From Life's Window

Watching, Waiting, and Praying
by Leura Jones

As we all watched the war in Iraq play out on our televisions this spring, Diann Jernigan watched a bit more intensely. Diann, who works at Nav headquarters, has two sons who were on the front lines of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Until this winter, these third-generation Marines, Michael, 34, and Danny, 25, were stationed at Camp Pendleton in Southern California. Michael, an executive officer overseeing a battalion of several hundred, and Danny, who delivers supplies as part of a support battalion, were among the first troops to cross into Iraq from Kuwait.

Diann had mixed feelings about her sons' involvement in the war. "As a mother, you feel totally helpless," she says. "Part of me wanted to watch the news all of the time - maybe I'd even see one of them on TV - and the other part knew they would not want me to worry."

Because an embedded reporter traveled with Michael's troop, information on his location was readily available. While thankful for the reports on Michael's battalion, Diann says the new phenomenon of embedded reporting has its down side, too. "We've been bombarded with information, and you feel like you have to know it all because it's there. It's helpful to know what to pray about, but it's also scary to know exactly what's going on over there."

After two battles with cancer, Diann admits that she's no longer the optimist she once was. "People say, 'It's not going to happen to me,' but I don't think that way anymore. I pray for the boys' safe return and know I just have to trust God for His plan for them."

On May 9th, Danny arrived back in San Diego. He and his wife Analisa will move to Denver in the fall, where the Marines will send him to college.

Michael, who has two young children with his wife, Drew, is taking a slower route home on a Navy ship. He's expected back in July. Before he left Iraq, Michael helped a young lance corporal pray to receive Christ.

For an anxious mother, this is evidence enough that both of her sons are exactly where God wants them to be. "They are men of integrity, men who walk with God, and I know they are influencing the lives of the men and women around them every day."

More of Michael and Danny's story.