Our Return: Controversy, Persecution and Adoption

It had been two months since we were home in Alaska, and we felt right at home as soon as we touched down. Feeling the cold temperatures put smiles on our faces as we prepared for what God would have for us next! We had about 2 weeks to get settled from the trip, get used to the time zone again and prepare to leave for our next scheduled events in North Pole.

After a beautiful, snowy 6 hour drive from Wasilla we arrived at the hotel where our first event would be held. We were invited there by a Pastor in North Pole that seemed very excited about all the things God was doing in our ministry! God did amazing things that night as Rob preached powerfully as he usually does. We received some testimonies from people personally on what God had done for them through our ministry and we were super blessed. Unfortunately, Rob was called in for a meeting the next day in which they shut him down and made many types of false accusations against him. For their sakes I cannot go into details, but we knew that where there was much coming against us God was about to do something big - and we were right! It wasn't hard to seek the Lord on the situation. We are the kind of people that are often loved or hated and after a few years in a ministry as bold as ours, well let's just say we've learned how to deal with religious spirits by now.

The invitation to stay and minister the following Sunday morning was extended to us by a good Pastor friend of ours also from North Pole, and after some time in prayer we decided to give it another go. We were not about to give up that easy. When the persecution arose, Paul stayed. Before we knew it, Sunday morning was here and we got to return to Golden Heart Church in Fairbanks where we have been a number of times before. Pastor Marvin Carrol has run together with us in this vision to reach the Native people since we arrived (and even before we arrived)! They blessed us many times by taking us into some of the villages and opening doors for us to reach the lost. We were very excited to be back. Before Rob even had a chance to grab the microphone that Sunday, Pastor Marvin politely interrupted the service to call a few people up to the front of the church along with us. He said they had a presentation for us which took us by complete surprise! One of the ladies standing before us was the sister of the beloved Chief David Salmon and another was his Granddaughter. Also present was a Chief from the village of Minto, and Rita our soon to be adopted Aunt as well as some others. In front of the church, they presented us with gifts and told us we were being adopted into the Athabascan Tribe as Natives! Tears welled up in my eyes as I could not believe that these precious, beautiful and holy people were honoring us! They presented me with 2 necklaces, one of which that was a native necklace and the other from New Zealand representing their close ties to the Mauri peoples, and a gorgeous pair of pomegranate earrings. To Rob they presented a beautiful moose skin Native knife holder symbolically representing the name they gave him "Shree Genin" (Sharp Knife in English), and later a beautiful Native necklace. To Titus they gave an adorable toddler Native moose skin vest. As they told us how we were a blessing to them they finished with "Welcome to the family". I could not believe what had just happened! We felt so incredibly honored that Rob got choked up before even getting to preach! It was an incredible service and afterwards we all ate together as they always prepare a meal for the homeless on Sundays and the church enjoys the day together.

The meetings were so powerful that Pastor Marvin and Rob had to agree that there is a deep awakening happening among the Natives and so they decided as the doors opened to continue that they would hold meetings for the next 2 days and then continued for the rest of the week whether we held a meeting or there was a local Bible study in the area, or another minister to come and preach but the hunger for the knowledge of the Lord and the eagerness to reach the lost in the villages had definitely intensified. We were just flabbergasted by what the Holy Spirit was doing there!

As the week flew past us, God was giving me and Rob constant dreams, visions or words about the land, and there was no amount of interpretation that could explain it other than that God was firmly calling us to work on a continual basis in the interior Fairbanks region. Back in November Rob had had a dream in which he saw a triple rainbow over the cities of Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska, and then following that in his dream we were given a home in the region. It very well is the gate to many, if not all of the Native Alaskan tribes by plane (as He has given us a passion to see the villages come to the knowledge of the Lord), river and some by road - whether paved or unpaved! Although we are sometimes pig headed and God needs to give us several confirmations, we heeded this one as soon as we figured it out! "Okay Lord, if you want us here, all we need is a place to live!" What do you think happens next?

A couple of days later, Rob woke up with the impression that he needed to have a meeting with a couple of ministry leaders in the region. After the meeting, he returned and said, "They told me the door is open!" We cheered, squealed and jumped around (but not too loud as Titus was taking a nap) as we sat in awe of what God was doing and that He is so faithful to confirm His words to us! The Lord had provided a home for our family - a beautiful 3 bedroom log cabin newly remodeled, and it was ready for move in whenever we were! Regardless of the expenses, we knew that the Lord would provide.

As time drew closer to Friday we knew that we would have to leave as we were scheduled to speak at a huge outreach in Anchorage on Sunday. We spent Friday night celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary a day early. We had a wonderful night as we reflected the years and all God has done and the places He brought us! Titus ate a hamburger and fries by himself and drank his own sprite out of a to go cup with a straw for the first time! Of course, I cannot forget to mention that he counted to 5 by himself for the first time at 18 months old! It was a splendid evening and the next day, Saturday we packed our things to head back to Wasilla to present the things God has told and confirmed to us to the church. Thankfully our Pastor there already knew as God covered all his bases and told him as well!We were excited, and were commissioned in front of the church the following morning.

Before we left the area we were contacted by the Pastor who previously invited us to speak in North Pole and we were able to see restoration from the recent incident at the North Pole meetings. God had made peace in the relationship. We are thankful for this as the scripture says "Blessed are the peacemakers"!

And so that pretty much brings us up to date - as we are looking forward to what God is doing! I cannot wait to post pictures of the new house as well as give report and updates as God is constantly moving and has faithfully called and provided for us. Thank you to everyone who has believed and supported our call!

I reserve the right to free speech as I was honest in this post about the chain of events and was in no way intending to bring shame or dishonor to anyone by being factual. I apologize for those who this offends as that was not the purpose. We are praying for the leaders who came against us so harshly and pray also God would work on their heart, that they would come to full knowledge of truth and not be held back by this encounter.

                                              Rob preaching awakening meetings in Fairbanks, AK