Growing

The boys are learning things at lightning speed now. Everyday it seems like they are aquiring a new skill or doing something we have never seen them do before. As they learn,they turn to Josh and I, and smile at us, joy at their current accomplishment evident on their little cherub-like faces. We smile back, glowing with pride and love, and we encourage and cheer them on. Being a parent has given us both a new perspective on God as our Father. God is pleased when we learn to use the gifts He has given us. WE are pleased when we grow in Him. How He loves us!! The Maker of the universe glows when we do what He has designed us to do.He encourages us! He is our greatest cheerleader.However, sometimes being a parent is painful. We take the boys for shots and doctor visits and we also tell them "no", because we know what is best for them. We don't enjoy it but we know in the long run, it's not about what they WANT, it's about what they NEED. We feel mean and sometimes the boys may even think that we are mean, but our knowledge of the situation is greater than theirs. God sometimes lets us deal with painful or unpleasant things as well. He doesn't allow these things without a purpose in mind, without an ultimate goal to work out the situation for our good. Romans 8:28 clearly states that. We can rest assured in His love even during the hard times remembering that His knowledge is greater than ours. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 44:9). Come to Him, as His child, and share your hopes and fears. Pour out your heart to Him. Then trust that He knows what He is doing.

Plants of Unusual Size

I wrote this just before we left Alaska for Kansas City. I neglected to post it then, but I will do so now for your reading pleasure...

Yesterday was beautiful. It was sunny and warm. Today you can see your breath, or at least you could this morning, and as of just after lunch, the clouds and rain are back again. It's fall, but the only riot of color we have to signify it is the yellowing of the leaves of the plants on the ground, and two small  deciduous  trees planted behind the house. Pretty much all of the other trees here are conifers, or pine trees, so they are always green. The mushrooms are unlike anything I have ever seen. Most of them are poisonous, and they can grow to be quite large if left undisturbed. Alaska has the most interesting plants, and the very best part, no ticks or poison ivy! It does however have horseflies. It also has Devil's Club and Indian Rhubarb. Devil's Club looks like a big brown stick with spikes all over it. It has HUGE leaves, I am talking bigger than your head. It takes a bit, I am told, to get injured by the barbs, just brushing against it won't hurt you. You have to really smack it.  Indian Rhubarb is fine coexisting with you, until you cause trauma to the plant somehow. The sap inside gets on your skin and can cause blistering sores and burning, especially if the affected skin is exposed to sunlight.  A lady that was here on a work team thought it was Queen Anne's Lace because it has these delicate looking white flowers. It's a good thing she didn't pick any!

 Skunk Cabbage Flowers

Close Up of Devil's Club

There are no skunks here, which surprised me, since they have a plant called "skunk cabbage". That's another odd looking plant. In the spring, it has huge yellow flowers, and by late summer, those flowers have turned green and the leaves surrounding them are the size of snowshoes! Bears like to eat them, but I'm not sure if they like the leaves or the flowers. I've also heard they can smell pretty bad if disturbed. I've never gotten close enough to find out.

Blue Skies

This is the first sunny day we have had in over two weeks. It started out as just a few patches in a mostly cloudy sky and I figured they were just "sucker holes" (see previous post) But then they began to join together and the sun started to shine through. I was getting the boys up from their first nap of the day, and started singing, "Let the sun shine, let the sun shine in..." and dancing around the room. I guess the lack of sunshine can do strange things to you (LOL). Although there was a distinctively fall-like chill in the air that reminded you that this is still September in Alaska, it was a glorious day. Which is good. Because our grocery truck got a flat somehow on it's way around the cove. Two people went out to help. They couldn't get the spare to release from the cable that holds it on, so a third person had to go out with cable cutters. By the time they were done, they were only 10 or 15 minutes from being caught by the tide. If it had been raining, I don't think they would have made it in time. All is well that ends well, right?
 We have a retreat group here tonight that has been coming for a number of years and this is the first year in a long time that they have been able to have their campfire actually on the beach. Usually they have to cook their smores at the fireplace in the dining hall!!
The only real drawback (and I am by NO means complaining one bit, this is just an observation) to the awesome weather today is that the fireweed has gotten an opportunity to dry out and it is taking advantage of it by all going to "seed" at once, or as I like to call it, "poofing". There were so many fireweed seeds floating in the air today that it looked like it was snowing pretty much all afternoon. It was a sight to behold.

