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I like to have a purpose or a goal-something that gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning-and the start of a new year seems like a good time to examine my purposes and explore new goals. I always thought I would like to be a treasure hunter. I watched a documentary the other night about how divers accidentally discovered a Spanish shipwreck from 1715; it had carried millions in gold and jewels. They set their anchor, flagged their location, and the show ended. Oh,...
I went for a massage one week before Christmas. What I thought would be an hour of relaxation turned into an hour of experiencing the sharpest fingers I had ever felt. OK, his fingers weren't literally sharp, but if you've ever gone for a deep tissue massage, you know how "sharp" those fingers can be. The masseur said he felt some tense muscles in my hip and said he could get rid of those knots if I allowed him to "get in there" and work them out. I agreed and spent the next 4...
The phrase "Fear not" appears in the Bible many times. It is strange that God has to remind us constantly not to be afraid. The Almighty God of the Universe loves us, and yet we are constantly afraid of a thousand things that might or might not happen. We need constant assurance that God loves us and is watching over us. When my children were small, I often held them on my lap and read the Bible to them. We lived on a farm in Oklahoma, and there were thunderstorms and tornadoe...
Experiencing a power outage is no fun! It is especially no fun when you are by yourself and not prepared. Groping in the dark and struggling with the simplest of tasks can feel so frustrating! Isn't this how life can be when we are facing the most difficult situations? We have no physical shortage of power, but deep within, we don't seem to have the strength; life just feels so dark! God's Word says, "When we were yet without strength, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). God...
Well, it's 2024, and many people have made New Year's resolutions and are trying to make this year better than 2023. Although some people do make changes around the New Year and do stick to their resolutions, life isn't always that easy to plan and navigate. In reality, life happens to all of us. Overdue bills, sickness, disease, death, and car accidents. Even for believers in Jesus, not all will go well. So, with this in mind, I will attempt to encourage you and myself. When...
I don't encourage graffiti-painting buildings without being employed to do so. But there is some funny graffiti out there. A huge billboard says, "This year thousands of men will die from stubbornness." Below is spray-painted, "No we won't." Below a sign, "In case of fire, do not use elevator," someone spray-painted "Use water." In large letters on a plywood divider it says, "Bill posters will be prosecuted." Below, it says, "Bill Posters is an innocent man." On the back of a...
The powers of the Ad Seg (The Hole) world control the doors. They open and close at their wills. No resident of the hole has any control over the opening and closing of the doors, but the residents do play a part in the process. Let me explain. In order to go through the door, the resident must first go through the small door. Safety and high security are at the top of the agenda in the hole. No inmate steps outside his cell without being cuffed first. This is a must, no...
Q: I'm a believer, and I've been married to my wife since before I accepted the Lord. She doesn't want anything to do with my faith in Jesus. I'm not sure if I should stay or go. Does the Bible say anything about my situation? A: First and foremost, as a pastor, it is always my prayer and counsel for a married couple to remain together. Marriage is indeed hard work and a long work, as well, when two individuals with various differences decide to live together in marriage...
I wanted to express my gratitude to your ministry for your faithful giving to the Prison Chapel which lives on the donations provided by donors such as yourselves. Your contributions are popular and sought after by our brothers here at Halawa. Our men grow in the word thanks to inspirational messages and current event updates provided by your donations. The most recent "Intertribal Life" publication that you sent will most certainly grab the attention of the men...
I've just finished going through an eight-year journey with my daughter, who recently passed away at the age of 22. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was 15, but after chemotherapy, that cancer went away and never came back. Then at the age of 19, she was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer, which over the course of three years ravished her body until she left this world to be with Jesus. It was a very rough journey that I just came through. There were many sacrific...
I like writing about butterflies and the wonders of water and light, but to do so right now in the midst of wars and misery seems more like someone avoiding reality and escaping to some fantasy world; it doesn't seem professional. At least I didn't think so-until I realized that focusing on God's creation is exactly what brings me comfort in the midst of a painful, broken world. Psalm 121 begins with, "I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?" I had always...
During this time of year, we prepare our hearts for the Christmas season. The Christmas story will be told all over the world thousands, if not millions of times during the month of December. The faith of Joseph, Mary, the angels, and the shepherds plus others will be recounted, as they heard about the good news of a Savior being born, the gift to all mankind. Their faith in the Lord brought about glory to God and much joy in their lives. Faith is the first step of obedience,...
How is your smile? I've been reading about the benefits of a good one. And the riches of turning a frown upside down. Apparently it takes 22 of our 42 facial muscles to smile and 37 of them to frown. You wanna save energy? Smile. You wanna bring joy? Smile. On average, women smile 62 times a day. Men? Eight times. Ouch! Guys! Kids smile about 400 times a day, adults 35 times. Where did we lose 365 laughs a day? That's 133,000 a year. There are a thousand benefits to a smile. H...
