Author: Kristi Wilson

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Some Gave All

“As a good soldier of Christ Jesus, accept your share of the troubles we have. 4 A soldier wants to please his commanding officer, so he does not spend any time on activities that are not a part of his duty.” II Timothy 2:3-4 ERV

As we draw near to Independence Day, my heart is filled with gratitude for all those who have served selflessly in our military. The gift of freedom that they have fought and died to preserve is priceless.

Valley Forge. Battle of New Orleans. Shiloh. Gettysburg. The Alamo. San Juan Hill. Flanders Field. Pearl Harbor. Normandy. Korea. Viet Nam. Desert Storm. Iran. Afghanistan.

These battles have tested our country’s resolve almost to the breaking point and still our flag waves.

I love this country and I’m patriotic and proud to call America my home. I don’t approve of some of the things that have been done in this nation, but I still believe there is no better place on earth to live.

Dave and I watch lots of movies on the history of our country. We want to know the legacy of the men and women who fought so valiantly to protect the freedoms we have. The other day we watched one on the Battle of San Juan Hill.

It was July 1, 1898, one hundred twenty-three years ago, when our forces went to Cuba to stop the tyranny of Spain in that country. Over 140 men died and another 1000+ were wounded. The American men were greatly outnumbered by their enemies’ forces, but they fought on to liberate the Cuba nationals.

Sad to say but our nation’s brave history isn’t talked about much anymore. I, for one want to use this weekend as a time of remembrance and resolve. I proudly display the red, white and blue of our flag and stand to sing our national anthem.

I am thankful that God saw fit to see that I was born in such a land – a land of the free and home to the brave.

God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night with a light from above

From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans white with foam

God bless America
My home, sweet home

Thank a soldier for their service and thank God for our freedom!

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It’s Beginning to Rain

Oh, the wonderful sound of rain upon our roof!

Yesterday morning the humidity was high, and fog had rolled in. It created that hazy mist that you can cut with a knife. The wildlife were comfortable with the cover it provided them and stayed longer in the meadows. First, we saw the elk cows with their calves and then we drove past another meadow with a herd of deer.  Even the wild horses came out of the forest to graze.

What a morning!

About 10 or so the clouds rolled in, big, dark clouds – clouds filled with the moisture we have been praying for. At first, it was just a few rain drops and then the sprinkle turned into a gentle, soaking shower. We hoped it would last all day but after several hours the clouds moved on and the rain was over.

The earth was refreshed.  The area needs more, much more, but this shower was a welcomed start. I could almost hear the trees, flowers and meadow grasses release a big sigh of contentment.

Have you ever felt parched? The first sips of water at a time like that are so refreshing. There’s nothing like it.

The last year was a time that parched our souls. Personal interaction was in a draught. We didn’t meet up with friends and family. Hugs and kisses on the cheek were as scarce as rain on the Sahara. We were told not to visit loved ones who were older and compromised. Yes, it was a dry time.

Spiritually we go through times like that as well. It seems like heaven is so far away and our prayers just don’t get through. Is it possible that our heavenly Father isn’t listening? We feel lost and alone.

A phrase that is sometimes used is “they are under a dark cloud”. Well, yesterday we were under a dark cloud, and it brought the refreshing we so desperately needed. When those dark clouds come, we should look up and watch for the rain.

It’s a rain of God’s unconditional love!

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.” Matthew 11:28-29 CEV

If you have felt dry let the Lord refresh you. He promises to give us rest.

After the rain comes the rainbow, a sign of God’s unbreakable promise. A promise of blessing!

Let the clouds roll in, look up, it’s beginning to rain!

P.S. Keep praying for rain.

“You take care of the earth and send rain to help the soil grow all kinds of crops. Your rivers never run dry, and you prepare the earth to produce much grain.” Psalm 65:9 CEV

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All’s Forgiven

I hope you never tire of me telling you about the goodness of God. I never get tired of seeing His lovingkindness in action!

My morning Bible time still has me reading about the Israelites and their journey through the wildness on their way to the Promised Land. These people…they are consistently inconsistent.

They profess their love and faith for the Lord and then they murmur and complain. They say they will be devoted to their God and then they build a calf of gold and have an orgy. I don’t think there is a time they go more than a couple weeks without veering off on their own and ignoring what God has said.

But God…but God, is always faithful!

