What a Summer!

Arriving in Alaska in June meant jumping right into a busy summer of ministry work. My head has been spinning a bit, but as I look back over the summer, I can't help but praise God for what He has done! This is a long email (sorry), but there is so much to tell!

Mobilized for Ministry On the beach!

HUNDREDS of people came to Alaska this summer to serve in various projects in Anchorage and on the Kenai Peninsula. It was amazing to see so many believers giving their time, energy, and resources to meet the needs of Alaskans and open doors for the Gospel! Here's a look at two projects I got to see up close and personal this summer.

Salmon Frenzy beach outreach on the Kenai Peninsula showed me the sportsmen lifestyle of Alaska up close! When I visited the project, it was the first time I got to see dipnet fishing in action. It was cold and rainy on the beach, but our mission teams served with love and smiles. The chapel service clearly presented the Gospel on the beach, and it was wonderful worshiping God right next to the crashing waves. From bounce houses and Kids Club tents to thousands of hotdogs and cups of hot cocoa served, the beaches we served were saturated with the love of Christ. Over the three-week period, over 17,000 hotdogs were served, but more importantly, 35 people came to know Jesus as their personal Savior! Praise God! Please lift up those new believers and their families!

Mission Anchorage

Mission Anchorage was a nine-week program that included service projects in the mornings, followed by a lunch program and kids club activities in local parks and low-income housing areas. I wasn't sure how God was going to use me personally this summer in Anchorage, but an opportunity arose that I wasn't expecting.

We had a group of nine college-aged summer missionaries and interns serving over the summer and leading mission teams each week in their parks. We call our summer missionary experience "Leadership Bootcamp," and these kids work long, hard days. God burdened my heart early in the summer to encourage and challenge these summer missionaries in Anchorage. During their debrief meetings on Friday nights, I spent a few minutes sharing what God was teaching me about servant leadership. These young people poured themselves out daily leading multiple mission teams in park ministry, serving our Anchorage community, and discipling kids. What better way for me to serve this summer than to pour back into them with the Word?! It was a privilege to pray for and support these young missionaries and watch them grow as servant leaders over the long summer away from home. Be sure to watch the video we made at the beginning of summer to introduce these great kiddos! Please pray for them as God continues to expand their understanding of all that happened over the summer!

Life in Alaska
Life in Alaska has been all about making adjustments and finding the humor along the way. For example, my dog, Abby-Li, is nearly 11 years old and has had a rough time adjusting to the move. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I actually put my dog on a "supplement" to help with her depression! I never thought I'd be one of those dog owners, but I guess I am! Thankfully, her little vitamin has worked, and she's perked right up. Still, I had to laugh at how far from Dad's pig farm I really am these days.

On the spiritual side, I'm learning more and more why God brought me to Alaska. Alaskans are wonderful people, but many of them seem to walk through life very alone. The independent spirit is so strong that they wear it on their faces. Living counter-culturally here has meant being intentional to smile at people when I pass by, thanking cashiers and servers by name and looking them in the eye. Small things, I know, but it's been amazing to see how some people gravitate toward it. A smile has been the connection point on more than one occasion for God to open a door for me to bless in small ways those around me.

He is showing me that people here need to know their worth in His eyes. Some Alaskans have never been treated as worthy of love. Christ proved that people are worth dying for by laying down His own life for us. Isn't it amazing that simply blessing someone with a smile or calling them by name can be a building block for love? God has been reminding me that my path in life is not a grand one, but every choice I make, right down to smiling in the grocery store, is a choice to live missionally where He called me. Loving people, even in the briefest of encounters, is missional living.

Prayer Support
Here are some ways you can pray with me:

Praise: Praise God for the summer of ministry we saw! Praise Him for the lives touched, seeds planted, believers discipled, and new brothers and sisters in Christ!
Praise: Answered prayer... I found a church in Anchorage! Finding a church home has been such a blessing. In the midst of a busy summer of ministry, I've been so encouraged and challenged by the teaching of my pastor at Cornerstone Church. Thank you for praying for me in this area! Please pray that I will continue to connect with this body of believers and build the Kingdom in Anchorage.
Request: I'm entering a busy season of "behind the scenes" tasks as I work on new communications resources for Alaska Missions. Please pray for God to bless the work of my hands to His glory.
Request: Pray for me to be intentional in loving people well, even in brief encounters. Ask that God will use these encounters to open the door for spiritual conversations!

As a staff member with Alaska Missions, I am responsible for raising 80% of my annual salary. It is through your generous donations and partnership that I can be obedient to God's call and expanding His Kingdom in Alaska.

Copyright © 2016 Kerri On Mission, All rights reserved.

Notice of IRS Compliance:
Donations made to Alaska Missions and Retreats are tax deductible. For any contributions received, AKMR shall have full control of the donated funds and discretion as to their use, so as to ensure that they will be used to carry out AKMR's functions and purposes. Any donations made are for the benefit of AKMR as a whole and not to the benefit of any specific staff member or prospective staff member.

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