Breaking Free Part 2

So here is a second blog post on the subject of breaking free from bondage. In the last post I made five points of what I've experienced and found to be the main steps to freedom.

1. Recognize that you are confined.
2. Acknowledge that you are confined.
3. Want to break free from the confinement.
4. Seek help.
5. Work through the steps to become free.


I talked about the first two in the last post and this one will be focused on points three and four. Wanting freedom and seeking help. I'm sure I will have a lot more thoughts on this subject than I will actually put in this post so will probably have another one on this topic down the road as I learn more.

The third step is wanting to break free from the bondage you are in. It sounds simple but as you work through whatever is holding you in chains you will begin to realize what I mean. You will have to really desire the freedom because the process in between will probably be one of the hardest things you will do in your life. There will be times that you just want to throw the towel in and give up, sleepless nights spent sobbing in your bed, pounding your fists against the wall in frustration. As I am breaking free from all the things that hold me captive, one really hard struggle in particular I cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to just give up. To stop. Afraid of the change. Scared that I can't do it and it will be one more thing I fail at. But what keeps me going deep down inside is that desire to break free from all the things that hold me back from serving my God with radical faith, with an even deeper desire. To live life to the full extent that I was created for.

The fourth step may be the hardest out of the whole thing. Seeking help. I was so sure I could do this life on my own. I grew up learning to be independent. That I didn't need help. Somehow no matter how hard it got I could always figure it out. I didn't need anybody. All the secrets locked inside for fear people would find out, that they'd reject me, that they wouldn't love me anymore. It came very near to killing me. The thing is WE are the ones who have to make the decision to accept help. Whatever form that comes in. First and foremost is accepting Christ into our lives. Without Him we are destined for eternity in hell. When our eternity is secured in Christ He will put people in our lives to help us work through the struggles so that we can serve him with reckless abandon.

Depending on the struggle you are going through the kind of help you seek will differ. Sometimes it means trusting the opinion of somebody else instead of your own for a time. Doing what they tell you to do because they have your best interest in mind. Doing really hard things. Doing things you don't want to do and everything in you screams that you don't want to do it but you know it's the right choice. I know that in my struggles right now I had to give complete trust to my adoptive parents to make the right choices for me because I couldn't do that on my own. Slowly I am gaining that control back as I learn how to in ways that have my best interest in mind. It's meant me seeing a certified nutritionist which I won't pretend was easy, and also a christian counselor. Which scared me to death at the idea. I didn't want to. I told Daddy that I didn't want to. And I'm not sure exactly how it happened but I ended up going and the last meeting I left feeling really encouraged and good. There are simple every day choices where I stand there and debate over little things in this struggle. "Do I want to do what makes me feel good, or what honors God?" And more and more I'm choosing to throw my own wants and desires out the door because God's choices for me are so much better than my own.

I know I know that many are put off by me talking about my God so much but in the end. He is the One who is eternal. It's how we live our life for Him that matters. Everything else is temporary. And in my life when I follow and obey my God even when life sucks, battles rage and I'm struggling through the day He is still there, He is still good and I receive a deep sense of overall peace in my life that reigns above the chaos.

So please. If you are struggling. Go get that help that you need. Ask people in your life for help. Talk to people you trust. You will find that it is more than worth it. And the peace, joy and freedom that comes from letting go and letting God is absolutely amazing. For all those seeking help may God bless you. I know it's hard. I know it's tough. I know it sucks but you are strong, strong enough to carry on with Christ in you! Lean on God, trust Him! We are all in this together! May all the glory and honor and praise forever be to the One True King!! ~Kriss

Camas Lake Adventure!

Spring/summer hiking season has definitely started and I have gotten a late start this year. This is the first "real" hike of more than five miles this spring. Dale and I decided to take advantage of this Saturday and venture up to Camas Lake as it is a relatively moderate, short hike (7 miles round trip) to start the season. Leaving in the earlier part of the morning for the fifty mile drive to the trail head put us there about 9:30am.

The trail head is located about 9 miles up Lost Horse Rd

Being the first real hike of the season it took us a bit to get our stuff together which put us hiking by 10am. The trail starts out on an old logging road that turns into a hiking trail after just a short bit. After less than half hour of hiking there are two small creeks that are easy to cross.

The biggest of the two small creeks

One hour from the trail head we reached the rock fields which are close to half way there. (I believe you have cellphone service at this spot) At this point we only ran into a minimal amount of snow on the trail.

