Courtesy of American Bible Society
April 15 is Purple Up! For Military Kids Day, when Americans are encouraged to wear purple to show support for Military children and thank them for their strength and sacrifices. But it’s important to remember that our Christian mission can last far longer than a single day.
More than two million children in the U.S. today have had a parent deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. At least 19,000 of them have had a parent wounded in action. More than 2,000 have lost a parent to war, and an untold number live with parents with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Courtesy of Gordon Groseclose
Roughly a third of active-duty U.S. Military members are currently serving outside of the United States, meaning that hundreds of thousands of Service members and their families will be apart from their loved ones this holiday season. As a former Military chaplain and a trauma healing specialist, we have seen firsthand the difference Scripture can make for Service members, Veterans, Military spouses, and Military children struggling to maintain healthy relationships with God and one another.
This December, millions of Americans will read and celebrate the story of Jesus s birth and experience the peace and hope that comes from this Scripture. But oftentimes for Service members, Veterans, and Military families, the holidays bring feelings of grief, social isolation, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. This is why, this holiday season, we have to consider not just the Bible’s stories of celebration, but also its stories of healing and comfort – an