November 16, 2009
Editor’s note: The following is an account of God’s call on the life of Alliance Chaplain Lt. Brian Daum, U.S. Army Reserves. Brian, his wife Tammi, and their two children live in Belgrade, Montana and attend Alliance Fellowship in Bozeman.
I sensed God’s call toward Army chaplaincy in 2005 after reading A Table in the Presence by LT Carey H. Cash. I received the book from my wife, Tammi, on my 30th birthday. As I read Lt. Cash’s testimony and processed the role of a chaplain, I began to envision how God could use my skills and gifts for such a ministry, believing my strong sense of patriotism and love for the Lord would make this a good choice. This vision grew into a desire to serve both God and country by ministering to soldiers and their families.
The years of 2004 and 2005 were a time of transition for me and my wife. We enjoyed our six years of ministry in Wisconsin, but sensed God leading us to be available for cross-cultural ministry. We received this calling without details, as we did not sense a call to a specific people group or country, just that we were to have our lives available for God’s purposes. We heeded godly advice, pursued graduate school, and trusted the details to God as we moved forward in faith.
In the course of the next four months, we chose a school, enjoyed what was to be a short sabbatical and prepared for what was ahead. Life seemed in order, but God had other plans. My father was diagnosed with cancer, so we decided to stay in Montana for what we thought may be a year. We started school via distance learning, got steady jobs, and planned ahead. But when we found out that Tammi was with child, it seemed as though our plans were beginning to unravel.
I understand now that God was preparing us for the unique calling of the military chaplaincy. This is a calling to a people with a unique culture, language, and location. In my role as a Alliance Army Chaplain, Tammi and I still face many unknowns such as an impending deployment. These are the details which lead us to pray for wisdom and understanding, trusting God to reveal His purposes for our family as we seek to invest our lives into the lives of those who faithfully serve our country.