Say What?!

There are a couple of  phrases we have learned here that I have never heard before. As winter approaches in Alaska, these two terms are in more and more frequent use. The first one is "sucker hole".
It rains a lot here in the fall. Weeks can go by without a single hour of sunshine. A sucker hole is a patch of beautiful, clear blue sky right in the middle of all these clouds. Your heart leaps for joy! It's going to clear up! And then.....it's gone, and you can almost hear it saying, "Sucker!!"
The second one is "termination dust". This one seems to be exclusively Alaskan. Termination dust is when the first hint of snow arrives on the surrounding mountain peaks. It signals that summer is "terminated" and winter is on its way. To me, the phrase sounds so final. It makes me think of a permanent ending, rather than a temporary parting. Although I don't know what I would use instead. Termination dust DOES have a bit of romantic flair to it...and after seven or eight months of winter, it probably feels like spring IS never coming back!
If you are interested in other Alaskan slang, here's a website for you! A little heads up though, there is one word listed that some parents might find questionable, so please view with discretion.
http://www.decorphoto.com/ak-slang.htm

The Last Day of Camp

Friday was the long-anticipated last day of camp. The hard-working kitchen staff created a delicious feast last night, as a "thank you" for all of the counselor's hard work. It included steak, halibut, twice-baked potatoes, warm rolls and much more. Afterwards, a large group went down to the beach for a game or two of sand volleyball and some fireside fellowship. It has been a sweet time for them of relaxation (finally!)  and friendship. Josh's last sermon to the counselors is about coming down from the mountain after experiencing the Transfiguration. This has been a mountain-top experience for many of them. It's so tempting to want to stay and not go back down to "the real world". Josh will be sharing with them why going down is important and what they can expect. It's a hard transition sometimes.

The twins are going to have their OWN transition time. They have been shown so much affection and attention by the counselors this summer that when they all leave tomorrow, I think the boys might just go through some kind of withdrawal! And although I have had a few rough days this summer, the next couple will likely be the hardest emotionally. Thankfully, my sister is coming to visit just in time.
God is awesome like that, because she didn't know that the counselors were leaving until after she had picked out her arrival date. Please pray for safety and smoothness in travel for her.

In other news, the boys have discovered horse poo. We took them to the park yesterday, since it was very nice and sunny out, and they played for a long time. Xander likes to pick stuff up and carry it around (I have a feeling that I will be finding rocks and other "treasures" in his pockets as he gets older) At one point he had two small sticks and a couple of pine cones. If the next item he finds is interesting enough, he will drop what he has and pick it up instead. I saw him pick something up, and from where I was, it looked like another pine cone, but I figured that I better investigate just in case.
When I got there, I could see it wasn't a pine cone, it looked like a clod of dirt. Except dirt doesn't clod here. It's too sandy. And he had pulled it apart so he had some in each hand. I called Josh over to help me get it out of his little talons. It must have felt kind of interesting  because he did NOT want to release it. Thankfully, it was older horse poo, not fresh, especially since after we got the "dirt" out of his hands and headed home to clean up, Xander did what he usually does. He stuck his thumb in his mouth. Ugh. Well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Also, as we were pushing the stroller home a few days ago, Josiah decided that he needed to sample some of the local greenery. Unbeknownest to us, he grabbed a leaf off a wild rosebush (I think) as we passed by, and stuck it in his mouth. By the time we got home (probably a minute or so) he had decided he didn't like the taste but couldn't get it out of his mouth. So he started screaming. Which was when I saw the leaf on his tongue. I managed to fish it out and then gave him lots of water to rinse out the taste and also to wash out anything I might have missed. I was a bit worried at the time, not knowing if there were any poisonous plants here (I know what they are now) but he seems to have suffered no ill effects... Ahhhhh, adventures....

