God, I am excited and a bit anxious at the thought of my spouses’ return home. Please help me maintain realistic expectations during the reunification process. As our family reunites, help us to lovingly and patiently work through the natural adjustments that will take place. Thank You for strengthening my spirit and faith during our time of separation. I am now less dependent on my spouse and more dependent on You. Help me to communicate to my spouse that although the separation did strengthen me, I still missed him/her very much and need him/her to be an active part our family. Please give me the words to reassure my spouse that the family is not the same without him/her.

Just as I can see the change in me, let me also recognize the changes in my spouse. I understand that my spouse’s experiences may have significantly affected him/her. For those experiences that cause my spouse mental pain and stress, I ask that You give him/her the wisdom and desire to talk to someone who can help him/her work through those intense feelings. Do not let me add to his/her stress by overwhelming my spouse with too much too soon. Give me Your wisdom when it comes to reuniting my spouse with other family members who may not be as sensitive or even comprehend what he/she has experienced. Give us Your wisdom when it comes to managing the resources that You have provided us. Help us to wisely celebrate our reunification without spending all the money that we have saved up during this deployment.

Help my spouse and me to take our time when it comes to intimate relations so that we truly enjoy each other’s touch. If courtship is required, then show me how to court spouse with love and romance. Let us speak openly and honestly with each other. Help us to truly listen and comprehend what the other is saying. Season our speech with salt so that we speak calmly and softly when disagreements arise. Remind us not to react defensively to what we hear but help us to respond with love and respect to what the other person is feeling and saying. Due to our long separation, help us to be sensitive to the fact that we may need breathing room from time to time.

Lead me and guide me as to the best way to prepare our children for their father’s/mother’s return. Help them deal with the emotions that they are experiencing regarding his/her return. Do not let our kids respond to their father/mother as if he/she is a stranger. Instead, let them recognize him/her as the father/mother who truly loves and cares for them. Help me not compete with my children for my spouse’s attention. Let our children receive all the love and attention they need from him/her.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Our Hero Handbook: A Guide for Families of Wounded Soldiers; Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom