VOL. 7, NO. 1 OCTOBER 3, 2016

One Way to Wade Through Grief by Ernest Grant II, desiringgod.org (Sep 26, 2016) While I sat in the pews, shoulder to

shoulder with distinguished clergymen and political figures from the city, I could feel the geyser of my emotions about to explode.As a pastor in one of the most dangerous

cities in the nation, I’d grown accustomed to attending funerals of promising young people whose lives were cut short by gun violence. But sitting there with this one in front of me, I’d reached my emotional breaking point.After a pre-sermon selection by the gospel

choir, the pastor walked toward the pulpit. With tears welling up in his eyes, he adjusted his tie and leaned his head over to

peer at his nephew’s body one last time. Through a cracked voice, Job’s searing words spilled out:

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)I lost it.I leaned down to tighten my laces on my

wingtips, and tears streamed onto the pebbled leather of my shoes.A FATHER, A MOTHER, AND A BODY“Jesus,” I thought to myself, “I can’t bear

the burden of burying children who’ve been murdered by other children.” Finding my breath after the emotional deluge, I regained my composure and wiped away the tears.I looked across the sea of mourners. The

historic African-American church that seated over two thousand people was filled to capacity, but my eyes gravitated to the front pew. There sat a mother consoled by her husband while they both stared at the body of their son, senselessly gunned down on the eve of his 13th birthday by a classmate. They led the sea of mourners, living every parent’s worst nightmare — burying a child.As the funeral ended, the feeble, grieving

mother stepped up to the podium to give her closing remarks: “Please, let’s celebrate at the repast, because it’s his birthday.”That’s right. We celebrated his birthday

with his body in the morgue.The place was silent as we helplessly

looked both ways at the intersection — celebrating life and lamenting death.It was heart-wrenching.

GRACE COMES THROUGH PEN AND PAPERThis is the stark, gritty reality of urban

ministry — we tend to bear the emotional burdens of that community (Galatians 6:2). Ultimately, only God’s grace through his Son can help us lift the heavy emotional burdens that we shoulder. After spending some time in prayer and devotion, the Lord helped me to experience that grace through the unlikeliest of sources — journaling.I found a model in King David, who wrote

many of his Psalms like journal entries that express a myriad of raw, honest emotion before God. I began to try it, journaling my experiences to process through the stress of inner-city ministry.In his book Habits of Grace, David Mathis

reminds us:“Even if many of the Psalms do read like divinely inspired journal entries, nowhere does Scripture command that we keep a journal. Unlike other spiritual disciplines, Jesus left us no model for journaling; he did not keep one.”I do not want to indicate that journaling is a

required discipline. It is optional — but it is powerful. I’ve seen it in three ways.1. Journaling Is an Option for Honesty

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Connect With Me chapcalvert.com@chapcalvertfacebook.com/chapcalvert

Daily Scriptures Oct 3 Isa 15-19, Ps 87, Acts 10 Oct 4 Isa 20-22, Ps 88, Acts 11 Oct 5 Isa 23-25, Ps 89:1-29, Acts 12 Oct 6 Isa 26-28, Ps 89:30-52, Acts 13 Oct 7 Isa 29-30, Ps 90, Acts 14 Oct 8 Isa 31-33, Ps 91, Acts 15 Oct 9 Isa 34-36, Ps 92, Acts 16

Transformative Articles ~ One Way to Wade Through Grief~ 5 Helpful Questions When Attempting  to Discern God’s Will~ Finding God In The Mundane, Not Just The Instagrammable

Spiritual Forge Pg 4~ Scripture, Prayer and Discipleship

Training Pg 5~ Rosh Hashanah (2-4 Oct)~ Eagle Ethics, JLPD (4 Oct - 13 Dec)~ Scream Free Parenting Seminar (15 Oct)~ Mil Spouse Wellness Summit (17-22 Oct)~ Ruck for Freedom (10 Nov)~ Family Resiliency Through Martial Arts

Things of Interest ~ Today In Church History Pg 2 ~ Surviving the Elements Pg 3 ~ Bible Trivia Quiz Pg 5