Finishing Well

This is the last week of camp. For most of the counselors, it got here far too quickly. In a little over a week, most of the counselors will be heading home, with memories of Echo Ranch forever in their hearts. It's also come too quickly for us. Although we will be here until mid-September , a part of us will go with all the counselors. We have enjoyed their company , their energy, their enthusiasm and their sweet spirits. The boys will also miss them, especially their "buddies".  I know they will look for them for days after they have gone...
In the weeks to follow, there is a jam-packed schedule of retreats here which will tax the staff tremendously. Tired as many are, this is when patience may run thin and tempers may run hot. It's not an easy time, the staff is cut in half but the duties do not decrease. This is a time to guard our unity, to protect our fellowship, to be patient and kind with one another and to bear one anothers burdens.
We have been encouraging the counselors to finish well, but we need to do the same! We need to run the race marked out for us with perseverance. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus, for He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He marked out this race, for us, just as He marked out YOUR race for you. And He will help both of us to rejoice in the path that He has chosen as we seek His provision and grace. May we not forget that the joy of the Lord IS our strength. What a gift He has given us, to be able to serve Him!

The Past Month

Has it really been over a month since I blogged? My apologies! It has been a crazy few weeks. The boys had a lovely 1st birthday. They each had their own "smash cake" It had their names in icing and had two little tiers. Everyone  sang Happy Birthday to them, and we "helped" them blow out their candle. Xander promptly and obediently "smashed" his cake. Right into the front of his shirt. Once he figured out that you were supposed to eat it, he went at it with relish, gnawing the cake like an apple. Josiah, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by all the kids gathered around to watch him, and all the noise, so I had to hold him on my lap and feed him bits of cake which he reluctantly ate. Consequently, the boys were not the only ones wearing frosting in their hair and on their clothes!
Once they hit the year mark, Josiah decided to become the fearless climber. He has climbed onto the couch, onto his crib, into dresser drawers, into chairs, and daily, he turns over his toy box, and balances on top of it, waving his arms, and shouting. Xander decided to be our talker. He says "cow" (although to him, a cow and a zebra are the same thing) Just this week, Xander was trying to get his shoes down from the table, and I asked if he wanted them. He looked at me and clearly said "shoes". I think he wanted them because he knows that if we put on their shoes, a trip to the park is coming. To give Josiah credit, I am pretty sure that he has learned the word "yes" although I am not yet sure if he knows what it means. He seems to know it is a response to a question though!
We also had a lovely anniversary in the past month! My very thoughtful husband arranged a night out for the just the two of us, and on our way home, Josh got to see his first bear!! It was super close. I literally could have hit it with the door of the car.
Josh has been giving most of the sermons and staff devotionals as well as trying to help with regular "camp stuff" when he is able. I have been able to drive a bus a few times this summer, and have really enjoyed getting to know some of the counselors. One of them is trying to teach me to crochet! I don't quite have the hang of it yet...
We were able to get into town a few weeks ago for the boys 12 month Doctor visit. They did great, especially considering how badly they were off schedule--their appointment was right in the middle of their usual nap. Josh was also able to get needed blood work done and we were able to get a few other long overdue tasks accomplished. The boys got a soft Tonka truck each afterwards for being so very good. They also had their 1st meal at the Golden Arches. McNuggets, apple dippers and milk. They loved it. We went shopping for some needed items, and the boys got to "drive" the car shopping cart, as it was a double seater (Thanks Lord!)
The theme for last month at camp was "Adventures on the High Seas" which was a lot of fun, and this month, every single day of the camp week is a different holiday (which means a lot of tear down and put up of decorations)
Bronco Camp--10 and 11 year olds--#2 was last week, and like the first one, so many kids had questions and were truly interested in spiritual things! Josh was able to be available during some devotions, and answer a number of the kids questions--and let me tell you, they had some good ones!
This blog is getting waaay too long, so I will try not to let so much time lapse before another update.

