much different than the men and women in the Bible. Just like them, God has called us to serve Him. Everyone is called by God to do something. We are called to be military wives. Like the author, I believe that the military is a mission field.

She urges us to cling to God not just in the good times, but in the rough times - like deployment - as well. This is something that each of us has probably heard at some point in our lives. Personally, I felt like Sara Horn did a wonderful job of describing the benefits of a continued relationship with God during deployment.

Throughout the book, you can really see the heart that Sara Horn has for all military wives. I absolutely love what she says on page 33:

"I don't want this study to serve only as a soothing balm for our hurts. If I speak in generalities and platitudes, you could close this book and feel better for a day or two but then go right back into a sea of despair, struggling over an approaching or current deployment. Instead, I want to encourage you to grow closer to God during every season of your life, even the season rocked by deployment. If we want to see God more clearly, if we want to know Him better, if we want to face life's hurdles with hope, we need to trust His heart."

I think this would be perfect for anyone about to go through a deployment or currently going through deployment - like me. It will comfort you, lift you up and encourage you to continue a strong relationship with Christ even in the midst of a storm. It would even be great for a group of wives, too!

If you are going through - or about to go through a deployment - run, do not walk, to the bookstore and buy this book!

*I received a free copy of this book in order to do a book review.*