Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by OCF Communications

Episode 013 show notes

Military family embracing; a key tool for all military families is a support system.As Christians, and more importantly, Christians serving in the military, we’re not meant to live in isolation or to remain outside of fellowship with other believers. As a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, you have chosen a challenging path. There are requirements and expectations of your duty that others will never face. The demands of this calling can prove difficult for both you and your family. When the pressures of military life—and life in general—seem overwhelming, who’s your support system? Do you have a person or group that, like you, is running this most difficult of races, that you can rely on, and who in turn can depend on you when times get tough?

Today’s story of military life at the intersection of faith, family, and profession deals with the topic of developing a support system. Our guest today is CH(LTC) Doug Hedrick, US Army Reserve. CH Hedrick is also the founder and president of Centurion’s Watch, a faith-based nonprofit organization working to help military families live better lives. He also wrote an article for COMMAND magazine on the topic of developing a support system. 

Episode Outline

  • 2:08… about CH Hedrick.
  • 3:09… a support system is not exclusive, but is inclusive of everyone, whether single or married.
  • 4:04… problems within his own marriage started during a conversation on his wedding night; divorce was mentioned often.
  • 5:40… a few friends somehow found out about their troubled marriage, pooled their money, and very strongly encouraged them to attend a marriage retreat.
  • 7:19… the word support simply means to “assist”; some think of it as a community, and in military parlance, it might be thought of as a battle buddy. These are people they can lean on for assistance.
  • 8:34… we have an innate need to be in a relationship with others; love is one of the primary things in life that we desperately need. See also Genesis 2, First Corinthians 12, Proverbs 27:17.
  • 10:20… “We were never created to do life successfully by ourselves.”
  • 10:51… what might support look like? Three personal examples include: 1. Friends who helped their marriage; 2. When diagnosed with chicken pox, a friend picked him up from Fort Benning and drove him home so that he could spend Thanksgiving with his family; 3. A friend recently loaned him a car for a month to help during a difficult time.
  • 12:51… two practical examples might be providing meals for a couple or maybe babysitting to allow a couple to have a date night.
  • 13:40… why a support system is crucial for the military family’s rucksack.
  • 14:43… the hallmark of successful couples he has counseled: “The reason they were successful long term is because they had people in their life that they could rely on, trust, and know that they had their back.”
  • 15:46… how to start a support system today or renew a previous one.
  • 18:09… if you have a support system, look for those who need the help of a support system and reach out.
  • 18:52… what can happen when you tell God, “I’m available!”
  • 20:20… two things that get in the way of developing a support system.
  • 22:08… biblical examples to study: read about Moses & Jesus and His disciples.
  • 23:21… all about CH Hedrick’s organization—Centurion’s Watch.

If you’ve been encouraged to develop a support system of your own, but you aren’t sure where to start, take a look at the OCF Group Directory to look for others you can connect with.

If you have an idea for a guest or topic you’d like us to consider on a future episode of Crosspoint, send an email to [email protected].

Until next time: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

About OCF Crosspoint

OCF Crosspoint is a podcast produced by Officers' Christian Fellowship and is dedicated to sharing stories of military life at the intersection of faith, family, and profession.

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