Military Wives Use Bible Study for Marital Support Despite Various Faiths
A group of military wives and girlfriends are turning to God at least once a week for marital support through Bible-based counseling sessions.
Known as The Lantern, the group is currently comprised of women in their 20s and 30s who are struggling with their partners being deployed for war, according to Mail Online.
While the women are said to have mixed faiths, including Pentecostal, Mormon and Catholic among others, they all gather with the shared objective of supporting one another through Bible study.
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"The military, because of the complexities of the deployment, can have more uncertainties," Mya Parker, a group founder told Mail Online.
"The reason God is the answer is because scripture says that He has never changed. From the beginning of time to the end of time, He is unchanging," Parker added.
The women come together each week in confidence to express their fears about their deployed husbands, who are often overseas fighting in wars for long periods of time.
Being separated from loved ones can often leave military spouses feeling alone and often lost.
The weekly group therapy sessions are said to be a highly successful way to overcome some of these issues.
Parker, 27, served in the military for years as did her husband. The experience allowed her to witness the common struggles that marriages face during deployment, which led her to help establish The Lantern for women outside of Kentucky.
"My number one piece of advice, even if someone didn't grow up in the church and isn't a believer, is to really take the time. Deployment is an amazing time to pursue a relationship with God for maybe the first time," Parker explained.
"It has made me much more patient with him dealing with what he has been through and honoring that he ultimately doesn't belong to me. ... He belongs to the Lord," Parker added.
It has been reported that less that 1 percent of Americans serve in the military, which explains why many military couples often feel isolated when trying to tackle the problems that stem from deployment.
Examples of these common problems include post-traumatic stress disorder, resentment towards loved ones, and anxiety, to name a few.
The group insists that the core teachings of the Bible, which are based on love and forgiveness, enable healing during difficult times.
One group member, Vanessa James, felt disconnected from her deployed husband after giving birth to their twins while he was on duty, but overcame her feelings after joining the group.
"He has been home for three months now and I can honestly say that I feel closer to my husband than ever before, and I think it's because I approached this reintegration with a servant's heart," 30-year-old James said.