I tossed. I turned. I flipped. Nothing helped. I could not fall back to sleep. I wasn't sleepy, and I had just finished a nice dream, so I knew I had slept for a little while, anyway. Now as I lay awake, I wondered how late -or early-it was. Even in prison we try to keep up with world events. TV, radio, and letters from loved ones help us see, hear, and read about the outside world. With all the devastating natural disasters, and incidents of hate happening all around the...
The very word "Christmas" either brings a smile to our faces or stabs our hearts with a sword. It is both the best time and the worst time of the year. If we are fortunate enough to spend Christmas with family, friends, loved ones, then it is the happiest time of the year. If we are alone, it is the worst time of the year. My children live thousands of miles away. Sadly, most of my close friends have died. I was facing another Christmas alone. I spent last Christmas alone and...
As we were driving through the Canadian Prairies, my husband picked up the Intertribal Life paper somewhere. Today, I am resting with a cold and had time to read the paper. There are so many encouraging stories, and it's good to know what is available to the First Nations community. Thanks to everyone who expresses themselves in writing; it is brave as it can feel vulnerable to do so. It's so exciting to hear the depth of growth and repentance of individuals. We quickly...
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"-1 John 3:1, NIV Jimmy was pretty young when his single mom married the man Jimmy would come to know as "Dad." It turned out to be a real good move, and Randy turned out to be a real good dad! At the time, nobody thought the procedure of adoption was needed. Jimmy was about 42 years old when somehow the subject came up. Randy started thinking about what it...
From July 17 to 21, Todd and Krystal, the ILM director team, had planned to travel some distance to help facilitate a Vacation Bible School. Two weeks before the event both Todd and Krystal started to feel unsettled about attending. This feeling didn't make sense, though. Details were solidified. The event had been advertised locally. A team of volunteers had booked the time to attend. And most importantly, the children knew they were coming. So why, two weeks prior to the...
If he stumbles, he's not down for long; God has a grip on his hand. Psalm 37:24 (THE MESSAGE) Playing Hockey on our reservation was a memorable experience! As a teenager, I got some really good lessons from that life frame. Lessons like "Don't get the ref mad or you'll pay for it!" and "There's no 'I' in 'TEAM'" and "Play hard or you'll ride the pine," and the most memorable one: "Get up, it's a long ways from your heart!" That was Chief Allan's line! He was there at almost...
Words fascinate me. I like word paintings where wildflowers carpet a meadow and chipmunks chatter above the breeze whispering through the nearby pines. What sights and sounds would you add to your scene? I enjoy imaginative words like kaleidoscope. The colourful pieces at the end of the telescopic tube dramatically change patterns with the slightest turn of the tumbler. Combined words are the most meaningful. Chocolate is a good prefix to any word. What word would you use to...
This past week, my parents and I travelled the Needles Highway. For those of you who are not familiar with this highway, it is a 14-mile scenic byway that lies within Custer State Park, among the Black Hills of South Dakota. It offers sharp turns, narrow tunnels and winding routes. My mom, who is fearful of heights, especially when mixed in with twists and turns, managed to get to the eye of the needle at the top of the eroded mountain-without fainting. I prayerfully...
Kids help me laugh. My grandson said, "Grandpa, you're bald. You look extinguished." Animals help me laugh, too. If you've seen a naked mole rat or a hairless cat, you know God has a sense of humor. Then there's the platypus. I can picture God designing the prototype as angels look on in wonder: "I'll give it a body with flippers on its feet, a little like a beaver. Then, why not a duck head? And have it lay eggs. That will amuse and confuse the humans." I imagine God saying,...
The process is very aggressive. Some might even classify it as violent. But no one in the world would ever try to stop it-it's a process that needs to be endured to achieve the essential result. Dunking it into water and keeping it submerged until the very last air bubble escapes is only the first step. It must immediately be pulled out of the water and then dunked back into it. After this second immersing, it is yanked back out and thrown on the floor. Lying on the ground,...
In the 1950s, I watched movies in which Roy Rogers chased outlaws who stole cattle and robbed banks. Of course, the bad guys were always caught and hanging their heads in shame as they were tied up and taken to jail. The good guys always won, and the bad guys always lost. I was always the "good little girl." I drank my milk, cleaned my plate, put my toys away and tried to obey all of the adults in my life. I was a shy, quiet, only child and always did as I was told. When I...
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV William was a believer who was struggling with some leftovers from the life he lived before he got serious about following Jesus. He'd spent the last of his money on a bag of weed; now, he was hitchhiking down the...
