Part 3: Curse or Blessing?

I mentioned at the beginning that it took 19 months for the military to bring me to court martial. It was a very long 19 months of waiting, worrying, and wondering, but I don’t regret any of it. I don’t regret it because God used those 19 months to bring me back to Him and to experience a closeness I had never known before. He healed my marriage to the extent that my wife and I are happier now than we ever were before! I can love her the way she should be loved because I know the love of Jesus Christ in me!
Then came the day of my court martial; I fully expected for God to work a miracle and get me off of the charges. That was not the case. My whole world stopped when the judge read that I would be confined for six months, but God had another plan for me. For my wife, the Lord surrounded her with loving members of the church that came to her aid. They not only spiritually supported her, but several even financially supported her as well. If any of you have preconceived notion that the brig is different in some way from a prison, let me dispel that right now. The Naval Confinement Brig in Miramar, CA is no different than any other prison in California, except that the inmates wear uniforms instead of coveralls. We had rapists, robbers, murderers and various sex offenders. I came in devastated, but leaning upon the Lord, and while I was there I was given the opportunity to minister to more than 30 people. I was released a month early for good behavior, but in those five months I walked so closely with my Father in Heaven, I could almost feel His hand holding mine. Sure there were times of sadness and despair, but each day brought new hope and blessing. I was released in August and have been home ever since. I don’t know the full plan God has for me, but I feel that He wants me to share my story with others.