“Then he passed in front of Moses and called out, “I am the Lord God. I am merciful and very patient with my people. I show great love, and I can be trusted. 7 I keep my promises to my people forever, but I also punish anyone who sins…” 8 Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. 9 He prayed, “Lord, if you really are pleased with me, I pray that you will go with us. It is true that these people are sinful and rebellious, but forgive our sin and let us be your people.” Exodus 34:6-9 CEV

The Lord declares that He will always be loving and faithful. He will keep His word. He also says that He will forgive their sins and transgressions. He does hold them responsible for their acts of disobedience and that is why He gives them a priest to offer sacrifices of atonement.

He gives them a way to repent and to be restored by His mercy.  He does the same for us.

The Lord has always known the shortcomings of men. He knows that we fall short, and He has given us His plan of forgiveness and grace. 

“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. 24 But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.” Romans 3:23-24 CEV

Jesus is that heavenly plan.

The plan of sacrifice in the Old Testament could never completely cleanse the sins and transgressions of men. The blood shed by the animals only covered their sins. But the blood of Jesus completely cleanses us and puts us in right standing with God, the Father.

“The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them? 9 Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. That is what he meant by saying to God, “I have come to do what you want.” 10 So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all. 11 The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God’s right side, 13 and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power. 14 By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.” Hebrews 10:8-14 CEV

When we get hung up on how unworthy we are, how many times we have failed, we are focusing on our efforts to be good enough for God. Switch focus! Salvation is never based on our efforts; it is entirely dependent upon what God has done for us!

It is His lovingkindness, His mercy, His grace! It is His blood; He is the fulfillment of the plan. He is our salvation!

The Father’s love is unconditional. His plan is for all. Walk in the grace and mercy that He has provided. It will bring joy and peace to every day.

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A Harmonious Outcome

For years I lived by my daily planner. The person who invited the “Day-Timer” was my hero.  Everything needed to be written down, each appointment recorded. That’s how I kept life organized and on track.

It wasn’t just the business, school and medical appointments. No, I put in trips to the grocery store, which day I would do laundry, time in my yard and for a while I even had the week’s menu in my planner.

I knew how each day should play out and it made me feel accomplished.

Gradually I found myself releasing control. Less and less do I reach for my planner with pencil in hand and it isn’t because we are retired and have less to do. I am learning to enjoy the moments, every day unexpected encounters with life.

“Trust the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. 4 Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire. 5 Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help. 6 Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right.7 Be patient and trust the Lord. Don’t let it bother you when all goes well for those who do sinful things.
8 Don’t be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin.” Psalm 37: 3-8 CEV

Waiting patiently was not something either Dave or I were good at. We were the ones to do the planning and if something needed to be done you could count on us to jump in with both feet and take care of the details.

How you heard the expression “burning daylight”? That was us – we didn’t tolerate what we considered wasted time.  But our way has changed.

We are learning to relax, rest and enjoy all that God has for us. We are seeing the Lord remove stress and frustration from our lives and we are loving it. There’s a line from one of our favorite westerns that says, “Slow down, you’ll get a more harmonious outcome”.

When we slow down, we are more likely to experience the Lord’s little blessings. If we’re in a hurry, we often miss them completely. Yesterday morning after posting the blog Dave and I drove past three doe standing at the edge of the road. He slowed way down so I could get a picture. We almost stopped completely. They were in no hurry; they were content to stand there and eat the meadow grass.

It occurred to me that the animals in nature are really in no hurry at all. They just wait on what the Lord has provided. They eat quietly and lie down to rest in the shady spots. The only time you really see them “rushing” is when they feel they are in danger.

Kind of reminds me of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd, He leads me by still waters and in green pastures, He restores my soul.

If the sheep can learn to relax and the doe can be still, shouldn’t we follow their example as we wait and trust in the Lord?

“You, Lord, are my shepherd.  I will never be in need. 2  You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water,” Psalm 23:1-2 CEV

Enjoy this day.  Let the Lord minister to your heart!

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Plan Your Day

Monday…a new week is starting, what do you have planned? 

It’s possible that you already have important meetings scheduled. Doctor’s appointments, business meetings, interviews…the list goes on. Or maybe you are getting ready to start your summer vacation and have so many last minute preparations – shopping for the small things, reservations, get the car packed, close up the house.

Does your list seem endless?

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17 TLV

What – do ALL – yes all!

God is so practical and He wants to be involved in every area of our lives. He just makes things better when we partner with Him in every project.  I recently told you how I would pray over my grocery list and I have found that cleaning goes much faster and better when I set my mind on singing songs of praise as I dust and vacuum.

