His desires become Your desires

I made it back to Anchorage after a FANTASTIC week in Kotzebue! As all of you can tell from my blog's title....I LOVE NOME! But, Kotz definitely has a special place in my heart now!

Our week started off great! We left Sunday after church, and honestly I had no idea what to expect! Ya see, I was working with a group putting on an FCA (fellowship of Christian Athletes) camp... and I don't play basketball. . . enough said.

So, at the beginning of the week, I was a bit nervous simply because I knew that due to the fact that I was not a coach or a huddle leader (person working and talking directly with the kids at camp), it would be unavoidably harder to build relationships with the kidz of kotz. So on Sunday night, I was a bit stressed and prayed the Lord would let me know why and where I am needed in this village...And man is God Good!!

So Aaron and I were the cooks and cameramen for this team. We would take all the pictures and videos of camp activity, and we would also cook all of the meals for the camp staff. The meals were cooked in First Baptist Kotzebue's kitchen, and served in their dining room. So, when camp was over at the local school, the staff would head on over to the church for meals. Well, while Aaron and I were cooking, I got the opportunity to meet the pastor of First Kotz, and for some reason I really wanted to talk to this guy, and understand how the Lord got him to this small village above the arctic circle. So I asked him, if he had time this week, if we could just sit down and talk for a while.

So the next day, I got to meet up with pastor Matt (pastor at FBC Kotz), and just talk about serving in the northwest arctic region. I found out that he and his family are missionaries under the MSC (Missionary Service Corps.) through the North American Mission Board. They have been in Kotz about 7 years now, and the only reason they are there...is because God prepared the way for them to get there. He said that never in a million years would he have guessed he would be living in the Arctic of Alaska...but the Lord's plans are better.

I shared with him that I have such a strong desire to reach the people of Western Alaska. I am similar in saying that I would have never guessed God would place me and connect me to this area. And I also told him that when it comes down to it, wherever and whenever the Lord says "GO"....ill go. At this specific moment in my life, I have a desire to be here. And when I shared that with him he reminded me of Psalm 37:4...

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

This verse has been skewed and misused TOO many times. It does not mean that if you want it the Lord will give it to you.... Far from it.... It means that IF YOU SEEK THE LORD first and foremost, and you have dedicated your life to serving Him...then His desires BECOME your desires. You no longer desire worldly things, you in turn desire kingdomly things that are eternal compared to things of this earth.

It was awesome to be reminded of that, and apply it to my life right now. I can try and try and try to build my path and walk it.... but my plans are just not good enough, and not as exciting as God's. But, I do know that If I devote my life to our Lord, and constantly seek Him....then What He desires becomes what I desire. I give up MY life to live the way He wants me to. Wherever that takes me, I am excited to go. And whatever He say to do, I am excited to pursue. It is not about what we want.....it is about what He wants. It is about selflessness and humility on a level that allows Him to take full control! :)

This lesson was seen throughout the week as a total of 6 kids made professions of faith to follow Jesus. The leaders and coaches had the Lord's desire to share the great news with them!! And Praise God for the outcome. Praise God for using His people as vessels to direct the lost toward His glory! Overall the Camp was incredible, and yeah I don't play basketball....but myself along with the FCA staff first and foremost play for the Lords team, and we are ready to attack any play He calls out.


The people of Kotzebue are amazing. Unlike Nome, it is an almost entirely Native village. Because of that, their beautiful culture is more prevalently seen. One night while we were in Kotz, we were invited over to the home of a native family pursuing ministry in Kotzebue. They run a house church and put on camps throughout the summer in order to continue to reach the people of Kotzebue and surrounding villages. While we were there we ate native food, witnessed beautiful Eskimo dancing, and played traditional Eskimo strength games. It was a great night of fellowship that reminded us of all that the Lord is doing in that village for his name's sake.

I was extremely sad to leave yesterday, but if the Lord wants any of us to go back, He will provide a way! Please be in continued prayed for the village of Kotzebue, and the people residing in it. Please pray for the Kramer family (house church planters and ministry leaders in the community). Pray for the the Hoke family (pastor and family of First Baptist Kotzebue) and all of their ministry endeavors that the Lord leads them on! Please pray for the hearts of people in this community. Pray for the kids that professed their faith in Christ. Pray for them to continue growing into disciples so that they may disciple others. Pray that those kids stand firm in their faith and get connected to a local church. Please pray for the staff of FCA as they leave Kotz and go in different directions. pray that they can apply what they learned in Kotz to their everyday walk with the Lord, and that they can keep contact with those that touched their hearts this week. Please pray for SMAK as we prepare for our next team and trip over the next two weeks, and continue to pray for Brian and his family while they are away on vacation.

I love you all! <3

P.S. I didn't want to share this........but if you read my blog last year you very well know that I am cursed and CANNOT catch fish to save my life....they just don't like me I suppose...Well, I will have you know that I got to go fishing one night while in Kotz and......still nothing.. :(