Saturday, March 24, 2012

John 3:16 ~ For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

I knew before I even left that I would be entering into the Promised Land.  34 years of wandering, wandering through the world trying to find my place.  Where was it that God wanted me?  Did He want me here or did he want me there?  I did the driving, not ever giving God the wheel.  It was not till I totally handed the wheel of my life over to God did I know where I was to go.  I quit complaining, I quit the self-seeking... I had to let go.  When I let go, when I put all of my trust, all of my life in the hands of the one who created me in His image, did all the pieces begin to fall into place. 
My life began to change a few years ago.  God began to pull away the scales that covered my eyes, the earphones of this world that filled my ears and scraped away the old Anna to allow the new me in Christ to come in.  In all of the change - all of it good - He created in me a heart - a desire - a love - a passion - for a people, for a place, for a world unknown to me.  I dreamed, I prayed, I longed to enter into this promise land on earth that God had made for me.  This Promise Land you ask - is not the same as where Moses was leading the Israelites, yet, it is the Promise Land of Alaska.  The Last Frontier State.  The 49th state of the United States.  A land of promise, a land of hope, a land that holds fast to centuries of Indian - native traditions.  Yes - Alaska - is my promise land. 

I am sitting in the airport, sad because I know that I leave here tonight - this morning - on the red eye - back to a home that houses my bed, my belongings, yet I come back without my heart - without my soul.  Alaska is where I belong.  My heart aches for the people - the natives of this land.  My heart aches to be here - to share the Gospel of OUR King.  To share a love that God has placed in my heart for these people.  I don't want to leave.  I see the faces - they are embedded in my mind - they will never leave me.  I ache to be here. 
My friends - pray with me - today and always for the Lord's divine direction in not only in my life - but in the lives of these wonderful native people.  They love and laugh - they cry and hurt - they sing and dance - they too have a Savior that died for them.  Pray for discernment, understanding, knowledge and wisdom.  Pray that I will follow His will and not my own.  Pray that the doors will be opened for the right time and that all the pieces will fall into place. 

I am ready when He is.
Here are a few pics of my travels.  I have several videos to upload but will do that when I get in.  Till then, please pray for me, you and our world.  For the ones who have not been touched and the ones who know HIS NAME but do not call upon Him. 

Matthew 29:19-20 ~ "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."



Packing up and getting ready to head out


Alaska Hwy and Tok Cutoff - we are almost there!

Stop and ate at mile 1313.3

Beautiful sunset over the bay

God's beauty

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Jesus Loves the little children....

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

I returned to Anchorage today after 4 days in the Interior Region of Alaska.  4 days of seeing God's mighty hand at work in me, through me - in others and through others.  His light was shining bright.  Did you see it where you were at?  I have to think - to believe that you did.  

It has been 5 months now that I have been praying.  5 months since I have been dreaming.  5 months since I have known that this week was to be a week laid out specifically for the purpose of me and the others to go to a small village in the Interior Region of Alaska.  5 months of loving the faces of kids, adults and elders I did not even know yet.  

It has been 15 hours since I have left the village.  15 hours since the first tear streamed down my face as I waved goodbye to a little fellow and his dog as I watched him walk to school and my team and I drove off.  15 hours since I saw the Tribal Hall.  15 hours since I saw the signs saying "thank you" for keeping their village clean.  15 hours since my heart left me.

I sit here in my room in a church in Anchorage and I type these words and tears stream down my face knowing that I really do not know when I will see M or S or T or E or B or D or R or E or E or B or any of the other kids and parents and elders again.  Oh dear Lord - my Savior, my King - you know where my heart is and you so graciously opened this door for me to go and see them, to love them, to cry with them as I shared my story, to hug them - to kiss their heads - to hold their hands, to sing with them, to laugh with them and be silly with them.... Oh Lord, I pray that you would open the doors for me to come back - to go back and be a steady person in their lives for days, weeks, months - years to come.  

They have my heart.  God has been so good.  God shined bright and all the glory goes to Him!!!!  He is my everything.  He is my love.  He is my world and I owe Him my life and I look forward to continue giving Him my life for Him to be glorified.

