Building Strong Military Families
Posted in: Begin Here (Military Family), Family
An All-Too-Familiar Cycle
Military life today revolves around an all-too-familiar cycle of deployment; the preparation for deployment phase, the during deployment phase, and the reintegration phase (returning home).
With the intense reality of this cycle being repeated throughout a military career, it is no surprise that military couples have challenges to reestablish normal or even regular routines for the family. Cru Military, in partnership with FamilyLife, utilizes the Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaway event to Esteem, Encourage, Equip, and Empower military couples to have biblical marriages that thrive in the adversity of military service. At designated locations, Cru Military staff and volunteers begin building ministry relationships with military couples in several tangible ways:
- Military couples are welcomed by the Cru Military team with a welcome gift. We want them to know that for the weekend, it’s all about them.
- FamilyLife speakers provide a special recognition and appreciation for military couples attending.
- Special breakout sessions allow couples to put what they are learning about biblical marriages into the military context.
- At select locations, a Sunday morning appreciation breakfast is held just for military couples.
- Couples are given a military HomeBuilders small group resource to encourage group discussion at the table.
- Each part of the program is designed to emphasize the value of small groups in the military community.
The Cru Military team is available all weekend to support the military couples attending by showing them available resources, talking through the challenges of military life, and prayer.
As one couple said, “Essential for military couples! The military has its own culture within the greater society; the resources help bridge the gap between what our culture says about marriage and what God says.”
A record number of military-specific events are scheduled in the coming year. Fall 2017 has 16 events and Spring 2018 has 15 events scheduled. We are looking for like-minded people to join us in ministry to military couples. If God has given you a passion to minister to military couples, this is a great opportunity to share the hope and help of Jesus Christ. You make this incredible ministry happen! Learn more here.