Look- everything in that list (except attending church and Bible study) is 'as you are going.'  They don't take extra time, they don't interrupt your schedule, but they DO EQUIP YOU to meet life's challenges head on. Equip yourself, and you will be blessed! -Pastor BradAbove the Arctic Circle with a quality bow, rain jacket and tent.

Within an hour we had landed our limit- 12 beautiful fish. Think about that for a moment. The fish were jumping everywhere on the surface, but they were feeding much deeper. The activity that we saw on the surface was actually evidence of deeper life. The same thing is true in our spiritual lives. As a general rule, when we see believers actively sharing their faith, actively serving their church and others, actively praying and studying their Bibles, that surface activity is evidence of a faith that is much deeper. This 'deepening' of our faith is a never- ending cycle.

As we are obedient to Christ, our faith grows deeper. As our faith grows deeper, we desire and practice greater obedience- which leads us deeper still. If there is no spiritual life ON the surface, there is rarely much life BELOW the surface. So- when people look at you, is evidence of your faith visible? Do they see a person utterly committed to Christ? Do they experience love and generosity and kindness and encouragement from you? They should. Remember, OBEDIENCE leads to DEEP FAITH. Be blessed! -Pastor Brad

Written on July 16, 2026

One thing I've learned in my decades in the mountains is that the weather can change instantly. This is what I was hoping for as I climbed. I got within forty yards of a beautiful ram, but it might as well have been four miles. The gale force winds ruined my chances. There are so many things in life that are utterly beyond our control. The weather is typically a small thing, but everyone knows that we also face big things. A faithful, loving spouse is abandoned. An accident or illness takes the life of a loved one. An exceptional employee gets laid off because of the economy.

I remember as a very young child, my mother reading a book to me in which a little chick went around shouting, "The sky is falling!" Don't live that way. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life- and have it to the full!" Yes, hard things will come your way that are utterly beyond your control. Live a FULL LIFE anyway, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad

Written on July 15, 2026

I continued to pressure him while he evaded giving an answer until finally when I asked again, he responded, "One time?" I said, "Yes, how much could you bench one time?" He replied, "Oh, I guess I could do 400." Later I learned that he had run a full 26.2 mile marathon when he was ten years old. He moved from rural Alaska to Indiana for high school. This was back when Indiana had only one class for sports. You competed against each other, whether you were from a town of two hundred people or two million.

You are a unique masterpiece created in the image of God. In Jeremiah 1:5 God said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." Psalm 139:13-14 says, "You created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." God says of those who belong to him, "You are my treasured possession." We were literally created to LOVE GOD and to LOVE OTHERS. Be your very best YOU, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad

Written on July 14, 2026

We set up camp 25 miles into the mountains, the last 8 miles traveling on foot. Though the weather was perfect and though I had been hunting since I was a boy, this was a level of work I had never imagined. More than that, I didn't understand how we could travel mile after mile in beautiful mountain country without there being a single Dall sheep. I asked Tim about it, and he said we had to GO DEEPER. Eventually we got deep into the mountains- deep enough to find little bands of ewes and lambs, and finally a band of rams.
My first sheep camp.

I learned a valuable lesson about making sure that EVERYONE in camp has the right gear. In the coming years, Laura had many successful hunts because SHE DIDN'T QUIT after that first tough experience. Most of us would never have learned how to ride a bike.If we had quit after the first time we fell down. There would be no Major League baseball if every player quit after the first time he struck out.

Written on July 12, 2026

Then we got off to climb a mountain. It's true that we hadn't intended to climb a mountain, but we saw Dall sheep up there. I had Dan snap a picture of us halfway up. Laura's jeans and flat-soled tennis shoes made her first wilderness climb (no trail) a huge challenge. Worse, I didn't bring any food or water. Like I said- worst guide ever. It took some time for me to learn to lead well. It is a big responsibility to make certain that those who follow you are prepared for the journey.

Written on July 11, 2026

Pride. Pride. Pride. I got my rescue. All I needed to do is reach out my hand. This is the spiritual story of all of humanity. Jesus said that he "came to seek and to save the lost." He also said, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. The world stands condemned already..." It is not God who condemns us, we condemn ourselves. We are ALL guilty. We NEED a rescue.

Written on July 10, 2026

And those two are just the start. One of life's greatest skills is to REFUSE to allow yourself to feel overwhelmed. Instead, MAKE A LIST of those things that need to be done, PRIORITIZE your list according to URGENCY and IMPORTANCE, and then COMPLETE those tasks one at a time.

Written on July 9, 2026

Everything was moving in opposite directions all at once. And yet somehow, in the middle of that explosion of activity, my thinking was calm and methodical. I never panicked. I knew what I had to do. I kept reaching until I found the rope and pulled myself out from under the raft. With my head finally above water, my first breath brought immediate relief. How do you respond to life's sudden and unexpected challenges? Do you panic and shut down, or do you immediately begin to work and think your way through?

Written on July 8, 2026

PRACTICE HOSPITALITY." Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to SHOW HOSPITALITY to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Look at your schedule. Make a plan. Invite others over for dinner, and you (and they) will be blessed! -Pastor Brad

What God desires is that we would make the most of who we are- our gifts- our talents- our likes and dislikes. Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Be blessed! -Pastor BradSon David and I spending the evening in a tree.

