Redeemed in the AftermathSample

The Power of Presence
We were never created to heal in isolation.

Isolation is one of trauma’s quietest weapons. It convinces us no one will understand, that it’s easier to stay silent, and that withdrawing is safer than risking connection. For many veterans, solitude feels like control—but it quietly becomes captivity.

In the military, community is built-in. You eat together, train together, and trust each other with your lives. After service, that shared bond can vanish overnight. The loss of that brotherhood or sisterhood leaves a void no amount of busyness can fill. It’s easy to slip into the mindset that you can handle it alone, but the truth is, no one heals in isolation.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 says, “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” God designed us for connection. Healing flows through relationships—with Him and with people who reflect His love. When others listen without judgment, walk with us through the hard stuff, and pray on our behalf, it restores what trauma tried to destroy: trust.

If you’ve been isolating, take a small step back toward community. Call a friend. Attend a veteran support group. Go to church and sit in the back if you need to. Just show up. You don’t have to say much; your presence alone is a start.

When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t heal people from a distance when He could stand beside them. His presence was—and still is—the greatest gift of all.

You are not alone in this fight. You never were and you never will be.

Daily Journal:
Who has God placed in your life to walk beside you? Write their names and thank God for them. If you can’t think of anyone right now, pray that He’ll bring the right people into your life—and that you’ll recognize them when He does.

If you or someone you know is in crisis:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988