CHAPLAIN’S SITREP 18TH COMBAT SUSTAINMENT SUPPORT BATTALION

CH (CPT) Andrew Calvert & SPC Malcolm Williams

VOL. 7, NO. 1 OCTOBER 3, 2016Journaling has been immensely valuable

in my spiritual life because it allows me to coherently engage and explain my emotions in a controlled, “judgment-free” zone. Too often, inner-city missionaries suppress their feelings. Eventually, those pent up emotions can lead to dissatisfaction with God and frustration in ministry. Journaling aerates the soul before God.So, before the close of the evening, I take

about ten minutes to trek through my day and honestly express my emotions before God. It unclutters my thoughts and puts the brakes on my racing mind, which normally leads to real rest when I sleep.2. Journaling Is a Chronicle of FaithfulnessPeriodically, I’ll pick up my journal not to

write but to read. As I flip through the entries, my eyes pass over many green,

highlighted sentences — the prayers which God has answered. Re-reading those prayers, I’m quickly reminded of the concreteness of God’s goodness and faithfulness.Mathis writes:“[God] made our minds such that we’re able to take thoughts further, and do so in greater detail, than our short-term memory can keep track of in the moment. When we write, we not only disentangle our thoughts, draw out our emotions, and dream about fresh initiatives, but we also develop them.”So these hand-written letters help me not

only to form my thoughts but also to record them. When I look back on my journals, the entries fill my mind with a panoramic view of God’s continued grace on me and those around me. Every time I see a green highlight, it nourishes my soul by reminding me to “forget not all his benefits” (Psalms 103:2).3. Journaling Ventilates the SoulWhen keeping our nose to the grindstone

of ministry, we can often lose our tender affections for the Lord. Pondering God’s faithfulness and journaling his deeds reminds us that we are sons and daughters, not employees. Mathis is right when he says, “Journaling is not just an exercise in introspection, but a pathway for joy.”Journaling reinvigorates our joy, our love,

and our drive to serve to the praise of God’s glory. It scrubs away the dust on our affections. It ushers in fresh views of God’s mercy.Journaling is not commanded, but it is

encouraged. Try it. God may use journaling as a means of opening a window to your soul, allowing the fresh air of his grace to ventilate stale affections and renew your passion to serve him, both in the traumas and triumphs of life.

5 Helpful Questions When Attempting  to Discern God’s Will… by Ron Edmondson, RonEdmondson.com (Sep 28, 2016) …WHEN OPTIONS ARE PLENTIFULI am often asked how to know if the plans

we make are God’s will for our life. I’m not referring to which cereal to have for breakfast. For the most part I think God would simply say choose your favorite (and, like a good parent, try to steer you to a healthier option). I’m talking about those life-altering decisions, such as career choice, relationships, or decisions requiring huge steps of faith.Most of us want to do God’s will, and yet,

as I view Scripture, God seems to give us a

tremendous amount of freedom to choose the paths in our life. If you’re like me, you’re fully capable of making a mistake. I’ve made many doing things my own way.It seems easier for me when I have some

sort of structure through which to process a decision. Years ago I began to ask myself questions when facing major options in my life.HERE ARE 5 HELPFUL QUESTIONS I OFTEN ASK MYSELF TO HELP DISCERN GOD’S WILL:Does what I’m doing (or planning to do) conflict with Scripture?Always start here, because God’s Word

will never contradict what He’s asking you to do. God is always true to Himself and His Word is always true and relevant. We may differ in interpretation of a passage, but if it’s clearly spelled out in Scripture, then we clearly know His will.Does what I am doing conflict with the counsel of others?God uses others to confirm His will. I am

thankful for the people in my life, including my wife and sons, who have helped shaped the path of my life. Often they see things I can’t see or believe in me when I can’t believe in myself. God sends the body of Christ to encourage, challenge and strengthen the body. (Don’t be confused, however, with times God calls us to go against the grain of life and walk by faith when everyone is saying we are crazy. See Noah for an example of one of those times.)Does what I am doing conflict with the spirit within me?God sent the Holy Spirit as a helper. He

guides us with an inner peace or a holy unrest. If Christ is in you, He will not leave you to make a decision completely alone. Often God provides a peace or a lack thereof when He is trying to confirm His will.Does what I am doing conflict with my life experience?God uses our experiences in life to teach

and mold us to His will. Often it isn’t as unusual of a path when we look back over our life experiences. Again, don’t be confused, because He usually stretches us out of our comfort zone also, but consider the life of Joseph. God continually used his past experiences to shape his future.Does what I am doing conflict with my passion for life?God tends to work with the things which

fuel our fire. He loves when we are energized for the tasks He calls us to. When I look at Bible characters like Abraham, David, Peter or Paul it appears their calling matched their wiring. Paul was zealous for whatever he did. God used his passion for good. What’s your greatest passion? God may work within it to confirm

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Today In Church History Monday - October 3, 1531Zwingli and Luther part at Marburg.