KIDS - if you are reading this... I am coming back soon!!!!  I miss you already!!!  
PARENTS - if you are reading this.... I am coming back soon!!!!  I miss you already!!!
ELDERS - if you are reading this.... I am coming back soon!!!!!  I miss you already!!!!


Saturday, March 17, 2012

More videos

To God be the Glory forever and ever, amen!!!  
Welcome to Alaska - the Last Frontier State.  
The land of the midnight sun.  
Welcome!

I wake up to see moose - pretty awesome!


Today is the day.  I head out in about an hour and a half to the remote villages of Alaska.  Natives - indigenous to this land.  Religious beliefs that are not the same as mine, but an opportunity to share the good news with these people that God, our Savior, loves. 

Now is not the time to stop praying.  Be in prayer constantly.  Pray together in groups.  Lift me and my team up as we boldly confess the word of God.  Pray that God is glorified through each of us.  That we - my group - edify one another - sharpening one another in the name of God.  Pray that no weapon would come at us that would prosper. 

My friends and family, love these people as God loves them.  Ask God to open your eyes to the love He already has for them.  Whether it is the people of Alaska, or your neighbor across the street.  Love the ones that are hardest to love.  Ask God to open your heart to that love. 

I don't expect this journey to be easy.  I do not want easy.  I want Jesus.  We know His story.  His life.  The journey He took on this earth.  He came in the form of man, to be ridiculed, beaten, betrayed, spit on, persecuted - eventually death - for you and for me - AND for these people.  I go on this journey for the name above all names - the king of Kings and lord of Lords - the Alpha and the Omega - Jesus Christ.  I will endure hardships and experience joys beyond recognition for His name alone. I go and I love for Him. 

*****************************

I should be back in a few days where I can update you with all that happened in these villages.  Pray - Pray - Pray. 

I love you and may God bless you today and always
In Christ's Name
~Anna~

Friday, March 16, 2012

Anchorage, AK

Hello my sweet friends.  I am extremely tired.  That all day flying will wear you out.  Forgive me for being behind schedule.  I have a few videos to upload and share with you, however, the internet is not as quick as I would like and there seems to be a delay in the uploading process.  I have continued to take videos and excited to share them with you.  
I am heading out tomorrow (Saturday March 17, 2012) and will be out of reach via internet.  I return late Wednesday night so will be busy on Thursday uploading as much as I can.  God is going to do amazing things.  Please my friends, pray.  Pray earnestly for the souls of these people.  I already see a spiritual battle that I am facing.  May God's name be known!!

Much love 
~Anna~

 



The day is here.  I got a little over 2 hours of sleep last night.  I woke up energized, excited, and blown away at what God is doing in my life.  After years of dreaming, wishing, and longing to go to Alaska, I have finally made it to the day.  I sit here in the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport typing up a blog, uploading silly videos still in awe of the reality that in just a few hours, I - Anna R. Morrison, will be walking the grounds of a state that I have only dreamed of.  I am excited to share with all of you all the things that are going on and hope you enjoy this journey with me.  It is not possible without the Lord and every step, every action, every breathe, every word, everything that makes this trip is to Glorify the one true King - Jesus Christ.
To God be the Glory forever and ever, amen.


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Additional video blogs

Video blogging... Alaska Preparation videos
March 11, 2012
March 12, 2012
March 13, 2012

March 14, 2012

Video Blogging...

My wonderful family and friends and viewers/followers.

I have begun to take video of my preparations to Alaska and it has come to my attention that you actually might be interested in watching.  So, I have a few to share with you already, however, it is taking forever to upload.  So, I will give you one and try to upload the rest in a bit.

Please forgive me, because I do not like my video or picture taken.

May God be glorified in all that you see and all that I say.

With much love,
~Anna~

Video 1 - Alaska Intro


Monday, March 12, 2012

22 pairs of socks

22 pairs of socks are ready to go into the suitcase. 

