Routines

Well that’s another week done and another week closer to coming home, so I’m sat here at sea writing my next post. Its quite rough at the moment, so mixed with the heat, life is quite uncomfortable on the ship.

            I thought this week I would think a little bit about routines. Life in the Navy is run on routines. For example because it was Friday today, we got up and cleaned our accommodation for an hour, because we knew at 1030 it would be inspected. I also know there will be fish and chips for lunch, just because it is Friday.

            I can be quite set in my routines and ways, but after 14 years in the Navy some things are just hard to shake off. For example even when I am not at work I will get up at the same time if it is a week day, but then I will let myself have an hour lye in on a Saturday and Sunday.

            Some routines on a ship are good, like the fact Saturday is steak night! You get cheered up on a Saturday because you know you have something to look forward to. But some routines on the ship are not so good, like the fact you know you will be duty 3 times a month and have to clean the toilets.

            Some people do not need routines, my Girlfriend is much more free spirited, creative and chilled out than me. She tends to see that routines cramp and restrict her. Where as to me they provide a structure and framework. Neither of us is right nor wrong, its just personal preference.

            But with my love of routines there are two things I have had to be quite strict about setting a routine for since I have come to the ship. Prayer and Bible reading, at times I find when I’m busy or stressed or feeling down, those are the first things that get thrown out the window. When really they should be what I hold onto and use to strengthen and encourage me.

            Right now, I feel I have quite a good prayer and Bible reading routine. I am following the Salvation Army's New Testament in a year program to keep me in the Bible. I also think I have quite a good prayer routine going at the moment, both on my own and with my girlfriend. However I do feel I could fit more time for prayer into my life. Sometimes I don’t think I spend enough time doing it, or when I do I drift off and start thinking about other things. You wouldn’t do that in a conversation with a friend so why do it to God? (Well you might do it with a friend, but they probably wouldn’t be your friend for much longer!).

            I will be honest this week has not been the best for me and at the beginning of the week I struggled to pray. Due to certain circumstances I felt so lost alone and far from God. My routines went out the window and things just all went wrong. Until I picked up my Bible where I left off and the days reading was Luke 18.

Luke 18
The Parable of the Persistent Widow

 ¹ Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

   ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
 ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

           

That kind of slapped me in the face and brought me back around. If a bad ruler will give to his people because of their persistence, then how much more so will our living, loving God!

            So to sum it up, next time your feeling down or far from God or alone, don’t give up your routines! Stick to them, read your Bible, you never know how it might speak to you! And most of all pray, even if you feel alone when you are doing it. Because even if you don’t feel or think he is, God is listening and if what your asking for actually is in Gods plan for you, you will get it.

The Sailing Salvationist

Why I decided to become a Salvationist when serving in the Armed Forces.

Well I am back at sea now, I plan to update this blog every Friday/Saturday, so please come and have a look every week.

I was going to make my first blog from the ship about routines and life onboard, however I feel I should comment on how I came to the decision that life as a Salvationist could be compatable with life in the Armed Forces.

I have been in the Navy for nearly 14 years now, right from the age of 16. Where as I have only been a Christian for about 3 of those years. I was raised in the Salvation Army but left when I was about 14. Although I was never a Christian or went to Church in that time, I feel I never completely lost the firm grounding I had been given by my up bringing.

I became a Christian because of a group of people called the Naval Christian Fellowship. www.navalcf.org I ended up in contact with them when I was in Portsmouth on a course and soon afterwards felt I was being called to return to the Salvation Army. I really do feel that if it was not for the NCF, a group of Christians in the Navy then my life would probably have never changed. Which is one of the main reasons I decided being a Christian in the Forces was a good idea.

Once I returned to the Salvation Army I soon became an Adherent member, I wanted to become a Soldier, but I felt that it was not compatible with my job, I was also stuck in so many bad habits that I didn’t feel it would be possible. Looking back now I realise that it was just an excuse, they are compatible and it’s possible to do your best in both. But the thing is it’s not possible without God! No one is strong enough to do it by themselves.

