Busy and Blessed...

Psalm 90:12 instructs us, "So teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts unto wisdom." Wisdom is an outlet we all need to tap into. There are many sources of wisdom, but not all wisdom is true wisdom. The wisdom that will never disappoint, that will never mislead, that will always be attainable, is from above. The God of wisdom is rich to give this wisdom to us if we but ask. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

Sometimes it is essential to choose between what is good and what is best, and that is the quandary I am currently facing. What is a girl to do when there are so many tasks to accomplish yet not enough time to do it all? Seek wisdom. Seek God.

God's wisdom is what I am seeking as I number my days and minutes, ticking away one by one as I near the time of yet another departure. Forty-eight days remain before I return to Oklahoma: city living, dorm life, classes, assignments, and masses of people. And enriching ministry opportunities, precious friends and mentors, Spirit-filled preaching, new learning experiences, and so much more.

It is a difficult transition, traveling from my home in Alaska, secluded, isolated, and familiar, to my new life in the Lower 48, brimming with new experiences and people who are becoming ever more dear to me. Living in two completely different worlds is not easy, but God's grace is all-sufficient! Wherever He chooses to place me at whatever time, I want to be all there. Like Jim Elliot, I want to live to the hilt every situation that I know to be God's will for me. This is the key to a truly fulfilled and successful life for God -- not sighing for the future nor longing after the past but embracing today and God's sweet will with ultimate joy! With God, my friends, it is a wonderful life, indeed.

I don't know what the future holds: what I will be doing after I graduate, exactly what type of ministry God will place me in, how long my season of singleness will last, who I will someday marry, where I will be living, and other large-ish questions many people approach me with. Naturally, people are curious about my future. Guess what? So am I! (chuckle) God hasn't given me the answers to those questions. If I had those answers, I would have no reason to trust in Him. And, if given the choice, I would rather keep step with my God while leaning upon my Beloved's strong arm than to know every step that lies before me.

I am content. My life is rich! My days abound with new opportunities and people to invest in. Today is more than enough. I know that the Lord has hallmarked "one day" on my path with the hope of a joyful union of my life with a man of God, but marriage is not my ultimate goal; that is not what my eyes are fixed upon. I have huge desires to serve God in big ways, to make my life truly count in eternity, but how I serve God with my life is not my decision to make; it is His.

All I know is that right now, I am called to be single and to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. He is to be the chief expression of all that I am and the all-consuming passion for all that I do. I am patiently running this race with eternity, entrusting my weighty cares to God, and I am ever "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [my] faith," who gives me joy as He endured with joy.

The Lord has given me a wonderful family; I am loving every moment I get to spend with them this summer, for I realize that our remaining time to be a family is very brief. God has blessed me with an incredibly busy and fulfilled summer to the brim with opportunities to be salt and light, to share the Gospel with boldness and compassion, to live out Christ's life in me. I couldn't ask for more than what God has already given me. And why He has given me so much, I'll never know. All I can do is return to Him a very small portion of the love and life He has lavished on me... all the day, every day, as long as I live!

Heartland Update

Greetings from Oklahoma! My sister Emily and I have been at Heartland Baptist Bible College for over a month now. I can't even begin to express how good God has been to us. I have absolutely no question that this is where we are supposed to be. The Lord has been teaching me so many amazing things in the past month -- in the classroom, of course, but especially in my heart. I can't wait to see how He will lead me in the steps ahead.

The following is from a post I wrote last week on the blog my sister and I are updating during our time here at Heartland. If you would like to stay current with us, visit our blog at emilynaomihbbc.blogspot.com.

Here is a list of the classes Emily and I have this semester. Emily's major is Church Education and mine is Missions. All of our classes are the same this semester except I have a Cults class while Emily is in her Ladies class. 

