As the mother of a frontline infantry Marine, Edie Melson lived this book before she wrote it. Edie understands what it is to face adversity and come out triumphant on the other side. Her years as a wife, mother, and ministry leader have given her a unique perspective to reach out
to others facing the same struggles.
She's the Military Family Blogger for Guideposts.org, social media director for several writing websites, and a popular ministry and conference speaker. Connect with her on her blog, The Write Conversation, Twitter, and Facebook.
While
My Soldier Serves
Why was it so
important for you to write this book?
I struggled with fear while our son
was deployed. Often the worst times were when I was awakened with horrible
nightmares. I’d make my way downstairs and sit in the recliner, clutching my
Bible and trying to pray. So often the prayers wouldn’t come. I longed for a
book like this to give me a jumping off point for my own prayers.
How was your
own perspective helpful as the mother of an active duty marine?
I think that
experience has given me insight into the deepest fears we face while a loved
one is away at war. I know firsthand the hopelessness that comes from being
unable to protect someone you love.
Why is prayer
vital for our military soldiers?
It’s vital that we’re covering our
military with prayer. Prayer activates God’s power. Sure, He can and often does
work without it, but I’ve also seen how He moves mountains because of it. Our
prayers help provide protection, comfort, even peace for those serving so far
from home.
Why is it
important to not only pray for the soldier, but for their families and loved
ones as well?
Our soldiers are not the only ones serving. The
families may not be official members of the military, but the battles they face
are every bit as real and every bit as dangerous. This is especially true now
that terrorist groups are targeting military families in their war against
America.
How did you
choose the six categories (Wisdom, Strength, Faith, Protection, Peace, Those
Close to My Loved One) to pray for the soldier?
I kept a
deployment journal while my son was away at war. When I looked back through the
prayers I recorded there, these were the things I prayed. It seemed to make
sense to go with what brought me peace during those stressful time.
How did you
choose the seven categories (Fear, Peace, Patience, Faith, Strength, Anger,
Reaching Out to Others) to pray for oneself / those waiting at home?
Again, buy
going back through my journal and looking at the things I struggled with.
You offer the
most prayers for Faith for our soldiers. Why is faith so critical to those
serving during these trying times?
I think faith is what gets us through
the dark times. So often when things are the blackest, it’s hard to hear from
God. Even though it isn’t true, it feels like God is far away with His back
turned. It’s only our faith in what we know is true, instead of what we feel,
that keeps us moving forward.
Each prayer
provides a perfect notable quote as well as dedicated scripture to tie in with
the prayer’s message. How and why did you choose these?
I love quotes,
and I felt that adding a quote would be another way to illustrate the focus of
each prayer.
How can the
book be used for prayer groups praying for the military?
This book is
a powerful tool for prayer groups. We know that when many people are praying
the same thing it multiplies the power of those prayers. The idea of
potentially thousands of people praying the same thing at the same time for our
military is one of the most exciting aspects of publishing a book like this.
Worthy Inspired (Edie’s publisher) has given her a dedicated hashtag, #SoldierServes to use with any social media that goes out in regard to this book. Please tweet this post and use that. Another popular hashtag for military families is #MilFam.
While My
Soldier Serves
Prayers
for Those with Loved Ones in the Military
Thousands
of families send loved ones off to fight on a daily basis. These families spend
a lot of time living in a world out of control. This kind of stress can take an
incredible toll, but there is hope. When we feel helpless, we can take our
fears to the One who loves us more than anything and holds the universe in His
hands.
In this book you’ll find the words to usher you into His presence. These
prayers are a place to visit again and again as you take your own fears to God.
They’re just a starting point, written to help you find your own voice as you
call out on behalf of the one you love.
2. Take pictures. I drive around with my phone poised and ready. After all, I might capture something in the
background that sparks a story. You'd be surprised what's going on in the distance.
5. Make up memes about writing or reading. I have always loved to do craft projects. Making a meme is a digital craft project. I can call it marketing and procrastinate for hours.