Friends, the conditions are RARELY ever perfect. Embrace life NOW! Don't wait! Your adventure is just outside your door! Jesus said of his followers (us), "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the FULL!" Be blessed! -Pastor Brad

Our system of government is on the brink of collapse, but it is NOT because the America haters are in the majority. It's because they control the electronic ballot box companies that tally votes, and they have corrupt judges allowing unverified ballots to come in after deadlines, literally by the truckloads. If we don't fix this now we will soon become a one party- the WRONG party- government. As Christians, how are we to respond? VOTE for genuine Christians when they run for office, and if not, for men and women who support biblical principles. NEVER vote for those who support the killing of babies in the womb or any form of sexual immorality.

Written on July 4, 2026

The Lord had provided beyond all reasonable expectation, and had given me the health and strength for the task. I had cut up two moose and carried one and a half in the same day! I lived in Copper River and was hunting three and a half hours from home. It was too warm outside to hang my meat, so I decided to make a long day even longer by heading for home. Isn't it amazing how many of God's blessings have WORK attached? Marriage is a blessing. Work. Children are a blessing. Work. A job is a blessing. Work. A home is a blessing. Work.

Written on July 3, 2026

The Bible says that we are "not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers." The picture is that of a mule and an ox being yoked together. If you try that, you'll have a lot of activity, but not a lot of forward motion. This guy was not a believer, and he was simply acting in line with his character. It was a good lesson for me. How about you?

Written on July 2, 2026

I didn't offer to help with his half of the moose, but I had a good reason. As a man, I knew that he would be ashamed of the fact that I had carried all of mine and half of his. I knew that when he told the story to others, he would be proud of the fact that he had 'carried his own weight.' Sometimes in life, 'helping others' isn't help at all. If the last fifty years has taught us anything, welfare and food stamps doesn't help people. It discourages men from marrying the mothers of their children, and it discourages everyone from going to work.

I set my sights on camp and took off. When I arrived and dropped my pack, I turned around and my partner was nowhere to be seen. Mmmm. Great life lesson here. You see, you're not really LEADING unless someone is FOLLOWING. If your continuous shouting at your kids (or ignoring their poor behavior) isn't producing results, you are not leading them because they are not following. Whether we are talking about leadership in our homes or workplace, the critical indicator of leadership is that people are willingly following you.

Fortunately for us, the moose hadn't moved and I was able to take him right there in the willows. We boned out the meat and were able to stack everything in two extra large arctic military 'alice packs.' The problem was that neither of us could lift our pack off the ground. We each grabbed a shoulder strap of a single pack and the two of us carried it and set it on a four foot high riverbank. Then, we did the same thing with the second pack. By standing in the river, we were able to put our arms through the shoulder straps and get the heavy loads onto our backs. Having two men (rather than just one) made everything easier and faster.

When the bull stopped offering an easy broadside shot, I handed my friend his rifle. His first shot hit a hind leg just above the hoof. His second shot grazed hair off the top of the back. The moose took off on a dead run. My partner couldn't shoot again because he had only brought two bullets. The rest were back at camp. Ugh! I was utterly disgusted. We climbed a ridge and continued to keep the moose in sight until we were over a mile from camp.

It is a good thing to allow other people to shine- to allow others to receive the accolades and praise that could easily have been your own. In rural Alaska, to go home with a moose is a BIG deal. It is cause for celebration. I wanted him to experience that. It is for this same reason that Jesus gives us the privilege of laboring in his harvest field.

You may be too self-focused to laugh. You may be too self-absorbed to laugh. Carrying stress and worry is a CHOICE. Having a positive mental attitude is a CHOICE. Perhaps you need to do a websearch for Christian comedians twice a day, just so that you can laugh for 5 or 10 minutes. You will notice the positive change immediately.

This is even more important in spiritual matters. There are not only false religions (like Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses), there are FALSE TEACHERS inside Christ's church. They  themselves are led by deceiving spirits and teach things that are utterly untrue. There are also many WRONG TEACHERS- men who are genuinely saved, but who are in error on important matters. On top of all of this, there are men who are charismatic and able to draw crowds but do not have the SPIRITUAL MATURITY to lead others. Be careful who you follow.

How do you know if you are on the right track? The Bible says that a group of new Christians in the Greek city of Berea "were more noble than their brothers, because they tested everything they heard against the Scriptures to see if it was true." Follow those who follow Christ, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad

If I lived in Seward, I might have a boat. If I lived rural on a landing strip, I might have a Supercub. If I was a mechanic with a BIG pickup and trailer, I might have heavy equipment and a track rig. For my life as it is now, any of those things would simply be adding work and headaches to my life. Life is all about choices, isn't it? Instead of all of those things, Laura and I have chosen to invest in Christian school tuition for our kids, building a church and supporting missions around the world. From our perspective, it was an easy choice.
Yes, I have more than enough 'stuff.'

So let me tell you what home SHOULD be. It should be a place of REFUGE, of PEACE, and of LAUGHTER. It should be the place where others are always excited to see you, where meals and memories are about being together, and where you can share one another's joys and burdens.

Written on June 23, 2026