Cultures and Customs 

Bible Doctrines I 

Cults (Naomi) 

Research and Style 

Methods of Teaching 

Fundamentals of Speech

Ladies Class III (Emily)

Choir 

Piano Lessons 

 We have learned so much already. Cultures and Customs is one of my favorite classes as I am gaining so many new insights into the different ways of different peoples. I know it's really going to help me in the future. Of course I'm learning important truths in Bible Doctrines I and Cults. We're writing twenty-page papers in Research and Style! My topic is why we can trust the King James Bible to be the preserved, infallible Word of God. Methods of Teaching has been such a great class. I have so many new ideas for teaching already and, although the class lasts three straight hours on Monday, it goes by so quickly because we're all having so much fun while evaluating each others' teaching methods. It's like going to Sunday School all over again. (chuckle) Fundamentals of Speech is an easier class and has actually been fun. We are divided into smaller groups (all girls or all guys) where we give our speeches on different topics -- so it's not intimidating at all. =) Choir is a blessing! We're learning three different Christmas pieces for a cantata in December. We sing in the choir loft at church each Wednesday. Piano lessons have been a tremendous help to both Emily and myself. Our teacher is such a sweet lady and has helped us in so many areas already. We also have chapel services twice a week which is always such a huge help and uplifter! The Lord always has something especially for me during chapel.

It's a fairly full schedule but we do have days throughout the week that are slower. We're keeping up with our assignments and are making good grades, praise God! Our first month here at Heartland has been so incredible. Everything is completely different from home... and we do miss home terribly. Now that the newness and excitement of being here is wearing off the homesickness is especially keen. I never dreamed I would ever be so busy, but it has been such a blessing and I'm grateful to the Lord for giving me the opportunity to be here. 

If I could use one word to describe my experiences of the past month, it would be opportunities. Of course we had many ways to serve the Lord in our ministry at home, but here we have such a wide outreach. It has been amazing to have so many opportunities to be involved in ministry at our home church here in Oklahoma City, Southwest Baptist, as well as at Heartland. I get to work in the third-to-fifth grade junior church once a month at Southwest and I love it! It is a bit overwhelming as the numbers reach three hundred -- it's what you call an overwhelming blessing. (chuckle) Emily is working with the three-year-olds once a month. We have visitation on Tuesday evenings which has been another incredible opportunity. We have also been going on Saturday morning visitation from the church as our schedules allow us to do more. I also attended Friday night street evangelism last week; it was great and I hope to go again tomorrow! And we also signed up for the monthly Friends of Heartland ministry. We travel on a bus to another church and help them with visitation. Last Saturday was our first trip; we went to Derby, Kansas to be a blessing to North Woodlawn Baptist Church. It was an amazing opportunity. Praise the Lord! 

Another opportunity we have at Heartland is the missionary prayer band. We meet at 6 PM every Saturday to read prayer letters from missionaries around the world and to lift them up before the Lord. There is a great emphasis each week on different unreached people groups. Missionary prayer band is one of the highlights of my week. I'm so grateful so be able to have a part. Yet one more exciting opportunity I have is learning sign language. I've wanted to learn for several years so as soon as I heard the church has classes each Sunday before the evening service, I knew it was something else the Lord wanted me to be involved in. I'm so excited to finally be learning how to sign! It is a beautiful language. I can't wait to be able to communicate with the deaf people in the church. 

Heartland has such a God-glorifying spirit. The students who are attending are here for the right reasons and it is very evident in their daily lives. I am so blessed to be among them as we serve the Lord together! I'm thrilled to see what the Lord will have for us to do throughout our time here! Thank you all so much for your prayers for me and Emily. I know they are making a difference each and every day.

God's Plans for Us

Just five days from today, I will be on my way to Oklahoma.

I have five days left with my family. Five days of memories to be made before we are separated for three months by thousands of miles.

On Wednesday, my sister Emily and I are leaving home to attend Heartland Baptist Bible College in Oklahoma City. This is a huge step for two girls who have lived most of their lives in isolated Alaskan villages. Whenever we get out of the village it is a bit humorous. We exclaim over riding in a vehicle at 60 MPH, paved roads, trees (ha!), going to Wal-Mart, and other such "marvels." (chuckle) This is going to be a huge change for us. The college campus itself is the size of my village's population. You wouldn't think we would experience culture shock, would you?

