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Ambassador For Christ: How Clint Clifton Represented Christ to Me.
Last week I received news that I never imagined hearing. Sure I know that none of us is promised tomorrow and that our life is a vapor, but I never imagined that I would hear that my pastor become friend had died unexpectedly. He was one of the guys in my life that I took…
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Bible Reading: Even More Important for the Military?
Hopefully you have a Bible reading Plan that you’re working through and are having regular time alone with the Lord. But for those of you in the military, or the immediate family member of a service member, have you considered the added importance of this important discipline? Having served for 10 years on active duty…
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How Do I Have a ‘Quiet Time’ Anyway?
If you’ve been hanging around Christians for a little while, hopefully you have heard them talking about ‘having a quiet time’ or something similar. A quiet time is simply a time where you get alone with God and His Word. The three necessary components are: 1) Get alone, 2) Read the Bible, and 3) Pray.…
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Bible reading plans for where you are
Start this year off right: regularly read the Bible for yourself. You know that you need to… Perhaps you have tried before… Maybe you don’t know where to start. I’d like to help! One of the first things you will need is a plan. Similar to having a plan when you walk into the gym,…
Welcome!
I am a veteran Marine, serving for 10 years on active duty from 2003-2013, including time in Iraq, Afghanistan, and a few other countries. For virtually my entire time in the Corps, I was married to my bride, Kelli (Houser) O’Day, who has remained by my side for the rest of life’s journeys since leaving active service.
God saved me just a few months before I joined the Marines and got married. I found it immensely challenging to live for Christ and build a healthy marriage in the Corps. My goal in this blog is to provide biblical wisdom and practical resources for Christian Families serving in the Military. I also host a podcast, which shares the same goal as this blog, with my wife and our good friends: Military Wellness Collective.
These efforts are really an overflow of my primary roles serving as a pastor at Pillar Church of Jacksonville, NC (across the street from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune), and as the Executive Director of The Praetorian Project– a family of multiplying churches in military communities worldwide.
Practical Articles for Your Military Journey
During my time in the military, it took me a while to realize the value of reading the Bible for myself. Having grown up in church with parents who read their Bibles, I knew the importance in my head, but it took far too long for it to become a regular practice. Once I found the discipline of regular Bible reading, the Lord sustained me and grew me in powerful ways. I pray that this short journey of articles will help you start this practice today!
PCS Well: Moving in a God-Honoring, You-Flourishing Way
During my ten years of active-duty service, I moved six times. Moving provides a host of challenges for the military family. However, if you will intentionally engage with the Lord and His purposes throughout your move, your upcoming PCS offers an amazing opportunity to accelerate your spiritual maturity. This series of articles aims to help you do that!
During my time in the military, my wife and I experienced three military deployments and multiple other times of prolonged separation. Since leaving the military to pastor, we have walked with more than 50 married couples as they walk through their deployment seasons. This writing journey is my attempt to capture the lessons learned from these experiences to help you glean from all of these experiences. I am convinced that God intends for you thrive in this season- not merely survive.
Brian O'Day 