About Me
- Joanna Grace
- Montana, United States
- Welcome to my blog! This is where I kind of ramble and try to say something of use every now and again. A little bit about myself. I'm a Christian. God is the most important thing to me. I believe in His son Jesus Christ. I was born and raised in Montana. I count my blessings. Growing up in a family of 10, milking goats, plowing gardens, hiking mountains. .. good times I like broadcasting (currently I work at a radio station). I'm interested in photography, sign language, music (I play piano and guitar), film-making, and crazy adventures. I thank God every day for my family and friends!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
First Week
Wow! I can't believe I've been here for almost one week and still haven't even gotten around to communicating with the outside world and letting them know what's up. . . :) Things have been crazy busy to say the least. I arrived here very late on Saturday night because of the computer crashes the Alaska Airlines was experiencing. I was slightly dissapointed that I would not be able to fly into AK in the daylight, but I believe if all goes as planned I will be leaving in the daytime. Upon arrival in Fairbanks at 1 to 2 am, I saw people walking around in boxers, shorts, and flip flops. I believe that this is some of the first warm weather they have experienced all year and it's around zero degrees. I spent the first night at some board members of the station in Fairbanks. They are super nice even giving me a guitar to borrow while I'm here! Yay!! I spent Sunday in Fairbanks going to church, shopping, and at the ice park. The ice park is a worldwide event where people display their pieces of art that they have carved out from the ice. Food up here is priced through the roof. Bananas were "on sale" for 89 cence a pound. It's priced twice as high as back home and in Nenana is probably about 4X. It snowed pretty heavy on Sun night taking us a little longer to get to Nenana than originally planned. The couple who I'm working with at the station have two super cute children (1 and 3 years). The one was singing "Joanna Baer, Joanna Baer" over and over again. I got here about midnight and crashed. The apartment I'm staying in is at the station. It's super nice and cute. I started off right on Monday jumping into things. There is a lot to do! I've been doing weather announcements, psas, helping update the music library, and a live program called Mukluks (people call us with messages for their friends/families in the bush). Monday was great though because I got to drive a snow machine for the first time into the wilderness. Super fun.. . even got it stuck. Tuesday, we went out to Dee's (the founder of the minstry) house. We had moose meat. It was nice to see some Alaska scenery on the drive. I'm particularly looking forward to the drive up to Fairbanks this weekend in this amazing Red Ford F150 I'm borrowing for a couple of weeks. Church on Wednesday night had the pastor and his wife, a couple of kids, and one lady. It felt different. This town is really small. They say the population is around 350 people. Everyone knows everyone and the unemployment rate is really low and the alcohol is quite high. It makes for some interesting situations. It is really neat to be part of a ministry that reaches these people. The impact you can have on someone's life through Christian radio is amplified here. Well. . I digress . .I love you all and miss you! :'( Will try to post more later. These extremely long days are making me stay up way too late. . . :)
Monday, March 21, 2011
You've Got the Power?
Society today seems obsessed with power. It's in the movies, cartoons, advertisements. . . People want power to make themselves feel good about themselves. . . They want to feel macho, egotistical, strong, capable all in and of themselves.
Some Christians try to get power on their own. Some misuse the power they have.
But do we really have power? Is it like a tool that we use whenever we feel like it?
I believe that God is only limited by how much we let Him work. Do we have that power? The power to limit God because of our own lack of faith?
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we had faith like Abraham. . . "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was a able also to perform."
I believe there are two different kind of powers. Well, probably only one. Stay with me on this. There's our own power. If you're like me, you've tried to do something on your own and watched it miserably fail. Our own power really isn't power at all, but fleshly strength that always lets you down.
Psalm 20:7
Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Then. . . There's God's power that comes from having faith in Him. . . His power never fails. You can be a channel for his strength and power. I've seen it happen again and again. It's like you're just sitting back and watching God work through you.
Isaiah 10:19
And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace [be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Psalm 138:3
In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, [and] strengthenedst me [with] strength in my soul.
That's real power!!!
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Some Christians try to get power on their own. Some misuse the power they have.
But do we really have power? Is it like a tool that we use whenever we feel like it?
I believe that God is only limited by how much we let Him work. Do we have that power? The power to limit God because of our own lack of faith?
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we had faith like Abraham. . . "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was a able also to perform."
I believe there are two different kind of powers. Well, probably only one. Stay with me on this. There's our own power. If you're like me, you've tried to do something on your own and watched it miserably fail. Our own power really isn't power at all, but fleshly strength that always lets you down.