Last summer while my family and I were on furlough in the States, we had the opportunity to visit Heartland's campus. As we toured the buildings I had this undeniable sense, This is where God wants me to be. I had such peace. And I loved everything about Heartland. I knew it could easily feel like "home away from home." It wasn't too big or impressive, nor was it too small. My sister and I prayed about the decision for some time and finally came to know that Heartland was indeed where the Lord wanted us to attend.

At this point I am at perfect peace. However, arriving at this point was a struggle. It is true that am very hesitant about these life-altering changes in my life. I dread the thought of saying goodbye to my precious family. Even so, I am absolutely certain that this next step is God's perfect will for me. I want to cling to the familiar, but I know that I must go forward with God.

God's plans for us often take turns that we never expected we'd come to. Two years ago when I graduated from homeschool, we were making plans for my sister and me to leave home for Bible college. However, various situations led us to consider studying at home for a few years via correspondence. At that point I was uncertain about God's will for my life. I questioned whether it was truly right for me as a young lady to leave my home and my father's protection to attend college. To be truthful, I was inwardly bucking against the idea of going away to college because I truly thought it would be the wrong thing to do. And then the Lord led us to study at home through Landmark Baptist College's directed studies. I was immensely relieved and so happy. 

So the Lord allowed my family another two years to be together as my sister and I took our classes. It was a wonderful experience; we both learned and grew so much spiritually. At the same time, we were able to continue helping in our home and serving in the ministry. Looking back now, I can't thank the Lord enough for giving us two extra years at home. They were absolutely essential to my life. It was a time of preparation.

In the past two years, I have learned so many needed homemaking skills that I would have neglected had I left home. I have been given the opportunity of working alongside my parents in our ministry. God has taught me so many valuable lessons in the past two years that I would otherwise never have learned. At 18, I know I would not have been ready to face the many challenges and responsibilities of being on my own. This season of waiting and learning was so important to my life. I don't doubt for a moment that I have been in the center of His will all along, for I have been so blessed and so happy. The center of God's will is the only place where you can be happy.

Perhaps some people have looked at my life during these past two years and questioned my sanity as I told them, "I am so happy here." They believed it was my right to leave the confines of this little Alaskan village and experience "real life" in the States. Were it not for the contentment God has given me in the center of His will, I would probably have thought the very same way!

Thoughts on Shattered Dreams

Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory.

J.R. Miller

This thought encouraged me so much the other day. I've seen the Lord do this incredible thing in so many lives. He raises up the shattered lives of His people and recreates them into something so beautiful. It's what He loves doing. He gets so much glory from it. 

We need to pray that God would break us because only then can He make something in us that will bring Him amazing praise. Right now I see Him doing that in my life. He's broken my hopes for the future, the goals that I believed would be the most glorifying to Him, and instead He's doing things in my life that are so much different than I ever dreamed He would do. And in these things, He is going to get more glory than I ever thought possible... if I will simply trust what He's doing in my life and walk in perfect unity with Him. I want so much to see His plans become true in my life. It is the only thing worth living for. Regardless of my feelings, I can't wait to see what's around the next corner. With my wonderful Lord leading, I have this perfect certainty that it's going to be beautiful.

With the amazing God that we have, shattered dreams are not a bad thing but sometimes the best thing that could ever happen to us. It's when our feeble, even sometimes foolish, plans are destroyed that God leads us into so much better ways than what we could ever have chosen. He is worthy of our trust!

In the photos: 1) Rain-drenched tundra grasses and flowers. It was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. The picture simply doesn't do God's handiwork justice! 2) Glowing and shimmering in the late sunlight, rustling grass in which I heard Him pass... He speaks to me everywhere.

Busy but Blessed

Life has become extremely busy and blessed in the recent weeks. My blog might be quiet for some time. There are two longer-type posts (one on the trust you can place in the King James Bible, and another on the importance of dressing like a lady) that I have been wanting so much to finish writing since months ago, but I really can't see when I will be able to share them. That makes me sad because sharing with you, my readers, what the Lord lays on my heart is something I love doing. Even so, I am committed to redeeming every moment of time God has entrusted to my care, and I long to give my best to the responsibilities He has blessed me with. Blogging just happens not to be one of those things right now.