But the calling I felt to become a Soldier would not go away, I kept on praying about it and finally I knew that I could not ignore it any more, even though it would mean lots of hard changes to my lifestyle would have to be made. I can honestly say although it has been hard, God has made it possible, and I have never regretted the decision I made.

People often ask though how would I feel if I had to go to war? I feel lucky that since I have been a Christian it is a situation I have not had to be in, although it was a major question I had to ask myself before I became a Soldier in the SA. I feel that if the situation arose it would be something I would have to pray long and hard about, dependent on the situation and what I was asked to go and do. But at the end of the day I would also have to trust that those senior to me and those in power knew what they were doing and made the decision to go to war for the right reason.

I have previously been to Iraq and Afghanistan, serving not just at sea, but also working for the Army and Royal Marines on the land. So I have a large amount of experience of serving in conflict zones. The thing you notice most is that when something bad is happening and things get scary is that often peoples default reaction is to pray. Also serving in these places is very stressful and puts massive strain on relationships between friends and family.

I feel that Christians should not shy away from being in such positions, as really that’s where they are really needed. If there are no Christians in the Armed Forces then who would God use to show and talk about the Christian perspective in situations, and to show how you can still be in the Forces when trying to be a follower of Jesus.

There are also some amazing Chaplains from all denominations who serve in the Armed Forces and there are some very brave ones who are out on the ground in Afghanistan right now, risking their lives daily to spread the word of God. I’m also really pleased that recently Salvation Officers have been allowed to serve as Chaplains, as I feel the Salvation Army structure and military terminology (although not used as much these days) fits into the lives of Service personnel more easily that the ways and traditions of some other denominations. (I’m not trying to knock anyone there, just telling you how I see it). I really look forward to meeting a Salvation Army Chaplain one day.

The Salvation Army has a history of supporting the Forces, both spiritually and through services such as the Red Shield Defence Services. I think this is great as when you are far from home, often risking your life, seeing a friendly face and just sitting down and having a brew and a chat is great. It can really help relieve the stress and pressure put upon members of the forces serving in areas of conflict. I feel does more to show people Jesus than just about anything else that could be done. So I hope The Salvation Armies work in this field never stops.

On a final note I would just like to ask people to pray for the family and service friends of Drummer Lee Rigby, who was killed this week. As after such a shocking attack they need as much prayer support as they can get.

See you next week.

The Sailing Salvationist

Off we go.

I'm sat at home writing on my home computer, knowing its the last thing I will type on here for a long time. Because tonight im off, flying out to the Gulf to join my ship.

The last few days at home are probably the worst days of the entire going away process and the last few hours waiting to leave are always the most painful and slow. This has been made worse by the fact I have been stuck on a camp 150 miles from home.

Over the past week I have had to say hard good byes to friends down at the Army where I went to my last meeting, probably for quite a few months. (Although hopefully I might be able to get to a Corps when away) I have also had to say goodbye to my family and worst of all my girlfriend.

Don't get me wrong i'm not moaning about how bad or hard my life is! ( Although it can be hard!) Often the excitment of going away to sea and the adventures you have outweigh the pain of leaving friends and family. But this time it just does not feel this way.

So how does a Salvationist deal with this kind of seperation? Well I guess one of the main things that helps me to cope is that I know God wants me on my ship. He wants me to be there as the only Christian (although I expect he would like a few more!) to show the lads who work with me there is another way, they dont have to drink every night to cope with the hardships. To be a good influance to them, to show them you can live a good Christian life and still serve in the Forces. And I feel most of all to be there with them and pray for them and with them when times get hard.

No pressure then! I see it as a great challange going away and trying to live in such a way that Christ's light shines out through me. Its a challange, its hard and sometimes it seems impossible. Quite often I feel I get more wrong than right. But the fact remains im there doing it, and God is with me.

I will post again at some point next week once I am on my ship. I hope you enjoy reading my little Blog.

The Sailing Salvationist. :)