I am blogging a couple of days early on this Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, (knowing that you will not see this until this Friday the 15th, our  scheduled weekly day to post;) because my heart is over flowing with gratitude and joy, and I am going to burst if I don’t start writing.

Just as today’s date: 11-12-13, there are thousands of soldiers of different armed forces, standing in a line, in sequence, one after another, ready and waiting to “Go” in a moments notice ready to fight for the Cause!!!

Yesterday, here in the good old U.S. of A.; we were thanking our veterans for fighting to protect our freedom!!!! Facebook was full of “Thank You”s and pictures of husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, dads, moms, uncles, aunts, grandchildren, cousins, friends and neighbors who have served in the past and present who have or are fighting for our liberty. There were parades in various towns and cities. There were closings of schools and government buildings, to honor our soldiers, living and dead. The wreath was placed one more time at the tomb of the unkown soldier in Arlington. In attendance at that ceremony was the oldest veteran, 107 year old, who had served in World War II. He was given a well-deserved standing ovation.

What a sacrifice! What a surrender of will that soldiers give up  in order to keep us free!!!!

As our U.S. soldiers fought and so many gave their lives, I want to share with you some other “soldiers” we can als0 be proud of and pray for daily as they fight different types of battles.

I met some new “soldier” friends this past weekend when I was invited to be the key speaker at a ladies retreat hosted by a church located in the Baltimore, Maryland area. The first “soldier” I met was a Swedish passenger that sat beside me on my Friday morning flight from Jacksonville. She was a former soldier in the Sweden army a few yrs. back. She met an American soldier 13 yrs. ago and she gave up her duty as a Swedish soldier to become a wife to this American soldier man and then moved to America. She is a sweet wife and mother of two adorable looking children. She now holds the “fort” and handles the day-to-day duties and events that many spouses do in order to carry-on while their soldier man is deployed.

Friday night and Saturday, I met many beautiful ladies that are struggling with various battles on their own home fronts. One of these ladies was a middle-aged mom whose daughter is battling breast cancer. Her daughter lives in another state, so that of course is an added concern to this sweet mom. The daughter has many loyal friends that are praying for her and she has a special friend that wanted to bring some laughter and joy, so she colored her hair a bright pink to show support. Great encouragement!!

Saturday morning I met Bethany, who is in her 20’s. She is newly married. She had to give up teaching this year in her Christian school because she has to take chemo treatments, trying to fight off stage 1A Hodgkins’s Lymphoma.

In the afternoon, we had many soldier moms of all ages, stand before our session began, who are praying and begging God to protect their wayward children. Some still living at home and other young adults who are out on their own. Moms asking friends to pray for their children to live for God. Sad to say, there seems to be too many “soldier” moms that are having to pray this battle on to victory!!

What a great weekend at the retreat! It was so great that I am sure you will hear of more blessings in the future. It was a God honoring weekend for sure.

I arrived safely home Sunday night. With Veteran’s Day celebration on Monday, and thinking of my new friends in Maryland, I have not forgotten some of my dear sweet friends that I have known for a long time, that are fighting old and new battles.

My dear sweet Caitlyn (taught her in Kindergarten, a few yrs. back) who is striving daily with her therapy exercises, wanting to get back to enjoying married life as a newly wed; but because of a stroke this past summer, she has her own battle to fight. She seems so young to be facing that type of attack.

Then there is Rhea, my sweet, humorous, former assistant of 13 years that has had weeks of chemo-fighting cancer and is now waiting for tests results.

This afternoon, I saw a message on Facebook that my cousin who lives in the midwest, is at the hospital with her husband that had a massive heart attack and needs a touch from God to survive.

The news on TV, broadcasts the horrible news about the typhoon that hit one of the islands of the Philippines. Thousands have been killed or have lost their homes and businesses. There are missionaries, “soldiers”, trying to help in every way possible in this horrible devastation. No power, no water, no homes. Truly, these people are on the front lines.

Yes, there are soldiers of all types. There are Christians that need God to divide the Red Sea or to part the waters in the Jordan River. They are fighting to win their battles!!!!!!  Those of us who may not be currently fighting a battle, need to uphold those who are fighting, in prayer, asking God to help them.

Psalm 91
Verse 2 ” I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God, in him will I trust.”
Verse 4 “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”
Verse 11 “For he shall give his angels charge  over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Verse 14 “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.”

Let us hold these soldiers up in prayer! Let us claim God’s Word and His will for each one and may we give praise and glory to Him who reigns and controls all things!!! To God be the glory!!