The Lord has been teaching me such precious lessons lately. I have faced some hard trials that I wish I just didn't have to go through, but His everlasting arms are beneath me and His sheltering wings are over me! I am so safe. There is no more wonderful place to be than in the center of His will.

Perhaps next week I will be able to finish a post about some big changes that I will be facing in three weeks... big changes concerning Bible college. God has led me through some stony paths. I have a long way still to travel. But I will follow on! 

I will write as I find time and as the Lord leads. Until then, I pray the Lord is blessing your life as richly as He is mine!

A Cheerful Giver

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; 

and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Proverbs 11:24

In the photo: Taken at the village BBQ on the 4th of July. I love watching little children play; they are so comical. In this picture they were amusing themselves with Arctic cotton grass. Isn't it the fellow that is supposed to give the lady flowers? Oh my... (chuckle)

So Thankful for God's House

Yesterday was such a good day. I love being in God's house! I found so many things to give thanks for throughout the day. The Lord is so good in my life.

Another excellent message by Dr. S.M. Davis, How to Use Acceptance to Build Others. My dad has been in the Lower 48 since mid-May for shoulder reconstruction surgery (he will be home in only 10 more days!!!) and we have been showing preaching videos by Dr. Davis since the pulpit has been empty. I love my dad's preaching and I can't wait to hear him preach the Word of God again soon, but these messages have been so good. So many needed truths have been made so clear; I have received so much good counsel; it has made a difference in the our lives.

The difference a smile can make. It is the clearest way of showing acceptance to others. It is a ministry!

Quiet, restful Sunday afternoons.

A Sunday school lesson to prepare. We have been teaching through the Old Testament at a very thorough pace to give our children a good, solid understanding of these timeless stories. Those of us who grew up in Christian homes can't remember a time when we didn't know about David or Daniel or other Bible heroes. These children have never heard them before. Oh, what a privilege it is to teach them! I have taken these incredible stories (true stories that happened to real people!) of God's faithfulness and power for granted. Lately we've been learning about Joseph. As I have been preparing my lessons, God has been showing me such remarkable things about him that I never saw before. One of the best ways to learn God's Word for yourself is to teach others!

Happy, smiling little faces. Laura. Justus. Kayla and Tera (twin sisters). Kevin. Tiana. The children that come to Bible Time are some of my very favorite people in the whole world. We've made an investment in each others' lives; the difference they've made in mine is the greater. They give me so much joy!

Maak and Cora. Two dear ladies who come to church faithfully.

A quick, refreshing walk along the beach. After church as we were fellowshiping, someone called saying that a herd of belugas was swimming past the village. My mom drove my sister and me down so I could get some pictures. Sadly they had already passed that area and had been herded into the lagoon (yes, to be slaughtered =), but I got some beautiful pictures anyway. Oh, the lighting was just divine!

These were taken at around 8:30 PM. We have 24 hours of sunlight now. If you think you wouldn't be able to stand sunlight all day and night, you'd better get ready for Heaven (Rev. 21:23). (chuckle) I love it! Heaven will be so wonderful!

Hold Your Peace & Show Love

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: 

but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

Proverbs 11:12

In the photo: Arctic poppies and a snow fence in the background. It was a cloudy day but these flowers have a sunshine all their own. =)

How to Make a Glycerite Tincture

Do you want to make a pure, effective herbal medicine for your family that builds the immune system, soothes sore throats, and fights infection? You can make this medicine in the comfort of your own kitchen and have absolute confidence that it will be safe and effective for even the youngest members of your family. It contains no alcohol and yet is completely preserved. Making a tincture doesn't have to be complicated! All you need is an assortment of herbs, a jar with its corresponding lid, a towel, and a Crock-Pot! In just six simple steps you will have a pure, concentrated herbal medicine.

