Picture This!

Two weeks, seems like I have been here for the summer, yet it feels like I just got here. That is what this place does to you. I am blessed to be back here at Rainy Pass Lodge for my 4th season. I call this place my home and the people I work with my family. God had given me such a wonderful opportunity to be such a part of this beautiful place in the heart of His creation. I can't really express how exciting it is for me to be here year after year.

We are placed here far from the normal day of work, people, and civilization. I like to say we have a little village of our own here, not always the greatest, but we seems to find ways to get passed the times of hard and get back to the times of being able to communicate and get along with those around you all summer. No one here is perfect and we know that. We love each other no matter what, helping each other on the difficult tasks and encouraging words. There is always room for jokes, too. We become family, our guests become family once they leave. It takes special people, with a love for Alaska and its wilderness, a heart for hospitality with guests, a love for serving. We take life out here and our job serious. A passion for people, yet we don't always see loads of people when you do you make them feel loved and valued. Their is a passion for keeping the lodge going and keeping those you work with happy. My passion is being around people and feeding them food, cookies, playing games and getting to know those who are here. God had set me here and I love my life. It is peaceful and can be stressful, but the people that God brings here is amazing, special connections made.

Take a moment and picture yourself 130 miles away form the nearest town, fly in only. Surrounded by about 10 other people for 4 months. Those 10 people you work with, some keep meals coming, people fed and happy, others are running around outside keeping four wheelers going, propane filled, generator going, horses fed, lawns mowed and the grounds looking nice, a few are working with clients to get them to this village you are imagining and once those clients arrive its go time. Keep them fed, comfortable and happy to be here. Take them on horse back rides to see some history, or a hike to see an even larger view of this creation God has given us, teaching them to shoot guns, playing card games, volleyball and horseshoes. It is a blast, yet hard rewarding work. Once hunting season rolls in its a whole new experience. A time to be hospitable and feed them yet again, but at the end of the hunt when its story time you get to hear about their time they had and all the fun that was had. Laughter ad stories fill the night, most go home happy about their time whether they got an animal or not. At the end a long season you are ready to go home, and being home with your loved ones and back to the real world is a culture shock, yet well worth it to be back. And once it is summer time again you are ready to go back and do it all again. Ready to meet new people and see how the season will shape up.

Now that moment that you just pictured, that is my summer June-October. My heart is here and I am amazed at the time I get to be here. I can't believe that it has been 3 years now going on 4 with the Perrins family at their Lodge. This is where my ministry is right now. God has me on a mission in my own state of Alaska here at Rainy Pass Lodge. I never really know what He has planned for me here, but I consider this a mission He has placed me on and my work is not done yet.