“If we’re out of our minds it is for the sake of the gospel…” -2 Corinthians 5:13
Y’all.
D-day is here. Departure day, that is. Our lists have been checked a million times over:
D-day is here. Departure day, that is. Our lists have been checked a million times over:
(*IDs? Check.
*Snow gear? Sweet baby Jesus, please let my boys remember their snow pants.
*Emergency contact info.? Check.
*Bibles & conference curriculum? Check.
*Half a duffle bag of salsa, Takis, & various hot sauces we won’t be able to buy in Anchorage? Check. Obviously…)
*Snow gear? Sweet baby Jesus, please let my boys remember their snow pants.
*Emergency contact info.? Check.
*Bibles & conference curriculum? Check.
*Half a duffle bag of salsa, Takis, & various hot sauces we won’t be able to buy in Anchorage? Check. Obviously…)
As you read this email, our team of 13 is on our way from DSS to Port Alsworth, Alaska for our now annual Journey to the High Places Conference!
Two years ago, the Lord put a dream in Rebecca and my hearts. We felt the call to begin a conference and retreat that offered Street School students a safe place to process trauma and move closer to becoming the whole hearted young men and women the Lord had created them to be. And today we embark on yet another adventure with Him, calling our students both to that wholeness of heart and to be wholly sold out for Him.
I had hoped to write you an eloquent letter, explaining the conference and introducing our team, but it’s 5 AM and there ain’t enough coffee in the world to make me eloquent right now. So I’ll let some of our kiddos introduce themselves in the video below.
What I am awake enough to say however, is that I am INSANELY thankful for each of you who have made this life changing conference a reality. Your faithful partnership and prayer with and for DSS and The Hesed Project is changing the hearts and minds of our community’s future leaders. I’m definitely biased, but I can’t imagine a better investment in the Kingdom or our city than the one you have made in our kids. Thank you from the bottom of my little Alaskan, bursting-with-anticipation heart.
I can’t wait to make our next video and have our students tell you all about our trip and what they learned at the conference. But until then, would you join our team leadership in prayer for the next week? I couldn’t stop singing “Love Changes Everything” by Red Rocks Worship last night as I packed, and those song lyrics truly are my prayer for our students over the next 7 days–
“Come on into the waters,
Come let the broken sing.
Come all you sons and daughters,
His Love changes everything.
So when the fear is fighting,
You find the Risen King.
Come on and let the light in,
Your Love changes everything…”
Come let the broken sing.
Come all you sons and daughters,
His Love changes everything.
So when the fear is fighting,
You find the Risen King.
Come on and let the light in,
Your Love changes everything…”
In desperate need of coffee, but psyched out of my mind to see what Jesus is going to do this week,
Kace
Kace
Praises
Jesus did it! We’re getting on a plane in less than 4 hours! Ahhhhh! Our team is assembled and ready to go.
We are especially thankful for those of you who have partnered with us out in Port Alsworth, either by donating your time to teach or by financially supporting us. We can’t wait to see you soon!
Follow along with daily updates on social media by searching the hashtag: #DSSDoesAlaska
Prayer Requests
- A softness to the gospel for all of my students. Only half of the students going are actively pursuing a relationship with Christ; that leaves a lot of room for miracles and new life!
- Against anxiety and fear for our brave students who have chosen to leave Denver life behind for a week and see what Jesus is all about. Many of the kiddos going are the primary caregivers in their family, so taking this leap means conquering their personal fears and learning to trust the Lord with their little siblings and larger family’s security…
- For all of us speaking and teaching throughout the conference to be vessels to speak God’s words, not our own.
- I was taught early in my pilot training that praying for safety can feel like a slippery slope; that being said, I simply want to pray that we would be exactly where the Lord wants us this trip. Speaking as the team mom, safety by “our standards” would be ideal though…
- Unity in the spirit and peace back at DSS this week as my stellar staff is running East Campus two men down.
- My mantra in moving back to Denver in 2016 was “Be content in Christ; delight in His direction.” After praying through my heart’s desire to return to Alaska permanently, Jesus reconfirmed to me last month that Denver will be home for me for the immediate future. Pray that I would be able to be truly content with His plans, remembering His goodness to me and rejoicing that He has good things for me here in Denver– the most obvious of which is the opportunity to take my sweet kiddos back to Alaska so they can experience my other “home” and “family”.
Hesed Project Update
#AdventuringinBenevolentAffection
Thank you to those of you who notified me that our website was bugging out when I sent my last newsletter. Click here to visit our fixed website & learn more about our mission. Our Hesed Team is also slightly under funded for the Alaska trip we are about to embark on, due to a donation that was less than originally pledged. If you are interested in helping us make up the difference in our funding, you can make a donation here.
Louise in the Light 