Go. Be. Do.

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.     2 Timothy 4:16-18 This passage spoke volumes to my heart today in chapel.  Chapel was for me today...everyone else was just blessed to get to hear it as well.  :) When we are being attacked in some way, whether physically, mentally, or spiritually, the battle can seem very lonely.  There is often no army standing beside you to help you to ward off the evil or wrong that is heading your way like flaming darts at your heart and mind. The front line is a lonely place. The target on me is a mighty big one. Whether the battle is sel...

Today I am encouraged by two awesome moments in the Bible... Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard th...

“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.   Deuteronomy 6:4-9 As we were pulling away from the gate at our terminal, the flight attendants were going through their spiel on flight rules and directions on how to buckle seat belts, find exits, and use your life jackets and seat cushions in case of an emergency.  If you've ever flown, you are familiar with such goings on, too. One particular sentence has stuck with me throughout this week in Alaska from the passenger safety information.  Nothing that I have not heard before, but ...

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good ? To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set His affection on your ancestors and loved them, and He chose you , their descendants, above all the nations - as it is today.  Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.  For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Fear the Lor...

You know it is going to be a good day when your wake up call is hearing a strange sound outside your window and this scene fills in the view... You watch them for a few minutes until they go out of your sight.  You are content, but a friend tells you that a good photo of both calves can be had if you go outside and stand up on a wood pile and look to your left. So you go outside {in your pj's}, stand up on the wood pile {barefoot}, become swarmed by a thousand mosquitoes {hungry ones}, and see Mama and her two babies looking so cute as they stroll on down, munching on whatever they can find for breakfast. And this fills you with joy.  Sheer joy. There is no place like Alaska.

Landing in Anchorage around 11 pm to a lovely sunset and 57 degrees. Peak of Denali peeking through the clouds. This morning I awoke to blue skies and more sunshine. It was a wonderful welcome back gift, this sunshine and warm weather.

If I have said it once, I've said it a thousand times...God is so good! I head to the airport in just over 12 hours from now. Final destination...Anchorage, AK! Each year I have been, God has shown Himself mightily. Things that only He could do have occurred. People's lives are changed forever, mine included. God has given me an amazing opportunity once again to go into the most unchurched state and be a part of a ministry that shares the Gospel and speaks Truth into the hearts and minds of people who need Him. There is no greater thing than fulfilling the Great Commission! Doesn't matter where you are, but I am grateful that it's Alaska for me in this season of my lifetime. Wow! A sixth trip to the same area with the same ministry...what a blessing! Someone asked me what my favorite part is in going, outside of the ministry aspect. Meeting people was my answer. Hands down, I have met some of the most amazing people over the past five years. Made lifelon...