Psalm 20:7
Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Then. . . There's God's power that comes from having faith in Him. . . His power never fails. You can be a channel for his strength and power. I've seen it happen again and again. It's like you're just sitting back and watching God work through you.
Isaiah 10:19
And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace [be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Psalm 138:3
In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, [and] strengthenedst me [with] strength in my soul.
That's real power!!!
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Prayer Requests for My Trip
One of my lovely co-workers suggested that I post a list of different things you all could pray about in regards to my trip to Alaska. Here it is. .
God's Blessing and Involvement: Pray that God would be in and through this entire trip, He'd put people in my path that need Him, and that my work with this ministry would be fruitful. Pray for people to be open to the Gospel and that even now God would be working.
Safety
Holes that I've left here to be successfully filled: Pray that God would provide the necessary people to fill in at the Deaf ministry at my church. Also, that everything would run smoothly at KALS.
Good Health: So far I've been able to dodge most of the sicknesses around here. Pray I don't get anything on my trip.
Final Preparations: This last week is a little bit crazy. Pray I'd be able to focus and get everything done that I need to.
That pretty much sums it up. I appreciate everyone's support and prayers for me during this trip.
I can't believe I'm leaving in less than a week! These last few months have flown by. I'm not exactly sure where they've went, but it's been good!
I'm ecstatic about this trip but I will miss all of you terribly. :'( You'll be in my prayers and thoughts.
I'm going to try to update periodically to let you all know how things are going.
God's Blessing and Involvement: Pray that God would be in and through this entire trip, He'd put people in my path that need Him, and that my work with this ministry would be fruitful. Pray for people to be open to the Gospel and that even now God would be working.
Safety
Holes that I've left here to be successfully filled: Pray that God would provide the necessary people to fill in at the Deaf ministry at my church. Also, that everything would run smoothly at KALS.
Good Health: So far I've been able to dodge most of the sicknesses around here. Pray I don't get anything on my trip.
Final Preparations: This last week is a little bit crazy. Pray I'd be able to focus and get everything done that I need to.
That pretty much sums it up. I appreciate everyone's support and prayers for me during this trip.
I can't believe I'm leaving in less than a week! These last few months have flown by. I'm not exactly sure where they've went, but it's been good!
I'm ecstatic about this trip but I will miss all of you terribly. :'( You'll be in my prayers and thoughts.
I'm going to try to update periodically to let you all know how things are going.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Alaska Bound
Well as most of you have probably already heard, I am going to Alaska. . . this spring!! I cannot wait. I've had a special obsession with Alaska for quite a while. When I was about 12, my fascination with Alaska began. . I love the cold. . and the sled dogs. . and the pure wild. . .and I love radio. . so the opportunity to work in the bush at a Christian radio station just makes me ecstatic.
I had originally planned to go to Alaska for 2 months. That was before a lot of things came up: my church started a Deaf ministry(I am one of two interpreters there), and I started working a lot at KALS. With much prayer and consideration I decided to shorten my time to five weeks. I have been challenged concerning my decision to go; but I have complete, 100% peace that God wants me to go on this trip.
The village I'm going to--Nenana, AK--has a population of 450 people, 1/2 of which is Athabascan.
The people of Alaska are desperate for the hope of the Gospel, especially natives. A lot of young Alaskans leave their native villages for larger cities where there are more opportunities. This leaves villages in a kind of hopeless state. The suicide rate in Alaska in 2x the national average. I'm really looking forward to how God is going to use this trip!!!
I will be working at KIAM radio with Voice for Christ Ministries. Here's a link to their website.
http://www.vfcm.org/
This ministry is rock solid. A testament to their heart for missions is the fact that at the top of their About Us page is Jesus Christ.
Anyway, I really appreciate your prayers for my upcoming trip. Pray specifically for safety, God's blessing, and wisdom.
Just for the record. . . I won't be living in an igloo.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2011 Polar Plunge
It was 11 degrees outside. . . I thought about backing out, but man it was super fun!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Twenty Ten :)
I don't even know how to start beginning to tell you how amazing this past year has been. I got a new church, a new sister-in-law, a new job, a new guitar, a new everything. It has been SO blessed by God.
So the beginning of this year I actually was on a train with little Zubby and we stayed up all, well most of the night playing cards with people I didn't even really know and playing the hang drums. It was a great trip visiting my Aunt and eating lots of really good Wisconsin food.
When I arrived back home from that trip, I randomly decided to walk into KALS and apply. As I know by now, nothing is really random though and God has a plan for everything. They told me that they needed someone to fill in for a live church service on Sunday. That's how I started just a few hours on Sunday. We'll come back to this story later.
