March 29, 2022

The men of Unit 66 arrived last Thursday, completed In-Processing over the weekend, and finished their transition into Basic Training by going through R-Night last night. Basic Training is well known for the hardships that the men endure, but life is also full of hardship. I have had my fair share of challenges recently, and I would imagine that most of you have as well. As I've thought about these hardships, I've begun to realize that God uses them both to grow me and to help me depend on Him. Then in my Bible reading this morning, I read these verses:

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10 ESV)

God, who has power over death, is completely able to deliver us from any hardship, yet He allows challenges to come into our lives to help us rely on Him. As we pray for the men in Unit 66, let us also remember to turn to Christ in the midst of our own hardships.