Captains Andrew and Lydia Behr are pastors at the Dover-New Philadelphia Corps in The Salvation Army’s Northeast Ohio Division.

Captain Andrew Behr

Having an assurance that we are effective officers can be challenging for us. We are often measured by data and statistics as officers, and neither of us are innately strong administrators, so we can sometimes wonder how well we are doing. Despite this uncertainty, we trust the Lord. His hand has brought us this far in our journey, and we know it is not an accident that we are here serving in The Salvation Army.

Some days it feels like we are spinning our wheels. The observable numbers that indicate change seem to stand still. It’s these times that trusting in the promises of God are critical. We know that we are not going to look like other officers, especially since we are relatively new to The Salvation Army. But we have an assurance that God brought us here. The numbers don’t matter next to abiding in Him. We trust Him and are certain that as long as we remain faithful, He will see us through. We are certain that if we continue to love Him with our whole hearts, those around us will experience His love, and that will make us effective officers.

Captain Lydia Behr

We know that our ministry is a blessing when we can see God’s transformation in the lives of those around us. Especially spiritual transformation, where we can see they are growing deeper with God and their understanding of who He is and their role within God’s mission. It’s humbling to know that God has used us as a piece of what helped them get there. We’re encouraged when we see emotional transformation—as God’s truth replaces the lies and walls begin to break as people become more receptive to hearing about God’s love for them. When we can see how God is using us to further His Kingdom, and we can see our place and the purpose God has for us, we are very encouraged.

Even when things are difficult, if we know we’re where God wants us and we’re doing what He has given us to do, then we know that with His Spirit within us, we can handle anything.

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” —1 Thessalonians 5:12–13

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and we’d like to thank our Salvation Army officers — pastors — for their faith, their dedication, and the hard work they do for their communities and the Lord.