Around the first of the year we started going to Gospel Light Baptist Church. I am so sure that God led me there. He has also led many of my friends there and many Deaf people. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of the Deaf ministry there.
The very beginning of the year Josiah (my oldest brother) got engaged to Emily Stafford. The spring was spent wedding planning, wedding planning, and more wedding planning. I really like wedding planning though. Hopefully another one of these siblings decides to get married soon so I can help with another wedding. I took Josiah and Emily's engagement photos with Twilight (my camera, nothing to do with the movie) and also designed their wedding invitations with Photoshop. I have since taken 13,000 pictures. You can see the 101 Best Photos of 2010 from this link. You don't have to be a member of FB, btw.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101902&id=1291540410&l=c1e9c4f574
So, where was I at. . .March, April, and May were all spent working at Super 1 City Center in the Produce Department, managing the Pro-Life Website, and some graphic design work here and there. I did go swimming in March which was pretty fun. I even convinced Emily to jump in with me.
Oh May, there was that trip. Where on earth do I start? Somewhere between being crammed in a hotel room with 11 other people, not showering for way too long, hiking some pretty insane stuff, driving across Texas with no AC in a metal car, I decided that road trips are pretty much awesome! I truly hope to return to the Grand Canyon and hike all the way to the bottom of it.
You can read more about that trip here:
http://gracemontana.blogspot.com/2010/06/been-while.html
June, I went to the Bible Conference in Dillon. Absolutely one of the best weeks of my entire life!!! I don't even know where to start! I've been to a lot of different Bible camps, retreats, ect.; but truly the one in Dillon was like nothing I've ever seen before. I really prayed for God to use me and He gave me more opportunities then I could ever imagine.
Sometime in June I went to the music conference in Malta. Really fun Southern Gospel with almost a Country Gospel flair to it. Definitely the best genre of music.
July 31st. Josiah and Emily got married. They had an absolutely beautiful wedding at Gospel Light Baptist Church and a reception to follow at the Cowboy Church. All of us girls wore cowboy boots (kind of a country style). There are a few pictures of that in my 101 photos of the year album. I'm also overjoyed to announce that Emily is expecting a child in May of 2011. We are all very excited. I'm going to be an aunt!!!
In August, I started working at the radio station part time and have since just been given tons of opportunities to do a lot of different kinds of work there. From office work, to traffic, to special events, to production--I absolutely love it all. I'm so blessed to have the most amazing co-workers on the planet!!!
In September, I quit Super 1 and started teaching piano. I'm really glad for that change.
With the fall came hunting season. Oh boy was that an adventure as always! For those of you who don't know, my family is big time into hunting. The boys went East opening day and shot close to a dozen deer. Hunting around here was not as I had hoped. . .so I figured I'd go East. . . well yeah. The trip didn't turn out as I'd expected, but I had a blast. The full story is right here. Poor Beatle, she worked so hard and still never got a cow elk.
http://gracemontana.blogspot.com/2010/11/promised-land.html
And then there's December. I've had an absolutely blessed Christmas, not just the day; but the whole month. Christmas I spent with the family watching movies (Defiance is a really nice movie, btw), eating some pretty yummy food, and hanging out with the family (which is never, ever dull).
Well, that's the year. . .and there is so much more. . looking back on it, I'm just in awe of God and who He is.
I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!! :)
So the beginning of this year I actually was on a train with little Zubby and we stayed up all, well most of the night playing cards with people I didn't even really know and playing the hang drums. It was a great trip visiting my Aunt and eating lots of really good Wisconsin food.
When I arrived back home from that trip, I randomly decided to walk into KALS and apply. As I know by now, nothing is really random though and God has a plan for everything. They told me that they needed someone to fill in for a live church service on Sunday. That's how I started just a few hours on Sunday. We'll come back to this story later.
Around the first of the year we started going to Gospel Light Baptist Church. I am so sure that God led me there. He has also led many of my friends there and many Deaf people. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of the Deaf ministry there.
The very beginning of the year Josiah (my oldest brother) got engaged to Emily Stafford. The spring was spent wedding planning, wedding planning, and more wedding planning. I really like wedding planning though. Hopefully another one of these siblings decides to get married soon so I can help with another wedding. I took Josiah and Emily's engagement photos with Twilight (my camera, nothing to do with the movie) and also designed their wedding invitations with Photoshop. I have since taken 13,000 pictures. You can see the 101 Best Photos of 2010 from this link. You don't have to be a member of FB, btw.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101902&id=1291540410&l=c1e9c4f574
So, where was I at. . .March, April, and May were all spent working at Super 1 City Center in the Produce Department, managing the Pro-Life Website, and some graphic design work here and there. I did go swimming in March which was pretty fun. I even convinced Emily to jump in with me.
