US Military Bases Embrace 10 Smart Things

Eighty per cent of military marriages end in divorce. No wonder.

Not only do spouses left behind—primarily women— endure the stress of separation, they live in constant fear for the safety of their loved ones. And that’s just for starters. Scraping by on low incomes, and cloistered on military bases, far from family and friends, their frequent moves prevent women left behind from getting to know each other.

Connecting these women to each other, to their community, and to God, is Pauletta Staley’s passion. This field director of Stonecroft® Ministries and her colleague called on CampPendleton in San Diego, California, 11 times before the chaplain finally agreed to see them. But their perseverance finally paid off. They spoke to a gathering of 70 US Marine Corps Family Readiness Officers (FRO) about offering 10 Smart Things to military wives on the base.

Not only did the FROs see value in 10 Smart Things for the Marine wives, they ordered copies for themselves. They asked Pauletta to return to the base one week later to present the course to 40 wives of Marines about to be deployed. As she gave a very brief overview of the ten things, women took notes, and 23 out of the 40 wives signed up for the course.

Overwhelmed, the chaplain complained to Pauletta, “How will I lead that many women?”

No problem; Pauletta and her Stonecroft® colleagues will be there to help. God has created an amazing partnership—placing 10 Smart Things in the hands of Stonecroft®—whose people have the passion, strategy and skill to use this tool effectively and creatively.

Pointing out the transient nature of military families, Pauletta believes that when God transforms the life of a woman through 10 Smart Things, she will take that tool with her to the next base and a new mission field will be planted with the gospel of Jesus.

God uses strategic partnerships. Your partnership with Straight Talk is now taking the gospel of Jesus, so simply expressed in 10 Smart Things, around the world via the United States military. Who but God could have come up with that strategy? (DC)