Zwingli offers his hand, but Luther rejects it. The two had agreed on every issue except the theology of the Lord’s supper.Tuesday - October 4, 1669Death of Dutch painter Rembrandt

Harmensz van Rijn, known as the “painter of the soul” for his unsurpassed Christian art.Wednesday - October 5, 1582The Gregorian calendar is introduced

into Italy and other Catholic countries to replace the Julian calendar, which had lost ten days against the solar calendar. This day becomes October 15.Thursday - October 6, 1536Tyndale is strangled and burned in

Antwerp for his Protestant views and efforts to translate the Bible into English.Friday - October 7, 1518Martin Luther and Cardinal Cajetan

discuss Luther’s 95 Theses. Cajetan tells Luther to stay away unless he will recant unconditionally.Saturday - October 8, 451The Council of Chalcedon opens to deal

with the Eutychians, who believe Christ’s divinity swallowed up his humanity “like a drop of wine in the sea.”Sunday - October 9, 1920Orthodox reader, Basi l Ivanovich

Katorgin, is sentenced to death by the communists of Omsk province for “counter-revolutionary activity.” The sentence will be carried out on October 23 when he is shot.

VOL. 7, NO. 1 OCTOBER 3, 2016His will.Try those questions together and see how

they line up to help discern God’s will as it relates with your the options before you.I should encourage you in closing with this

– I fully believe God works all things for good even when we miss His will in individual decisions. You can make a bad decision, but God retains the right to finish your story His way. Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Finding God In The Mundane, Not Just The Instagrammable by Rachel Bicha, relevantmagazine.com (Sep 30, 2016) IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MOUNTAINTOP MOMENTS TO EXPERIENCE HIS PRESENCE.We ran down into the golden-green valley,

ducked out of the rain and trekked back with our sneakers sloshing with water. We couldn’t stop giggling.The sunshine sparkling in the rain seemed

to give us permission. And I felt it: the glory of the One and Only Father, full of grace and truth. I was wrapped up in that glory. It filled me and poured out of me—and I laughed.The wild grass, the glistening sunlight, the

towering firs, the tiny alpine village below, the river burbling with new rain, my dear friend hiking with me—this, all of this, was a conduit to glory, and the glory of the Father shone brightly throughout it. I was with Him here, with Him in the glory.We hadn’t planned to go hiking. Really, we

had no plans for the rest of the afternoon except to eat dinner and spend a few hours enjoying St. Gilgen, a small lakeside near Salzburg, and the verdant green mountains around it. We perched next to each other on the grassy ledge and stared out over the village, the sun dancing in golden specks on the crisp blue lake. A grey cloud loomed in the distance.We lingered, despite the impending

rainstorm, transfixed by the blues, purples and pinks before us.I was caught up in the with-ness of the

moment: the glory and the presence of God was all around us and we were wrapped up in it and it was in us. It was the kind of moment that consumes you, filling up every pore and cell of your being. I could think of nothing else because all of my senses, all of my soul, was filled with glory and awe.THE ORDINARYOnly later did I realize this with-ness is

quite ordinary. These extraordinary moments of being aren’t restricted for hiking

in the Alps and the Instagrammable moments of lives—though they feel that way. Most of us believe that sort of heightened joy, peace and contentment is not fo r the everyday. I t ’s fo r the extraordinary, mountaintop moments: births and baptisms, proposals and promotions—the moments that take up more photo space in your phone and Instagram feed than they ought to.I’ve often heard, “It’s in those rare

moments when you feel fully alive.” But why does that have to be a rare moment? Why can’t we live, fully alive to the joy and grief and pain and beauty of everyday? Why can’t we be fully alive shopping at Trader Joe’s? Why don’t we find beauty in every flitting sparrow?We can. We need to.

