Looking for partners...

      I've now had the privelege to live in my new home in Alaska for over a year. It is astounding how deeply God has rooted this place and the people in my heart. It is a life I never expected and I'm grateful for it!

       Today I am looking for partners, people who would be willing to make an investment into the work going on here to reach the people of Alaska. Before I go into those details of an upcoming opportunity, there is a video I want to share. It captures so well the need of this state and why I'm so grateful to be where I am. The video even includes words from my pastors and mentors, Pastor Kem Haggard and Matt Gerald. I hope seeing this video gives others a glimpse into the need and my heart for this state, take a few minutes to watch if you are able.

      This coming summer, I have the chance along with other from my church here in Wrangell to go and invest in the lives of teens in Western Alaska. We will be reaching out to people who have some of the highest rates of suicide, alcoholism, & abuse in the United States & providing HOPE to a desperate region that needs Jesus! I will be traveling to the village of Emmonak and up the Yukon River ministering at a youth camp to teens called Camp A.N., “Agaiutim Nune” meaning place of God. We will be joining additional team members from around the country at the camp.

      On our trip, we will have an opportunity to minister to Yup’ik teens from 4-5 different villages along the Yukon River. We will travel to the village of Emmonak by plane. Our travels will then take us 17 miles from Emmonak up the Yukon River. The only way there is by boat & it takes two days to reach the location. We will be helping lead worship, providing dramas, running small groups, helping serve meals, running all outdoor recreation & most importantly providing HOPE to a desperate region in Alaska.

      Here is where you come in....I need partners. I need people who can partner with us in the following ways:

• Prayer: Commit to praying for our team in the months ahead as we prepare and while we are on the trip. Pray as well for other staff that will be running the camp and for the teens who will be in attendance.

• Make a financial contribution: You see travel is NOT cheap here in Alaska and we have to do a lot of traveling to get to Camp A.N!! Our trip will cost each person about $1300 and most of that is to cover travel expenses. Any amount will be a huge help, I'm sending this out to a lot of family and friends and so even if everyone reading this could contribute $5 or $10 it will help meet the need fast! There are 2 ways to make a contribution:

• You can make a tax deductible donation by mailing a check directly to my church. Please make your check payable to Harbor Light and mail to the church at PO Box 1936 Wrangell, AK 99929. In the memo section write “Addy Esco: Camp A.N. 2013.”

• You can also make a donation right now online by using the Paypal button at the bottom of this page! Please keep in mind that only contributions sent through my church are considered tax deductible however.

      Thank you for taking time to let me share my heart with you and in advance, in whatever way you choose to partner with me, our team and the youth of Alaska...THANK YOU!! I do not take lightly your investment and I'm beyond grateful for the way I believe God will provide. So again, thank you!!

What if...?

A thought crossed my mind today...not sure at what point or what sparked it, but it has stuck with me.

 

"What if a willingness to be obedient is enough?"

 

Not what I strive to make happen, who I think I need to be or ANYTHING else. What if a heart willing to respond in obedience is all it takes? That is hard for me because I never feel like what I have to offer is enough. So I get frustrated, I strive, and am desperate to figure out what else I need to be or do. I'm afraid (although I'd never say it like this) that perhaps God won't _____ (fill in the blank)... and so it is up to me to try harder.

 

And so far? Trying harder has resulted in exhaustion both physically and emotionally. All the while, the core of the matter is do I know His heart and how do I respond to it? Nothing about my ability (or lack thereof) or what I need to strive to do. I can't make things happen, I can't force change. It leaves me frustrated and feeling inadequate. If I'm willing to stay in communion with God so that I can hear and know His heart ,then I have the opportunity to respond to His heart.

 

I believe that if my focus is there on Christ that He will change in me what needs to be changed, He will provide opportunities and He will show me steps to take. It has never been about me figuring it out or being good enough. So tonight that question still lingers...."What if a willingness to be obedient is enough?"

 

A place of obedience is where I want to live. I mess up with this and in so many ways more often than I care to admit. But I imagine living in that place is a bit simpler....not easier, but simpler because it takes my work out of the equation and shifts the focus back to God and His heart. That is what I want to learn this year, to live in obedience daily.