Chaplain's Corner
Post 43 Chaplain Donna Callaway
It's a new year, and a time where maybe you are trying to figure out where you need to be and what you need to do as the year begins.
Perhaps you feel uncertain about where you're going, or things don't make sense right now. Maybe you find yourself questioning the whys, hows, and what's at this moment- and trying to make sense of where you've been and what your next step is.
My friend Brittany Pfantz wrote a poem for me back in 2020 named #Btucked and I recently came across it. The poem goes like this:
What if every fail
was actually a win
What if it was the wind
that turned your sails
toward home again
What if the misdirection
was the direction
what if the miles and miles
that seemed so far out of the way
were actually the way
what if you are so perfectly
tucked in the plan
that all you thought you missed
was right there in the desert
right there in the hurt
What if this poem is exactly the truth?
We see a lot of people in the Bible go through desert seasons that are tough- seasons that don't make sense in the moment, severe challenges, betrayal, feeling or being alone or lost, direction or situations that make them question if they've missed the thing they were meant to do, or hardship that was extreme or neverending in a season.
Abraham, the Israelites with Moses and Joshua, Job, David, Joseph, Noah, and even Jesus- went through seasons like this. There are others that had desert seasons, or things that felt like failure or loss, too.
Guess what? The desert season was often the preparation and the perfect plan. The desert season, the uncertain season, the hardship, the things that felt like failures or the end- those were often the things that propelled them into the biggest callings of their lives.
What if you are exactly where you need to be, right now, in this season, for a purpose? What if the pain and hope deferred was God building you and refining you into who you were called to be? What if everything you need was right there all along, actively leading you and preparing you for where you’re going?
Isaiah 55:8-9: " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
John 13:7: Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
You may not see where you need to go or what you need to do-yet. You may not understand why things happened the way they did or why you are where you are at right now. You may be looking at this new year and have no clue what is to come. That's ok, and that may be exactly where you need to be right now. You haven't missed it. What has felt like the desert, failures, the hardships, the uncertainty- it can all be used for good. God is great at doing that. And it may be all those things that make you unsure of what is to come that have prepared you for exactly what you are meant to do. Perhaps you are exactly where you're meant to be, doing exactly what you're meant to do, for exactly what is to come.
What if this new year you look to God and ask Him to give you clarity and direction of what He is leading to, and allow Him to guide you into the place He has perfectly prepared you for?
Rest, and let God show you how it all comes together in ways you couldn't even imagine or plan.
Prayer Requests
Jere Romano- Jere is our Department Commander and many of you know him. Please pray for his health to be completely well and restored.
Please pray for our post and leaders.
Please continue to pray for our members who may have silent or anonymous prayer requests, as well as those who may be mourning, struggling, or suffering at this time. There’s probably more people going through things than most of us know-and it’s important we include them in our prayers!
Prayer is powerful and God hears!
As always, if you need prayer or support, please know there are several ways to reach your chaplain. There is a prayer request form you can fill out here: https://form.jotform.com/ChaplainAL43/prayerrequest
You can input as little or as much information as you are comfortable with.
You can also reach out directly to chaplain@post43.org if you'd rather do that.
There are also chaplains for the sons, auxiliary, and riders that are available as well.
If you want to pray but are not sure how to pray, please reach out too. We are happy to guide you to pray alone also!
It's ok to not be ok. You are not alone.
The Suicide and Crisis Hotline is also available 24/7: dial or text 988
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
May peace and comfort surround you. May you and your families be well physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. May God make His presence and love felt in your life, now and always. Shalom, and many blessings to you all! May 2023 be the year God shows you in a significant way that He is with you and for you!
Blessings and Gratitude,
Your Chaplain, Donna Callaway and Assistant Chaplain, Rocio Palmero