Well done in seeking advice and guidance as you prepare for this deployment.
Read any of the online articles listed in this guide and let’s discuss it together.
Memorize one of the scriptures in the hope and help sections of this guide.
Read any of the books listed in this guide or choose a section to read and discuss with your spouse or a mentor.
Talk to your spouse about the upcoming deployment; share your concerns, fears and worries. Don’t hold anything back, but do this with a loving heart.
Work out a plan together of how you will deal with any unexpected family issues.
Decide together how you and your spouse will stay spiritually connected. You may want to choose a book or a book of the Bible to read and discuss via Skype or e-mail.
Set goals for communicating with each other.
Spend quality time together prior to the deployment to enhance your relationship.
Decide what steps you will take to keep yourselves sexually pure during the time apart.
Have a family meeting. Discuss with the children the expectations for behavior during the separation and follow this with a fun time together.
Listen and watch for signs of distress in the children as the deployment period draws closer.
Talk to other people whose spouses will be deploying and plan to spend time together as families.
Seek out a more mature Christian to be your accountability partner and begin to meet soon.
Begin now to pray for your spouse. Pray for safety, protection, wisdom,
guidance, and physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
Above all, remember you have a God who loves you and who will never leave you!