Step #1: Prepare your herbs

This step is not always necessary. Some herbs need a bit of crushing and grinding to give the extraction a head start, especially if those herbs have a tough exterior. In my lovely marble mortar I have a nice bunch of dried rosehips which I crushed slightly with my pestle.

Rosehips are full of seeds and a peculiar fuzzy mass.

Character Building

Chapter Four of Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale 

“Let every man take heed how he buildeth.” (I Cor. 3:10)

The most precious earthly treasure a girl can have is character. Her character is what she really is. If she will look beyond what she appears to be, and what people think of her, and look at her heart fairly and honestly, judging herself by the standards of right and wrong to which her own conscience gives sanction, then she can know whether she has a good character. When a girl is misunderstood and misjudged, it is comforting to know that deep in her heart she has been true. But it will rob even her friends’ praises of the real pleasure if, in her heart, she knows she has been untrue.

Character is not given to us; we build it ourselves. Others may furnish the material, may set before us the right standards and ideals, may give us reproof and correction, may guide our actions and mold our thoughts—but after all, we build our own character. It is we, ourselves, who take of the influence about us, copy the ideals, reach the standards, and make ourselves what we are.

I Am a Soldier!

Author Unknown

I am a soldier in the army of my God!

The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer!

The Bible is my code of conduct!

Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare!

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity and tested by fire!

I am a  volunteer in this army and I am enlisted for eternity!

I will either retire from this army at the rapture or die in this army, but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out or pushed out! 

I am faithful, reliable, capable and dependable!

If my God needs me, I am there!

Seek Right Counsel

The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. 

Proverbs 12:5

In the photo: The Arctic Ocean, just a few blocks from my house, finally showed progress in breaking up this past week (the last week of June). We are seeing spectacular icebergs and beautiful open water along the shore although the pack ice, in the background, remains intact. Just beyond that rise is water as far as the eye can see.

What Do You Want from God?

After his father David died, Solomon became the king of Israel. He was probably around twenty years old. On a day after Solomon had offered a thousand burnt offerings to the LORD, God appeared to Solomon that night and said to him, "Ask what I shall give thee."

Solomon was in his early twenties. What kinds of things are on the minds of most people that age? Well, I myself am twenty so I think I have a pretty good idea. Many young people my age are concerned with very trivial things. They believe their status depends on having the best and being the best -- the most stylish clothes, the greatest car, the best "friends," having the best ability in brawn, beauty, even brains, and enjoying as much of the other overrated pleasures this world has to offer as they can. Those things are not wrong, but they must be kept in their place and we must not become consumed with them. We need to focus more upon the underrated treasures of life: our family, our relationship with the Lord, our church, the Bible, and the simple blessings God gives us each day. Those are the things that really matter. We need to realize how rich we really are, live Godly lives, and be content.

Other young people my age are thinking about the decisions they are required to make during this period of their lives. What is foremost in my own mind is being in God's will each and every day. I am constantly thinking about the changes that are approaching in my life and I am concerned that I make only the one right choice in each situation.

What was on Solomon's mind during this intense period of his life? He was only twenty years old and the king of an entire country. He had everything. He had access to all of those overrated pleasures life has to offer to every young person. And God was offering him more! Whatever his heart desired, he had only to ask God and he would get it. Nothing would be withheld from him. What would you ask for if you were in his place? Think about it. What matters most to you? What would your immediate request be?

Poppy Glory

All last week we had dreadfully cloudy weather. It finally began raining towards the end of the week. A wonderful, refreshing shower. Saturday the sun came out, and with it came the poppies.

The Multitude of Counsellors

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, 

and the wicked cometh in his stead. 

Where no counsel is, the people fall: 

but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

Proverbs 11:8, 14

These verses are among my favorites in the book of Proverbs. They tell me I don't know it all. They tell that I need to depend upon the Godly people in my life to help guide me safely in the way I should go. I don't have to get into the trouble that other people face in life. I can avoid those destructive problems and their consequences if I heed the counsel given to me -- counsel given to me by my parents and other authorities, and counsel given to me from the testimonies of God's Word (Ps. 119:24). I also learn that I can never have too many wise counselors; the verse says multitude. I can be "delivered out of trouble" when a "multitude of counselors" are about me to keep me safe.