Firsts

We have had lots of firsts here in Alaska. I've killed my first crab, rode my first horse, and touched my first live starfish. Josh has created his first Chapel series, given his first daily devotionals, and he will be visiting his first Wilderness Camp this week. The boys will have their first birthdays this month. This is where they got their first mosquito bites and took their first steps. They had their first Cheerios here. They enjoyed their first time on a baby swing and their first trip down a slide. Soon they will have their first cake.
All these "firsts" remind me of the most important first. Keeping Jesus first. He is my first love.
Sometimes I struggle to keep my time with my Lord as a priority. Sometimes I'd rather sleep than study or I'd rather e-mail than pray. But without His direction, my day goes nowhere. Without seeking first (there it is again!!)His kingdom and His righteousness, my day is incomplete, and my efforts mostly ineffective. I want to give Jesus my best, not my leftovers. I don't want Him to be an afterthought, but the focus of my every thought. I need His guidance daily. We make time for what we love. We plan for it. We arrange things so that we can be involved in whatever it is. I commit to doing the same in my relationship with the One who loves me more than His own life. Let's put Him first no matter what else is on our schedule!

Changing

The weather here has been interesting lately. It is cloudy and rainy all morning and into the afternoon, and then it clears up and its a beautiful evening. All the rain has made the ground just transform since we got here a month ago. The brownish grasses have turned green, trees are budding and little buttercup yellow flowers have popped up all over the place. It is becoming a lush forest right before my eyes, seemingly overnight!
The boys are blooming too. They seem bigger everyday, and Josiah is a downright pro when it comes to walking now--and it only took him a week to perfect it. Xander is a big snuggler and will try (and usually like) any food you give him. He's also working on walking. They can clap and give people five--although it usually ends up being 15 or 20 instead :) They both have been very social and love all the attention that the staff and retreat groups have given them. They will smile, laugh at, and play with anyone at all. They play with each other now too, tackling each other and rolling around as they scream with laughter. It is so much fun to be their mommy.
God is changing me too. He's teaching me to trust Him, and strengthening parts of my walk with Him that had gotten weak. He's given me great opportunities to talk with and build relationships with women at this latest retreat. AND, He's helping me to be a little less of a "city girl". A little.

Sometimes You Have To Ask

One of the fun little duties that I've been able to perform during the retreats here at the camp is getting to serve the food. Each server gets assigned to an item, and then as the plate is passed down the line, the server asks if the person would like their particular item. I had the rolls, and the answer was yes every time. Seriously, not one single "no". The girl next to me had peas. She was not so lucky.
After I had served the last person a roll, it hit me that not one person asked for an additional roll. They were pretty small and I would not have been surprised, nor would I have refused them had they asked, but no one did. God brought some verses to mind as I pondered this:
Matthew 7:7  Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it will be opened to you...
James 4:2 You do not have because you do not ask God...
John 15:7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you...
Luke 18:1-5 The parable of the persistent widow which is given to show us that we should always pray and not give up...
Sometimes, to receive what you want or even need, you have to ASK for it. It may feel awkward, you may feel greedy or silly, or like a pest, but sometimes you have to ask. Sometimes you have to ask for guidance, sometimes you have to ask for provision or help, and sometimes, you have to ask for that "extra roll".
Now, it's not because God doesn't know our needs. He most assuredly knows. But He has reasons for instructing us to ask Him. Here are just a few. It keeps us humble. It keeps us focused on the Provider rather than the provisions. It teaches us to trust.
Interestingly enough, after God brought this to mind, I discovered that the staff study we will be doing this summer was along the same lines -- asking God and trusting Him to answer.
So, learn along with me, to place your wants, concerns, and needs in His care--ask Him for His help, and for His guidance. He tells us to!!