HE IS NEVER FARIf the God you experience in a golden

rainstorm in the Alps is the same God standing with you as you microwave your coffee, sort laundry and fill up at Chevron (again), does your experience of Him necessarily have to be different?No.Paul talks about this kind of with-ness,

saying, “Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘in him we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:27-28). In every movement, breath and word we are with Him. We are in Him. We are constantly wrapped up in his glory. We think His presence rare because we experience it as such—not because it is, but because we neglect to notice. We have to wake up to it and pray for eyes wide open.Be alive. Bask in His presence.It can begin in the quietest, most

unsuspecting moments, and suddenly, we

are there, in His fullness. It can come in an average Thursday morning, thousands of miles from the Alps, the sunlight casting soft shadows across the blankets as you yank up the covers.It comes in quiet conversations during a

car ride.It comes during a regular Sunday morning

at church, with hands lifted and the body of Christ gathered.It comes in a steamy cup of chai, an

unexpected letter in the mailbox, a warm shower at the end of a long day, a glance, a touch, a smile.We can bring grace. We can live grace.Seek the extraordinary in the moments

that seem extra ordinary. You may be surprised by when it finds you. You can’t always name it. Sometimes it envelops your whole being; other times it passes as quickly as it comes and only leaves a lingering peace, presence and joy.

Whatever you do, don’t stop seeking the extraordinary. We are called to it, and we are able to be caught up in the p r e s e n c e a n d holiness of God in

profoundly changing ways. But we don’t have to run to the Alps to find it. It is right here, wherever ‘right here’ is for us.He is here. Seek Him and be found.

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Land NavigationEstimating Angles Estimating angles can be a useful skill for helping calculate distances and also for computing bearings. Some simple him configurations, shown here, provided rough guidelines to useful angles. Note: every finger’s width between the sun and the horizon represents about 15 minutes of

McNab, Chris Special Forces Survival Guide; MJF Books, 2008.

Why can’t we live, fully alive to the joy and grief and pain and beauty of

everyday?

VOL. 7, NO. 1 OCTOBER 3, 2016

Daily Devotional 3 OCTOBER 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love

is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, ESV)If there is no love in you for your fellow

man, you are not a follower of Christ. This is harsh statement and hard to accept. But the reality is, God, as the originator of love, places His love within us to share with those around us. If we are having difficulty loving, perhaps we do not possess the love God offers. Search your heart and be sure that Christ is residing there. If He is not, now is a good time to ask Him in! Prayer: Lord, break my heart for other as

your heart has broken for us.4 OCTOBER 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not

envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, ESV)God defines love, but these verses

describe it in great detail. Do you want to know if you are showing love? Then see if these attributes are evident in you. If you are not able to show these qualities in some degree, you do not love. This goes for your spouse as well as the people around you. Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing me

what love looks like.5 OCTOBER 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever

believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. (John 6:47-48, ESV)During long periods of time, eating MREs

can get rough to take. But we are grateful to have the sustenance to keep us going. It is that promise of calories to keep us driving

that forces us to eat even when we’re tired of that

same meal the sixth time in a row. Jesus makes a greater promise to us. He declares that He is the real sustainer of life. He not only holds the

keys to our lives here on ea r th , bu t He a l so i s

responsible for the life to come after this world is long gone.

Put your trust in that authority – it’s a lot better than MREs. Prayer: Lord, in you, I

will not thirst. You are my satisfaction.

6 OCTOBER Every branch in me that does not bear fruit

he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2, ESV)In every vineyard, a vinedresser prunes

the branches so they will produce more fruit. God does the same spiritually. He employs different methods in His pruning: the rejecting gesture, the unkind word, or no word at all, living in constant noise and confusion with daily duties challenging us to find time for quiet time with Him. The loving hands of the Master Vinedresser knows what we can take and He knows what we can become. We must not shrink from the knife but trust the hands that hold it. Prayer: Lord, some times it hurts, but I

know it’s for your glory.7 OCTOBER The Lord knows the days of the

blameless, and their heritage will remain forever (Psalm 37:18, ESV)The Lord knows what is going to happen

every day of our lives. He knows the challenges and the good times. He knows when we were born and when it is our time to go be with Him. It is no surprise to Him when something difficult happens to us. He is there with the awesome promise that what we establish here will forever remain a tribute to our willingness to follow Him. Establish that inheritance of the Lord by being involved in His work here on earth. Prayer: Lord, show me how to engage my

surrounding for your glory. 8 OCTOBER Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6, ESV)‘The Lives of the Rich and Famous’ was a

very popular show some time ago. It seems the whole country was enthralled by how the richer half lived their lives. It is fun to imagine being able to live so lavishly, but nothing compares to the thought of living in the House of the Creator. When God’s followers move in, there is never a time when they are evicted. Living in the Lord’s House is not some future hope; we can live in His presence now. Consider what it means to be in the presence of God forever. Prayer: Lord, who am I, that you should be

soon merciful to me?