In the photo: Graceful, delicate little livelong saxifrage flowers and other tundra foliage I found yesterday in a refreshing shower of rain.

Nalukataq: People Need the Lord

Meet Maak. This dear lady has been our most faithful church member in the six years we have been in this village. She loves being in God's house and is such a blessing to my family. We love listening to her tell stories from her childhood; I especially love the stories of her father. It sounds as though he was a very wise, Godly man. Maak's father was a tremendous help to the two previous missionaries, Bro. Nick Serino and Bro. Gary Carlson, who served in this village before my family took over the ministry. Bro. Serino pioneered the North Slope by planting the first Baptist church in this village over 25 years ago, and since then has planted three other Baptist churches on the North Slope. He and his family made many sacrifices and faced many difficulties to start this ministry. They flew into the village in a little bush plane during the middle of a blizzard. Only by God's grace did they survive the storm and land safely. The Serino family had no place to stay in the village so they set up tents on the shore of the frozen Arctic Ocean. Maak's father happened to see these tents and was concerned for the Serino family, so he found an abandoned Eskimo house for them to live in. I wish I had time to tell you the amazing stories Maak has told me about her father. Someone needs to write a book! =)

Nalukataq: Jesus Loves the Little Children

...And so do I! =)

I had so much fun watching the little ones and capturing their adorable faces on my camera. These children mean so much to me. Several of the children in the pictures below come regularly to our Sunday Bible Time, which is probably my very favorite thing that happens each week. I love making them yummy snacks. I love leading them in singing songs. I love teaching them amazing stories from the Bible! I love praying for them... praying that they will each come to know Christ as their personal Savior, that they will grow up coming faithfully to church and living for Him, that they will each know the goodness that God gives. These children are such special people and my mom, sister, and I are so, so blessed to have a part in leading them to know the Lord.

Two sweet girls who sat next to my family at Nalukataq.

Nalukataq: Giving Thanks with Family

At Nalukataq more than any other time, we see families together. That is one of the things I love about it. To just be there with my own family and to see other families happy to be with each other, all sharing in the joys of the season, is such a blessing. Nalukataq is a time of thanksgiving as the Eskimo people thank God for supplying a bountiful harvest. It is a time when everyone finally feels "alive" again -- the sun is shining day and night, all of the snow is gone, water is on the ocean, grass is springing up, birds are filling the air with their music. Winter is just a memory! For all of these things we rejoice during Nalukataq, and that joy is evident on faces and in the air ringing with happy voices.

Nalukataq: The Traditions

Nalukataq (pronounced nah-LUK-uh-tauk) is a time of celebration after a successful whaling season. The Eskimo people spend a great deal of time on the pack ice during April and May as they harvest bowhead whales. They break up into crews, usually according to family branches, with each crew having their own captain. Dragging boats behind their snowmachines, they travel many miles out to the open water. They use huge spear guns to slaughter the gigantic whales, then comes the "tug of war" as each crew joins into a line to haul the whale onto the ice. It is then cut into large sections, hauled into the village, butchered by the women, and stored in cellars. In June, after the whaling season is over, each whaling crew/family provides a feast for the entire village to take part in. My village's first Nalukataq of the year took place last Friday, with two more planned for this month. It is such a happy, festive time -- as you will see!

Nalukataqs usually take place in our village's baseball field. Frames are set in a semi-circle and blacks tarps are hung across them. Long, wooden benches are then set up for people to sit on.

It's So Good!

A man hath  j o y  by the answer of his mouth: 

and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! 

Proverbs 15:23

When you encourage others, you get encouraged yourself!

In the photo: Our first Nalukataq (whaling feast) took place yesterday and I am SO excited about sharing with you all of the beautiful pictures I captured. Here is the first of many, taken while the children were being given apples and oranges -- followed by cupcakes. =D Nalukataq is always such a happy time!