Hidden

The rain has finally mostly stopped. It's been raining for pretty much a full week. The puddles were getting HUGE. The ground here just soaks it up though, and the puddles seem to disappear once the rain stops for a few hours. It's nice to be able to see the mountains again. There were a few days when every mountain in the area, even the very close ones, were completely obscured from view. The fog/mist/clouds were so thick that you could not even see the outline of them. They were there, but hidden. Sometimes, the Christian walk can be like that. God is there, steadfast and immovable, just like the mountains. You know He is there, but sometimes He feels far away and distant. You can't see what He is doing, and it can be a very hard time. But then the Son comes out and clears the clouds away and you are transfixed by the majesty that He reveals.

Last night was a special night--Girls Night Out. It was my first time out of camp since being here, and my first time on the "Blondina" (The barge/boat that they use to bring the fuel truck in). It was a fun, if chilly, ride. We got to shop when we got into town. My group went to "Fred Meyer" which is like a big Walmart. Then we went to eat at a local Mexican restaurant. We also got to talk to a woman who raised her 4 month old at Echo Ranch when she was on staff here, so it was good to hear her thoughts. Josh also got to go into town yesterday and while he was there, he saw an eagle!

The boys are adjusting well, but seem to be getting a cold. In spite of that, they are their normal, smiley selves. We would love it if you prayed for them though. I know they are uncomfortable.
They have low grade fevers and runny noses, as well as a little cough. Pray also for Josh as he finds his place here at ERBC and for my adjustment as well.

The Calm Before the Storm

They tell us that it is the calm before the storm here. Retreat groups start today, and it will only get busier from here on out. So we should enjoy the relative quiet and calmness of this morning and afternoon, because it won't last!! Today is the first cloudy day this week. And interestingly enough, it is the day the work team working on the girls bath house returns home. They worked super hard. Some of the men were up at 4am!! The men did the lifting and gluing, tearing out the old and putting in the new, etc. and the women cleaned and scrubbed until their hands were red (and then some). God gave them perfect weather to work in while they were here. They were a huge blessing to Echo Ranch and to us personally. God even used them to answer an unspoken desire of my heart! When we left our home in Missouri, I wasn't really all that sad about leaving OUR things but I was upset by having to leave the boys favorite toys that were too big to pack, like their push cars and "bike". While the team was here, they asked what we wished we could have brought with us, and we told them about the push cars and bike. As a gift to us, they want to purchase ones for us to use here. I started crying when they told me. I can't describe how special that is to me. They also watched the boys so that Josh and I could spend some precious time together. We got to walk along the beach and explore the camp a little more, which was fun. So thank you Lakewood EFC in Baxter, MN!! God definitely used you to encourage and inspire us!!

Settling In

Now that we have been here a week, I think we are settling in. The boys have pretty much adjusted and are enjoying all the attention they are getting here. Each meal is served in the dining hall, which is maybe a quarter mile from our house. We put hats and coats on the boys (sounds easier than it is) load them up in the stroller, tuck blankets around them and start walking. It took us a bit to get a routine down because you don't wear your shoes in the apartment if you can help it.(the sand sticks to your soles especially when it's rainy and well, you can't always avoid the horse poo since it is all over the place) After we get them situated, Josiah usually chatters on the way there and on the way back. The meals have been great here. If you are a crab fan, you would be jealous because tonight we had freshly caught crab from the bay! I didn't have it because I am allergic to crab and shrimp and the like, but many people really enjoyed it. Other favorites like baked oatmeal, pancakes and egg casserole have been served for breakfast, and we had pizza one night! We even had a cookout on the beach complete with smores! It's a good thing we have to walk everywhere!We have not been back into town yet, but we have given our shopping lists to others here and so I hope to have some Diet Coke brought in! Josh is really enjoying getting to know the staff here. It's been harder for me to talk to people because I am so focused on the Twinkies, but I am everyone has been very helpful and sweet and ready to hold/feed/ talk to  - but maybe not so much diaper ;)  -  a baby . There is a work team here to help remodel the girls bathhouse, and Josh has been joining in a Bible study with them as well. I look forward to getting together with some of the girls on staff in the next few days or so. Having the babies here also seems to be a ministry in itself, as peoples faces light up every time they see them. After all, who can resist a sweet baby snuggle?