There was a time when doing those things left me in such pain that I would need several days to recover so I have plenty of reason to sing now that I have freedom of movement.

Today, I will be baking in my RV oven for the first time. My experience with other ovens similar to mine was they didn’t bake well. The ends of the pan would be under cooked while what was in the center of the pan would be burnt on the bottom. So I’ve prayed for a good baking experience. I want to share cinnamon rolls with my neighbors.

“Commit whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works everything out for his own purpose…” Proverbs 16:3-4 TLV

There’s that word again – whatever. Any thing, every thing, whatever we do commit it to the Lord.

Years ago, forty plus years, I sat on a hillside under some live oak trees and heard an old cowboy preacher say that he was thankful that the Lord had planted those trees 30 years before that so we could enjoy ourselves, in the shade, on that very day.  That old preacher saw God’s hand in every good thing. I determined that I wanted to see things in the way he did.

May I encourage you today to look for God’s hand of blessing in everything. Whatever you do, commit it to Him and let the Father cause your plans to succeed.

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Protected By The Light

As I look out the window this morning, I see strands of blue and white lights throughout the campground. It seems so strange in the forest setting but it is an absolute necessity.

We hadn’t been here very long when we had a more experienced camp host tell Dave that he should have a light under the hood of his truck at night and that we should have lights under our RV to protect the wiring of our vehicles from the pack rats.

Really?!

Those little critters love to chew on the wires, and they can do hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage to the vehicles. They are small little varmints, but they are sneaky and destructive. They wait until after dark to do their dirty work; having the area lighted discourages them.

Isn’t that how it is in life?

Little varmints causing havoc.

“But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. 9 And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits.

10 Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.” Colossians 3:8-10 CEV

They are cute little creatures and fun to watch as they dash here and there but their work is destructive. Much like the work of selfishness, anger, dishonesty and greed.

A little child starts early with one of their favorite words, “Mine” and we ignore it or laugh. As the years go back, left uncorrected, their selfishness becomes explosive and out-of-control. 

The same can be said for the “little white lie”. Really, it’s no big deal, right? Wrong. Lying, big or little, destroys the credibility of the one speaking it. It becomes impossible to trust someone who lies.

I think we all need to have strings of spiritual blue and white lights that help deter those destructive actions that would undermine our character.

“Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.” Psalm 119:105 CEV

The Father has promised that His word will light our path and it will keep us from stumbling. That’s a protection I, personally, want to have.

Let the Lord show you some of the little critters who have been sneaking in to chew away at your heart. Shine the light of His word on those actions and be free from the destruction they cause.

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Behind Closed Gates

The last few days have been filled with much activity. Moving from one campground to the next. Breaking camp and setting up again, all the while wondering how long this temporary relocation will be.

We are here with the hosts of nine different campgrounds. We are safe and that is what is important. There have been many words of encouragement, hugs and conversations regarding our current circumstances.

Do you remember the old western movies when people traveled by wagon train from St. Louis to “the West”? We are neighbors depending on neighbors, assisting where we can – providing extra muscle in lifting heavy bar-b-ques or ice chests, providing an extra stick of butter for a cake or just offering a chair under the awning for a chance to visit.

We are not certain of what each day will bring but we are here together. 

“…But God is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, “You should go this way. Here is the right way.” Isaiah 30:20-21 ERV

Dave has helped me and we believe we have found a place, not far from our campground, where we can drive and get a signal that allows me to post this blog each morning. It has definitely been a trial and error process.  But if this morning is successful then we should be able to continue with this plan for as long as needed.

I want to encourage each one of us to always be ready to share the love of Jesus in each day’s circumstance. It is important that we are prepared to give an account for the peace and assurance that we have in Jesus.

“Tell everyone God’s message. Be ready at all times to do whatever is needed. Tell peple what they need to do, tell them when they are doing wrong, and encourage them. Do this with great patience and careful teaching.” II Timothy 4:2 ERV

It is a joy to share with you all each morning. I’ve missed it the last couple of days!

I am praying for all of you and trust that your faith and trust in the Lord is growing each day.

“ You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him. 7 You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.” Colossians 2:6-7 ERV

This is a day filled with many opportunities. Follow the Lord’s leading and be a blessing.

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Another New Lesson

It’s possible that you have seen the news about the wild fires in Arizona. We are in the mountains of northeast Arizona and there are a number of fires here. None of them are imminently life threatening but yesterday the Forest Service asked us to evacuate the campground where we are serving as camp hosts for the summer.