9 OCTOBER 54 When the perishable puts on the

imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, ESV)Facing death can be a very scary ordeal to

be sure. People can lose control of their bodily functions or lose their minds through near death experiences. When we have the promise of Christ waiting for us on the other side of death, it can take the fear and trauma out of that experience. We can then truly say, “O death, where is your sting?”Prayer: Lord, you are life and hope. In you,

I will not fear.

A Baptist CatechismQuestion 1: Who is the first and best of beings?Answer: God is the first and best of beings.Scripture: Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 96:4; 97:9, 1 Samuel 2:2* * * * * * * * * * * *Question 2: What is the chief end of man?Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 16:11; 37:4; 73:25-26; Isaiah43:7.Comment: "Glorify" does not mean make glorious. It means [to] reflect or display as glorious. Other words you could use for "end" are "goal" or "purpose".

The Apostle’s CreedI believe in God, the Father Almighty, the

Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from where he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

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Holy Spirit : His Work 42

2 Samuel 23:2 (In Revelation & Inspiration)

The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.

VOL. 7, NO. 1 OCTOBER 3, 2016

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Tuesdays (1430-1630) at Rose Barracks

Chapel: 4 Oct - 13 Dec Training is for all PLs

and Junior NCOs (CPL to SSG)November 10, 2016 ~ 0600-0900

10K Ruck March & Prayer Breakfast Nonperishable Food Drive For Warhammer Families

Load Your Ruck With Your Donations Soldiers Helping Soldiers & Families

1. Paul (Acts 23:6) 2. Babylon (Rev 18:2) 3. Solomon (2 Chr 3:1) 4. So that we are not judged (Matt 7:1) 5. They believed and were baptized (Acts 16:33)

Weekly Bible Quiz 1. Which apostle was a Pharisee? 2. The desolation of which city is described

in Revelation chapter 18? 3. Which king in the Old Testament built the first

temple in Jerusalem? 4. Why did Jesus say we should not “judge people”? 5. What happened to the prison keeper and his

family after finding Paul and Silas released from their chains?

Answers

Spiritual Fitness & Family Resiliency

through Martial Arts Training

TUESDAY & THURSDAY18:30-20:00 at Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center in the

Combatives Room.Ages 10 to

Adult. Parents must remain present with children 10-15 years old.For More

information see soartsd.com or contact CH Calvert.

E V E R A F T E R

the 2 nd annualm i l i t a r y sp ou s e we l l ne s s su m m i t

october 17-22, 2016 | virtual summitA C H I E V E H E A L T H A N D W E L L N E S S I N D E P E N D E N T L Y I N M I N D , B O D Y , A N D E M O T I O N T O P O S I T I V E L Y I M P A C T Y O U R

M I L I T A R Y M A R R I A G E .

Receive ten guest expert interviews to l isten to in the comfort of your home or on the go, plus an array of holist ic marriage resources .

register at www.in-dependent.org/wellness-summit

Corie Weathersi n d e p e nd en t

P R E S E N T E D B Y

E V E R A F T E R

the 2 nd annualm i l i t a r y sp ou s e we l l ne s s su m m i t

october 17-22, 2016 | virtual summitA C H I E V E H E A L T H A N D W E L L N E S S I N D E P E N D E N T L Y I N M I N D , B O D Y , A N D E M O T I O N T O P O S I T I V E L Y I M P A C T Y O U R

M I L I T A R Y M A R R I A G E .

Receive ten guest expert interviews to l isten to in the comfort of your home or on the go, plus an array of holist ic marriage resources .

register at www.in-dependent.org/wellness-summit

Corie Weathersi n d e p e nd en t

P R E S E N T E D B Y

JOIN USAG BAVARIA's Jewish Congregation

for Rosh Hashana 2016

Jewish NEW YEAR 5777

SCHEDULE

SUN 02 OCT 1815: Rosh Hashana Evening Service, followed by Holiday Dinner MON 03 OCT 1030: Rosh Hashana Day 1 Morning Service, blowing of the Shofar

1230: Holiday Luncheon 1430: Tashlich: the ceremonial "casting off sins" @ the Graf Pond 1945: Rosh Hashana Day 2 Evening Service & Fellowship Dinner

TUES 04 OCT 1030: Rosh Hashana Day 2 Morning Service, blowing of the Shofar 1230: Holiday Luncheon

� 1930: Rosh Hashana holiday concludes

All events @ Tower Barracks Chapel & Chapel Annex RSVP to a.shulman@ymail.com

POC: CH (MAJ) Andrew Shulman (0151) 2487-5634