Getting Here

God gifted us with a wonderful friend who flew with us to Alaska. He also gave us great traveling mercies.
All flights were on time or early and all of our luggage made it (This was not the case for our friend when returning. They lost her bag AND her flight had an hour delay) The boys were troopers and did great especially on the leg from KC to Seattle. But I can tell you, not one kid on that plane enjoyed the changing table in the restroom. So thank God for another answered prayer--no poopy diapers until we arrived in Juneau!! (I really did pray for that!) For the most part, the boys did really well.
As you read earlier, Juneau is inaccessible except by boat or plane. In addition, the CAMP is only accessible to drive to during low tide and by 4-wheel drive vehicles. We missed the window and had to stay in town for the night. Sounds great, right? Except that they haven't had babies for so long at Echo Ranch that there was nowhere for them to sleep in the dorm where we stayed. Once they calmed down from their extreme tiredness, we boxed them in between some bunk beds and I slept on the floor with them. We survived that first rough night and the next morning, we headed for ERBC. The trip  is NOT for the faint of heart. The rocks and ever-changing sandbars make for a very jarring and slightly scary ride! Suffice it to say, I am going to wait a bit before I go back into town!
When we arrived at the building that we would be staying in and were shown to our apartment, I was really excited. The rooms seemed huge to me, and in the boys room sat two new cribs, just for them. I set them down and let them explore their new digs. The place is perfect for us. It has two swiveling rockers (prayed for something to rock the boys in too!) and a sofa and a kitchen table with two chairs. The windows ALL have views of either the bay or the mountains. So far, the only downside is the mosquitoes! I'm pretty sure I saw one big enough to cast it's own shadow!! We have seen whales daily in the bay, and if you are outside, you can hear them too, as they surface. We even saw an eagle! This is by far the most amazing place I have ever visited, let alone lived.

A Little Corner of My Mind - Amber

I went to the dentist just the other day, and they have this nifty little set-up where you can watch DVDs as they work on your teeth. Everything from Friends to Andy Griffith, and lots of stuff in between. So I asked if they had anything on Alaska. To my delight, they did! I watched the pictures as the oral hygienist poked and scraped and I listened to what I could hear of the commentary of the documentary. I honestly had never thought much about Alaska before, and wondered how I had missed learning more about this jewel of the North. The show went from city to city speaking of the surrounding wildlife and culture.

Then they got to Juneau.

 About this time the dentist came in to check my teeth. He saw the DVD playing and said "Did you know, there are no roads going into Juneau?"  Somehow, I hadn't yet realized this. I had not realized that one can only fly or float into that city. It's completely separated from the mainland and there are no bridges to it. Wow. What a sense of isolation I suddenly had.

"What if's" starting flying through my mind. I sensed fear creeping in. I knew I had to stop this journey down "Insecurity Lane" before it even started. I began to focus on how God led us to this and how He has confirmed to us that our going to Echo Ranch was His plan from a long time ago! God filled me with His peace as I put my trust in Him. I know that this wasn't what we expected when we started this year, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is EXACTLY where we are supposed to be. I also began to think of what isolation Jesus must have felt on the cross, but that was exactly where He was supposed to be as well. God sent His Son to set us free and now we are called to share His message wherever He gives us opportunity. We are super excited to be serving Him in Alaska and thrilled that you are part of this new adventure!

Outliving Our Lives - Josh

 

Ok, so I stole the title from Max Lucado's most recent book (Outlive Your Life).  In that book, Max talks about how God has called us to more than piling up our own treasures in this world.  He has called us as Christians to live our lives for God's glory and God's kingdom.  Lately I have been reading a lot of books to that effect.  Crazy Love by Francis Chan and Radical by David Platt, both pastors of large churches that are making a difference for the cause of Christ. 