Checking the map to see where we are at

The amount of snow definitely kept increasing the father back we got. We reached the two creek crossings that have man made bridges half an hour later at 11:20am.

At this point you are about a third of the way to the lake but the next half mile or so is probably the steepest part of the trip before it levels out a bit into deep snow where we lost the trail as nobody had been up there since the snow.

Deep snow drifts but easy to walk on top of.

 We made it to the lake in just under two and a half hours from the trail head. We spent the next two hours enjoying ourselves in the middle of God's wondrous creation before heading back out. It was a very beautiful mile day for the hike.

Enjoying time together at the lake

Dale's new hiking stove

We finally got a chance to try out the new propane stove that Dale got for his birthday. It works really great and is super simple and handy as well as compact and light. We cooked some Bear Creak Cheddar Potato soup on it for lunch.

It was actually rather good with a dinner roll

There was a TON of snow up there!!!

We left the lake about 2:15 and got back to the truck about an hour later. Thankfully we had no problems with ticks at all, though it was still rather cold up there. It was a really nice hike and I can't wait to get out to the next trail that awaits us! ~Kriss

Journey From "I'm Not Going" to "This Is My Life"

I'm sitting here at the table this evening realizing that in exactly three months I will be sitting here spending the last evening with my family before heading on my one month trip to Uganda to serve with Rafiki Africa Ministries.

About eighteen months ago I was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Daddy about church stuff when he asked me a question that took me by surprise. Although I wasn't aware of it at the time that question would lead my life in a whole new direction. He asked me, "So what would it take for you to go on a mission trip?" I immediately had an answer for him. Which was a simple "No". Followed by a list of twenty reasons why that would never happen.

*I could never get the time off work
*Too much money
*Never want to fly in an airplane
*I don't get shots
*I don't like traveling
*I never want to leave the United States
*Too far out of my comfort zone
*I don't want to be away from my family
*I don't know enough
*I don't want to

Those are just a few of the many reasons I had that I couldn't go. Looking over at my answers I realize that most of them are just because I was selfish. It was about what I wanted and at that point I was more interested in staying in my comfort zone and doing what I wanted than listening to God. And I never really thought a little small town girl could really make a difference. But then over the course of time God kept working on my heart (and obedience) to Him and for missions and in January of 2014 I said yes to what God was laying on my heart to do. I called Dad and told him that I had no clue what I was doing or how I was gonna do it but I was ready to go. Being the practical, loving man he is, with excitement in his voice he said, "Great! Have you gotten your passport? How can we help?" Which was my introduction to the world of missions. Though being naive at that point I thought this was simply going on a two-week mission trip. So I got my passport, started raising money, getting all the paperwork done and wondering what in the world I was doing while my family supported me every step of the way. I don't think I would have ever been able to go without the incredible support I received from them. 

Upon returning from spending two weeks serving God among the people of Peru I knew without doubt that was only the beginning of my work overseas. I spent time at the river having quiet time with God and praying. I asked Him where I was to serve, what His plan was and asking Him to guide me. I was still getting back into the routines of being home and not really expecting an answer right then and was a little blown away when my question was answered with one place. UGANDA. I wasn't even sure where Uganda was and you would think my faith by now would be enough I'd trust God on this one but my response went something like "Uganda? Where is that? No way? That's ridiculous! Why Uganda? You really want me to go to Uganda?!" I went home wondering if maybe I was just going crazy. But during the next few days God confirmed what He told me. Yes I was supposed to go to Uganda. For a month. So I immediately went and told my family who were once again excited and ready to support me. 

What I didn't know at that time... is that Uganda would change my life. Before my bags are even packed part of my heart would belong to Uganda. I have no clue what I'm supposed to be feeling or if maybe I am just crazy but I have never felt more deeply connected to any place before. I have never felt such a burning, passionate desire to serve and make a difference in one place. The more I read, the more I find information and see their faces the more I know that part of me belongs there. I know that I haven't even stepped into the country and I've been told often that I have my whole life ahead of me, that I'm young and need to think about my future.. and maybe that's true but I know that the month I spend there this year is only the beginning. That in the next years I will spend more time there, perhaps much of my time. So right now my future is unknown and I'm okay with that. I would appreciate prayers as I find direction in my life. In the past couple years I have figured out that God doesn't like to leave me in my comfort zone for very long. I know that wherever He calls me for however long it is I will serve Him passionately and with desire for as long as I'm still breathing in this world.

~Until the whole world hears, Kriss