We spent most of the afternoon talking to and reassuring campers. Many of them left yesterday. Today the remaining campers will leave and we will close the campground and relocate with the other camp hosts while we wait for the summer rains to do their job of bringing moisture to the dry forest and meadowlands.

We are praying for the firefighters who are working endlessly to contain and suppress the blazes. We are safe but this afternoon we will be moved until the danger is over. We were told yesterday that the internet connection and cell service is weaker where we are going than what we have here so I’m not sure I will be able to continue with the daily blogs. I’m praying I can.

When we started this adventure this summer our prayer was “Lord, take us where you can use us.” and here we are!

Now you know why I wrote to you about God’s Hand of Protection in yesterday’s blog. The Scripture I shared with you was the one the Lord gave me to share with our fellow camp hosts.

“The Lord will protect you from every danger. He will protect your soul. 8 The Lord will protect you as you come and go both now and forever!” Psalm 121:7-8 ERV

It is such a blessing to have the Lord speak into our life’s situations. He is always present to encourage, reassure, strengthen and direct.

Pray for us today. There is still much to do. Campers may need assistance with packing, they will certainly need encouragement and smiling faces. We will have buildings to close and property to secure. Then we will move.

We are confident that the Lord has great things ahead! I’ve never been through something like this before so I am trusting the Father to protect and provide for all of us as we experience this together.

“You, Lord God, are my mighty rock and my fortress. Lead me and guide me, so that your name will be honored. 4 Protect me from hidden traps and keep me safe.” Psalm 31:3-4 CEV

Pray for an open channel of communication. I will look forward to sharing the adventures with you.

The Father knows the way and we are eager to follow His leading. The same applies for you – no matter where, no matter when, no matter what – the Lord is always faithful to His word and to us, His children.

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Protected by God’s Hand

Last night I went to bed thinking about how many times and in how many ways God protects. It filled my thoughts all through the night.

Some people step off a curb and break their ankle or hip. Others make a simple drive to the grocery store and have an automobile accident. Kids who are healthy and strong play a backyard sport and are injured. And yet most of us go through each day not knowing that we have been protected from these things and many others.

“The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. 8 The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go. Psalm 121:7&8 CEV

Each morning I pray that I will experience God’s protection and be open for his leading. Each day I pray over my children and grandchildren that they will be covered by the Lord’s loving protection. Each day I am thankful that I don’t need to be afraid because I know that He will keep His word and protect me in all my ways.

The Lord made me this promise long before I was born and I will trust Him to keep His word.

He protected Daniel in the lion’s den, the three Hebrew men in the furnance. His protection covered the Israelites as they crossed the Red Sea. The Lord gave David strength to defeat the giant and Paul was protected in the sea after his ship wrecked.

“You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.” 3 God will save you from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases. 4 You can go to him for protection. He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield. 5 You will have nothing to fear at night and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day. 6 You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon.” Psalm 91:1-6 ERV

What kinds of things cause you to fear? Trust in the Lord – our All-Powerful protection. He hasn’t failed to keep His promises yet and He isn’t going to start now!

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Learning By Repetition

This morning I began thinking about how many things in my life I have learned through repetition.

Some of the first were walking and talking. I learned the notes on my piano by practicing my scales, over and over again. I became skilled in shifting a manual transmission but not on my first drive, it was through repetition.

The first time I tried to french braid my daughter’s long hair it was a disaster. I brushed it out and put her hair in a pony tail. My first attempt at cinnamon rolls was so bad that I called them cinnamon crackers.

With repetition comes increased skill. This week I have been increasing my skill in patience. Patience in learning new things, patience with weak internet signals and patience with others.

I really thought I was a pretty patient person but this week I found there were still some really rough edges that needed to be refined. I am so thankful that the Father is always patient with me even when I’m not.

The Lord has shown me that I need to be more understanding and less frustrated with things beyond my control. It’s my responsibility to maintain a good attitude in everything. Everything!

“Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray:

that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; 10 that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God; 11 that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Then you will be happy 12 and give thanks to the Father. He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all his holy people, who live in the light.” Colossians 1:9-12 ERV

Patient and not give up!

I won’t give up! I won’t give up as I learn patience. I will let the Lord work through me and not become condemned when I am impatient. I will be patient with myself as I learn patience because He is always patient with me.

If you’re still learning patience like I am be thankful that the Lord is always patient, loving and kind!

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