Killarney native, Paul Reimer, is preparing to be deployed on the HMCS Montreal, a military frigate with the Canadian Forces.  The ship and its crew will be leaving Halifax port to venture on a 7-month assignment, its furthest point Sydney, Australia.

Reimer just completed his chaplaincy with the Canadian military, as well as an intense diving course, both of which he will be using while aboard the HMCS Montreal.  He says the past 6 years of study and service as a CF member have not been easy, but he has felt God's leading throughout the entire process.

"God has never left my side," shares Reimer. "This job that I do it's not always the most fun, but that's okay because it's a calling.  It's something I felt the Lord call me to do. So, even in the rough times even when meeting with members, and it might be for suicide or a myriad of different things, just knowing that He's got me, that what I'm going through we're able to get through it on His strength, not on my own."

"This is truly something that grounds me," he adds.

"People can tell you all sorts of things, but when you have Jesus so close to your heart, they can tell you whatever they want, but you can know that He is your strength and your guide in these tough times," he says.

Reimer joined the Canadian Forces in 2018, so is nearing his 6th year as a CF member.  He says it took about 9 years to complete the training for chaplain with the military.  "It's probably one of the longest processes in the military that you could go through before you put on the uniform."

Aboard ship Reimer will be performing numerous duties as the chaplain of the ship, including working with mental health as well as spiritual health, leading Sunday services and Bible studies, leading mental health workshops and suicide awareness courses, peer support programs that are run by the ship's chaplain.

"And we'll be working with people's stress because some of the environments that we go into are some of the hot spots that will create some stress among some members.  You know, the doc takes care of stitching up people, and we want to make sure the mental health side is all taken care of, as well as the spiritual side," he adds.

The average age of a chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces is 45 years old.  At 28, Reimer is the youngest chaplain in service.  "We don't have any recruiters," he adds. "Chaplains are their own recruiters, so I'm always willing to share more about that as far as work is concerned."

"If anyone has any questions regarding becoming a chaplain, or what a chaplain is all about, I'd be happy to connect with them," he adds.

Prayer requests include protection over the ship and everyone on board as they will be travelling through parts of the world with civil or political unrest.  Reimer also requests prayer for his young family in Halifax as this will be the longest time away from his wife, Lindsay, and their little girl.

Please listen to more with Paul Reimer below as he shares more on meeting his challenges in his life - and he shares his prayer requests during his deployment.

If you wish to contact Paul to share your thoughts and encouragement, email: paulreimer35@gmail.com

For more on Captain Paul Reimer's deployment beginning in April aboard the HMCS Montreal on Operation PROJECTION visit www.canada.ca website or click HERE!

Related articles:

From Bible Camp Counsellor to Navy Chaplain - Part 1

From Bible Camp Counsellor to Navy Chaplain - Part 2