Oh May, there was that trip. Where on earth do I start? Somewhere between being crammed in a hotel room with 11 other people, not showering for way too long, hiking some pretty insane stuff, driving across Texas with no AC in a metal car, I decided that road trips are pretty much awesome! I truly hope to return to the Grand Canyon and hike all the way to the bottom of it.
You can read more about that trip here:
http://gracemontana.blogspot.com/2010/06/been-while.html
June, I went to the Bible Conference in Dillon. Absolutely one of the best weeks of my entire life!!! I don't even know where to start! I've been to a lot of different Bible camps, retreats, ect.; but truly the one in Dillon was like nothing I've ever seen before. I really prayed for God to use me and He gave me more opportunities then I could ever imagine.
Sometime in June I went to the music conference in Malta. Really fun Southern Gospel with almost a Country Gospel flair to it. Definitely the best genre of music.
July 31st. Josiah and Emily got married. They had an absolutely beautiful wedding at Gospel Light Baptist Church and a reception to follow at the Cowboy Church. All of us girls wore cowboy boots (kind of a country style). There are a few pictures of that in my 101 photos of the year album. I'm also overjoyed to announce that Emily is expecting a child in May of 2011. We are all very excited. I'm going to be an aunt!!!
In August, I started working at the radio station part time and have since just been given tons of opportunities to do a lot of different kinds of work there. From office work, to traffic, to special events, to production--I absolutely love it all. I'm so blessed to have the most amazing co-workers on the planet!!!
In September, I quit Super 1 and started teaching piano. I'm really glad for that change.
With the fall came hunting season. Oh boy was that an adventure as always! For those of you who don't know, my family is big time into hunting. The boys went East opening day and shot close to a dozen deer. Hunting around here was not as I had hoped. . .so I figured I'd go East. . . well yeah. The trip didn't turn out as I'd expected, but I had a blast. The full story is right here. Poor Beatle, she worked so hard and still never got a cow elk.
http://gracemontana.blogspot.com/2010/11/promised-land.html
And then there's December. I've had an absolutely blessed Christmas, not just the day; but the whole month. Christmas I spent with the family watching movies (Defiance is a really nice movie, btw), eating some pretty yummy food, and hanging out with the family (which is never, ever dull).
Well, that's the year. . .and there is so much more. . looking back on it, I'm just in awe of God and who He is.
I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!! :)
Christmas. . . .
One of my friends posted an article explaining some of the reasons why he didn't celebrate Christmas. . Well and I tried to post a response, but it was too long (shocker, I know). So, I decided that I should just post my own article.
First off, I think you all should know where I'm coming from. As much as we hate to admit me, our growing up and various experiences have some influence on what we believe. I seek to only base my beliefs on the Bible. With that being said, I have been on both sides of the Christmas debate. My family didn't celebrate Christmas until I was about 15 or 16. I've heard it all from the tree being evil, to the wise men not being three, to the time Jesus was born, and that Christmas is a pagan holiday.
I'm not even going to attempt to explain the origins of Christmas or any of it's traditions. Does it really matter? God owns December 25th as much as he does any other day. If the devil originally took the date, I am thankful that now it is a predominantly Christian holiday. It is the only time of year when you will hear "Away in a Manger" on a secular radio station or "Fall On Your Knees" sung on TV. What a great witnessing opportunity!
Romans 14:5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
First off, I think you all should know where I'm coming from. As much as we hate to admit me, our growing up and various experiences have some influence on what we believe. I seek to only base my beliefs on the Bible. With that being said, I have been on both sides of the Christmas debate. My family didn't celebrate Christmas until I was about 15 or 16. I've heard it all from the tree being evil, to the wise men not being three, to the time Jesus was born, and that Christmas is a pagan holiday.
I'm not even going to attempt to explain the origins of Christmas or any of it's traditions. Does it really matter? God owns December 25th as much as he does any other day. If the devil originally took the date, I am thankful that now it is a predominantly Christian holiday. It is the only time of year when you will hear "Away in a Manger" on a secular radio station or "Fall On Your Knees" sung on TV. What a great witnessing opportunity!
Romans 14:5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
So does it really matter? When you stand before God, I really don't think He's going to care if you celebrated Christmas or not.
As far as Christmas being commercialized! I ain't going to deny it. But whether you let greed overcome you this Holiday Season, is your decision. . Christmas doesn't make you greedy.
What will God care about?
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.
Your heart. . .Where was yours this Christmas?
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