  

The overarching theme is this: we were made and called by God's grace for more than just the American Dream.  God has set us all apart as believers to live our lives not for the accumulation of stuff and for worldly definitions of success but to "out live them" for His glory.  Acts 2:43-47 tells the story of the early church in Jerusalem.  They gave up everything for God and many down through the centuries have followed in thier footsteps.  I write this not to say that Amber and I are doing anything special but quite the opposite.  Giving up our earthly possessions and moving our family to another location to do ministry is not special, this should be normal practice for anyone who claims the name of Christ.  Do not misunderstand me, not everyone is called to do what Amber and I are doing (Paul would have had a short ministry if all those who supported him in Antioch went out with him!).  But we are all to play a role in advancing the Gospel.  In this life we can be captured and held slaves to many things but God wants us to live our lives not for this world and the American Dream but for the next. What might he be calling you to do for the glory of His name? Eventually the stuff corrodes and decays and the bank accounts dry up or go to some one else, but those things done for Christ will last forever!

April 19th is fast approaching!

That's right, four days after we all have to have our taxes in; Amber, the twins, myself and a friend are hopping a plane to Alaska.  The tickets are in hand although the bags remain to be packed!

I am writing this blog on a day when Missouri seems to have been suddenly hit by a last minute snow storm. I would estimate we just got about four inches of snow and typical of Missouri it is supposed to be 70 degrees by the end of the week!  But snow is something we need to get used to.

Echo Ranch Bible Camp at Berners Bay Alaska

If you haven't heard already Amber, the boys and I will be spending this summer in Alaska at Echo Ranch Bible Camp.  Echo Ranch is located on Berners Bay approximately 40 miles north of Juneau in the pan handle of Alaska.  As this is the first blog post on this page I would invite you to check out the other pages on the blog for more info.  Echo Ranch is operated by Avant Ministries and we are serving as missionaries with them.  While at the ranch I will be functioning as the camp pastor, ministering to around 25 staff members and 25-30 counselors.  The ranch opens in late April/early May for retreat groups and then hosts various summer camps including a horse camp, soccer camp, and wilderness adventure camp throughout June, July and August. Finally the season closes up in September with more retreat groups and the ranch is then closed down from October to April of next year. 

campers in chapel

Amber and I will be spending the summer up there and then returning in late September/early October in order to raise more financial support with the intent of moving up there full-time.  Once there full-time I will continue to function as the camp pastor during the summer and then following up with campers and pursuing other ministry opportunities in Southeast Alaska in the winter. We are all getting very excited about this opportunity.  Alaska has been described as Americas last frontier, and for good reason.  Not only is the landscape beautiful but life can still be very difficult.  The challenges that those in Southeast Alaska in particular experience are primarly due to a lack of transportation.  Oh, there are ways of getting around, but an expensive plane trip or an 8 hour ferry ride are hardly good bargains.  The problem facing people living in this region of the country is that it is largely composed of Islands. This makes travel difficult and expensive and also limits the ability to spread the Gospel. That is where camp is so important for these young people.  They get an opportunity to hear the Gospel presented in a non-threating setting, an opportunity they might not have an other time of the year.

That is why Amber and I are so excited to be able to go and support and minister to the staff and counselors as they interact with these kids! Not mention we love mountains (did I mention we honeymooned in Colorado)! 

We still need additional financial supporters in order to make this ministry happen full-time.  To that end I invite you to check out the Support Us! page or contact us so we can give you more information.  We are currently at around 40% of our required monthly support. 

Please be in prayer too! Prayer is what enables us to do this work and keeps us going in light of the challenges involved.  One item in particular is provision for health insurance, as Amber leaves her job.  Avant has a medical plan that we can go on, we can also get on a COBRA plan through Amber's current health insurrance provider that she has at work. While good, both of these options are expensive and we need to see an immediate increase in our support to make either one work effectively.  Please pray for God's provision for our health insurance! This is especially important in light of my (Josh) kidney transplant and the ongoing care it requires through the medications I take.