I cannot believe I will be leaving Birmingham in a little less than 38 hours.  I begin my travel with a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Atlanta.  From there, I will be traveling to Woodstock to stay over night with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, brother and my niece and nephew. 

In 60 hours, I will be catching my first flight out to Anchorage, Alaska with a connecting flight in Phoenix, Az.

It is still really hard to believe that I am about to go to Alaska.  The place of my dreams, a passion that has been embedded in my heart for years now, not ever knowing when I would be able to go.  Yet, here I sit in my living/dining room typing to you - my readers - about a my upcoming travels. 

I lay awake at night in anticipation of what is to come.  I don't have expectations, I got rid of all expectations many years ago.  I do lay there, thinking and dreaming of the faces, the hands, the feet, the homes, the lives of those that I am going to impact, but I know that more than anything, I am the one that will be impacted.  I want nothing more than God's glory to be shown.  This trip is not about me, it is about God, and His creation.  All of these people are His.  He knows their names, and their likes and dislikes, their desires and dreams.  He knows their hearts, their pains and joys.  What they do not know, however, is His name.  That is the purpose of my trip.  To share with them all the love, grace, mercy, salvation, forgiveness... that our one true King - Jesus Christ - brings to them.  He has already laid it all down for them. 
Generational religion is at the heart of many villages, whether it is in Alaska, India or Malaysia.  Tradition trumps western ideas, and in many locations - Christianity is a Western idea.  I believe with all my heart, that God is going to make His name known in such a way on this trip.  He has opened every door, down to the most minute of details. 

Romans 14:11 ~ It is written: "‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’"

Philippians 2:10 ~ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth...

My brothers and sisters - please continue to pray for these people.  I also ask that you pray for the people of a small village along the Amazon that my friend just came back from and for the people of Ahmedabad, India where another friend of mine just went to share the gospel.  There are many people from right here in our own neighborhood to across the globe -  so many - too many - who do not know the name of Jesus.  Please, heed the call of our Savior.  If you feel called to go and make disciples, go - knowing and trusting that God will provide your needs.  It is the Great Commission.  Please, I urge you - get right with God - and go and share this amazing news with others.  Do not hide His light - do not hide this amazing news - go and share - share it with boldness and courage and in truth... Go...
Matthew 28:19-20 ~ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

GO.......

Sunday, March 4, 2012

~Philippians 4:19~
And my God will meet all your needs
according to his glorious riches
in Christ Jesus.

God has met every need.  Exceeded my expectations.  Without Him, I am no one.  Without Him, this trip to Alaska would not be possible.
I am so thankful for the doors He has opened, the provisions He has made for me, little ole me, to go to Alaska to serve Him - to share His love - His salvation - with others.  
Although I have not met a single person face to face, I love each of the faces already.  I dream of the people in this little village, I pray for these people, and soon, I will be hugging and laughing and crying with these amazing people.  Yes - they are amazing.  God has created each one of them in His image.  He knows the hairs on their heads and desires to have a relationship with each and every one of them.  
They are the Athabascans.  Native to the Interior Region, the Athabascans have been living, hunting, working for centuries -- traditions that have carried on from generation to generation.  They diverged from the Navajo Indians but from what I have studied, the Athabascans have always felt they derived from the Interior Region of Alaska.
Navajo - Athabascans - American - Indian - European - Russian, it doesn't matter to me... They are the creation of God and I love them, and thrilled beyond words to have an opportunity to share God with them, to love them, to talk with them, to play in the dirt/snow with them... 

I wrote this village a poem... Please be aware - I am not the best poet....

Faces with smiles
Eyes that glow
Longing for an embrace
Only God can show.
How He can use me
O how He can love
These wonderful people
He watches from above.
I long to hug them
And sing them a song
A song of salvation
They've been loved all along.
Created in the image
Of our Father up above
These amazing people
Are highly favored and loved.


I ask that you continue to pray with me as I leave in a week and a half.  I so look forward to sharing with you - my followers - all the amazing blessings that I expect and KNOW will happen.  God will be glorified!

With all my love -
~Anna~