Chugach Mountain Range, Alaska - "I Am What I Am""

 

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.  Atter that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.  For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:1-10

Denali on a Clear Day - "The Earth is Full of his Glory"

     In the year that King Uzziah died, 

I saw the LORD sitting on a throne,

high and lifted up, and the train of His

robe filled the temple.

      Above it stood seraphim; each one

had six wings:  with two he covered

his face, with two he covered his feet,

and with two he flew.

  And one cried to another and said:

     

 "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory."

  Isaiah 6:1-3

Chugach Mountains, Seward Highway, Alaska -- Green Pastures

The LORD makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. 

Psalm 23:2-3 

Chugach Mountains Alaska - “I Loved you at your darkness”

 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners

Romans 5:8

Denali National Park - Hannah’s Prayer

1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. 

2 “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. 

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. 

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. 

6 “The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. 

7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 

8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; on them he has set the world. 

9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; 

10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

1 Samuel 2:1-10

 

Kenai Peninsula - “My Soul is Overwhelmed with Sorrow”

 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.

Matthew 26:38

Denali National Park, Alaska - “Why do you stand looking into the Sky”

 Acts 1:9-11

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Denali National Park, Alaska - "You Created my Inmost Being"

 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 

Psalm 139:11-14

Denali National Park, Alaska - "If I go up to the Heavens"

Where can I go from your Spirit?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:7-10

 

Chugach Mountains, Alaska - "Seek Me with All Your Heart"

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.   You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Chugach Mountains - The Earth is the LORD’S

 

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

Psalm 24:1-2

"I am the Good Shepherd" - North to Alaska

 

I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.  So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.  the wolf attacks the flock ad scatters it.  The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -- and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:11-15

Kenai Mountains, Alaska - "My Kingdom is Not of this World"

 

Jesus said, "My Kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.  But now my kingdom is from another place."  "You are a king, then!"  said Pilate.  Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.  In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

John 18:36-37

Chugach Mountains - "Without Dreams, We Reach Nothing"

Without dreams, we reach nothing.

Without Love, we feel nothing.

Without God, we are nothing.

Chugach Mountains - "For the Mountains May Move and the Hills Disappear"

 

For the mountains may move

and the hills disappear,

but even then My faithful love

for you will remain.

My covenant of blessing will

never be broken, says the Lord,

who has mercy on you.

Isaiah 54:10

Turnagain Arm Lake, Alaska - "My Whole Being Waits"

 

I WAIT FOR THE LORD,

MY WHOLE BEING WAITS,

AND IN HIS WORD

I PUT MY HOPE.

Psalm CXXX-V

Chena River Cruise - Casting Nets

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."   Simon answered, "Master, we're worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.  But because you say so, I will let down the nets."  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw this  he fell at Jesus' knees and said,  "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.  Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:4-11 NIV

Chena River Alaska - Through the Waves

 

These are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Luke 8:15 NRSV

The Valley of Dry Bones - Book of Ezekiel

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.  He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  He asked me, "Son of man can these bones live?'

I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord?  This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones:  I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.  I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.  then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded.  And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.  I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, This is what the Sovereign Lord says:  Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live."  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet--a vast army.

Then he said to me:  "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel.  They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.'  Therefore prophesy and say to them:  This is what the Sovereign Lord says:  My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.  Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.  I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.  then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord."

Ezekiel 37:1-14 

 Nothing is impossible for God!

Turnagain Arm Shoreline - "The Salt of the Earth"

 

"You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:13-16