So we went into this prepped store, and I was fascinated by the personalities of these zealous preparedness fanatics. What was on the shelves? There was some freeze-dried food, pots and pans, a set of barely used tires, an assortment of random tools in a box, ammunition, Shaklee vitamins, and CBD. It was like they’d taken the garage sale and put it inside. They had a real nice assortment of DVDs, though.

Being prepared is an important thing, not just for the homesteaders and 2nd amendment friends. Being prepared means walking in the steps that God ordains. When God guides you, He will provide for you. But He will always guide you in wisdom. He will provide, and He will teach us wisdom.

The proverbs tell us about wisdom.

Proverbs 22:3 says, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the naive go on and are punished for it.”

Proverbs 28:19 says, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but those who chase fantasies will have plenty of poverty.”

Proverbs 21:20 says, “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”

I’m thinking about preparedness for your families and so constantly pray that I’m in step with the Lord. I love to see how He works good things in His timing.

Funny story, I took Keren and a few of our kids out to look at a campsite I had seen on Zillow. It was 80 acres of forest with full campgrounds. It has 24 cabins, 12 RV hookups, a large chapel, and an industrial kitchen with a dining hall. There is space to build, too, so it was something I wanted to check out.

We were driving down to see the place in Cascade, called Camp Cascade. It is about 45 minutes from McCall but a beautiful drive filled with hawks, ravens, and sometimes a bald eagle. The reason I was looking at this place is that I know many people are thinking about relocating. Some can’t afford much, so I imagined what it would be like to have a site that houses people for a while. This place seemed like it could be a place worth looking at.

As we reached the turn onto Alpha Lane, we noticed a small sign on the corner: “Calvary Chapel Cascade 10 am.”

What?! We were elated. We didn’t know there was a Calvary here in Cascade. We looked at the campgrounds (amazing) and decided to go there for church on Sunday. What are the chances that they had just started two weeks earlier (the weekend I arrived) and that the pastor was a local boy from the Kahuku side, Keala Hoe. What a coincidence!? Not really, the Lord has guided us all this way. Astonishing though, if I hadn’t moved from the North Shore as a kid, Keala and I would have gone to Kahuku high school together.

It turns out that me and my new Hawaiian brother had more in common. He went away to the mainland to wrestle in college, where he met his wife. Oh, that’s funny, that’s what I did. I went to the mainland to wrestle and met my wife there.

Later, Keala and his wife Heather went to Europe to do missions work. They planted a church in Romania and were there for two years. That’s strange because I also went to Europe for a couple of years to do missions work. His parents, longtime in the ministry, live a mile from my parents, who have been a longtime in the ministry. The similarities were getting eerie. We felt like we’d known each other for years, like brothers who’d never met. He drives a Tacoma too.

I’d learn all this about Keala in time, but we knew right away that this new church was where we were going to minister. It was a sweet service. It was held in a one-room little white schoolhouse. It has to be heated with a big wood stove, so Dean comes early and starts the fire.

I know I’m on sabbatical, but worship without actual service to me seems inadequate. I can’t sit in church without getting involved and still feel like I’m worshipping. I have to offer more than sitting and singing. I have to serve. I asked Keala if I could sweep up or fold bulletins, anything. We just wanted to serve in their church start-up.

A couple of weeks later and I was asked to lead worship. I was delighted to do it. By that time, we had met so many new friends and invited several new folks we had just met. So far six new people have come that we invited. It’s going great. They are looking for a new place as the winter months come rolling in. Everybody is bracing for winter here. Should be fun.

Speaking of winter, I want to invite you on a winter mission, of sorts, to McCall, Idaho. It’s a vacation with a purpose, like a holy land trip without the mandatory vaccines or the holy land. But it is a good land nonetheless. Idaho is rich with rugged beauty, life, and opportunity. And it will be good for a winter vacation.

Every year in the last week of January there is a huge festival here called the Winter Carnival. Sixty thousand people come packing into this little town of McCall (pop. 5000). It's a major festival that draws people from all over the nation. There are ice carvings, ice fishing and cider drinking, and all sorts of festivities, similar to the Christmas Markets in Europe. The skiing and snowboarding here are legendary too. It’s the best snow in Idaho here at Brundage and Tamarack.