Well friends and strangers, it’s time to take action without further delay.
In the coming weeks I will be sharing details about the book I have written and how you may obtain a copy. I have chosen to go the self-publishing route which means this book (in both book form and Kindle download) will be available very, very soon.
I have some mock-ups for the front and back covers as well as a Table of Contents for your perusal today.
If you are a military spouse or know of someone who is, I would absolutely love it if you would share this post with them. My hope is to spread the word about this resource for anyone who may be struggling to navigate what it means to be married to the military.
{proposed front cover}
{proposed back cover}
Table of Contents:
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1: Life Before the Military: How in the World Did We Get Here?
Chapter 2: Homesickness and Longing for What Was
Chapter 3: Leaving and Cleaving
Chapter 4: Home is Where the Army Sends Us: Broken Furniture and Mending Dreams
Chapter 5: Preparing to Say Goodbye
Chapter 6: Thriving Through a Deployment
Chapter 7: Reintegration
Chapter 8: Making Limonada Out of Limones
Chapter 9: Moving? So Soon?
Chapter 10: The Art of Reinventing Yourself…Again
Chapter 11: The Friendships of Women
Chapter 12: The “S” Word and Other Profanities
Chapter 13: He Gives Us What We Need
Acknowledgements
I have no idea who this book may reach. I have no idea if it will interest anyone besides a handful of people who share my last name. What I do know is that as military spouses, we so often find ourselves waffling between what it means to walk out our faith in Christ and live in a very real culture of fear, doubt, stress, battle fatigue and loneliness. At least I know I have. And still do.
The Lord has placed in my heart this testimony of his goodness and faithfulness as he is continuing to write the story of my life. I may never be a world renowned author but I’ve placed my life in the hands of the Author of the most renown. I may never fully understand the world of the U.S. Army but I serve the God of angel armies and trust that his plans and purposes will never fail.
For all of the challenges and trials that active duty military life may throw our way, I want our marriage to withstand the difficulties. I want our marriage to be a mission ready marriage. The Army assigns each soldier a Battle Buddy. The purpose of this relationship is for a Battle Buddy to assist his or her partner both in and out of combat. The same is true for marriage. God has given me in Ryan a partner to walk through this life. But God is in the mix too. When we surrender our lives to him and place our marriages at his feet, we invite God’s handiwork to be on display in our marriage covenants.
*****
This book is the resource I wish I had four years ago when Ryan was commissioned into the Army. This book tells the truth about what-to-expect-when-you’re-Armying; it gives an honest look at the potential, painful challenges of signing your life away to someone else’s plans and it offers hope for navigating your role as a dependent.
elizabeth Claire Wood 
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