Chaplain Update: Holiday message from your Virginia Defense Force Chaplain Support personnel

To All Force Defenders, Families, and Friends of the Virginia Defense Force:

As we enter this season of celebration, reflection and togetherness, we want to share a heartfelt message with each member of our Virginia Defense Force Family. Whether you wear the uniform today, have served in the past or support someone who does, you are part of a community bound by purpose, compassion and a shared commitment to serving the Commonwealth. 

The holidays look different for each of us. Some gather around Christmas trees, some light the candles of Chanukah, some celebrate the principles of Kwanzaa and others simply enjoy the opportunity to rest, reconnect and breathe after a long year. However you observe this season, or even if you don’t observe it in a traditional way. please know that you are seen, valued and embraced as an essential part of our VDF family. 

Finding Light in the Season 

Across many faiths and traditions, this time of year is associated with light—small lights shining in darkness, guiding us, warming us, reminding us of hope. You bring that same light into the world through your willingness to serve, your readiness to respond, and the quiet acts of kindness and steadiness you offer each other. May the lights of this season remind you that your presence matters! Your efforts matter! You matter!! 

A Sacred Mission 

Our mission is built on dedication and sacrifice, often carried out in moments that don’t make headlines but make a profound difference in the lives of others. Surely God smiles on people like you. 

Community That Lifts Us Up 

One of the blessings of the Virginia Defense Force is the incredible diversity of people who serve together. Different backgrounds, beliefs, cultures and life experiences intertwine to create a community stronger than any one of us could be alone. This season invites us to celebrate those differences and to recognize how each story enriches our shared mission. May we continue to reach out to one another: listening, encouraging and lifting each other up so that no one in our ranks ever feels alone. 

Looking Ahead with Hope 

As a new year approaches, may you find moments of peace in the midst of your responsibilities, moments of joy in the company of those you love, and moments of clarity as you look toward the path ahead. Our prayer for each of you is that you enter the coming year grounded in hope, strengthened by community and blessed with health, safety, and renewed purpose. 

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays and may God’s peace be with you now and in the year to come. 

With gratitude and blessing, to you! 

Your VDF Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists