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Thoughts from Veteran’s Day – Captain Tom Murry
shareWe recently enjoyed our annual Veteran’s Day Chapel at Friendship Christian School. Our guest speaker was FCS parent, Tom Murry. Captain Murry is a former elected representative for the 41st District in the NC General Assembly, currently is the Chief Legal Counsel for Governmental Affairs, NC Judicial Branch and has recently returned from a tour with the NC National Guard in which he serves as a captain in the JAG department! He shared from his heart about how we can best remember those that are deployed. He recently recapped his thoughts from the day. Read his exact words below. We are thankful for Captain Murry!
“Veteran’s Day is a special day in America, and this year it was even more special for me. I had the pleasure of speaking on Veteran’s Day at a special chapel service for Friendship Christian School. I was asked to speak on how we could best remember those that are deployed.
First, to remember someone deployed, you have to know someone deployed. This is increasingly becoming an issue as only 0.4% of Americans are currently serving in the Armed Forces. As usual, North Carolina over performs and over 1% of our state represents our country through military service.
My baseline advice is to go beyond “thank you for your service” and be willing to engage in a conversation about what it is like during a deployment. Also, I suggested that they ask for specific matters about which they could pray. My personal example regarding a specific prayer request was that I asked people to pray that the Chaplain would be my roommate ….. and it worked (plus the way it worked out is a good story I’d be glad to tell you sometime).
Lastly, I suggested that they seek ways to be an encouragement and I shared with the audience a great Bible verse of God speaking to Joshua after Moses died and Joshua was leading the children of Israel to the Promised Land. God says in Joshua 1:9
‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.'”