LIFE ON THE BAKKEN

It's been exactly two months now that I've been living on the largest Indian reservation of North Dakota in the largest oil field depository of the United States known as "The Bakken".

In my new job I am learning so much about oil fields, riggers, construction, fracking, water tanks (tritons vs atlantis), heavy equipment, drop deck vs high deck trailers, belly dump vs side dump, oversize load permits, road restrictions, tons vs yards, and the list goes on!

There have been complications that have plagued us with our rental house from a non-functioning bathroom (the only bathroom in the 1000 sf house), paint peeling off walls so bad we had to scrape them before we could paint them, plaster walls that don't allow us to hang anything up on them, a furnace that wouldn't light, a water heater that doesn't heat, an oven that heats TOO well that you can't touch the stove when it's on, a back door that was broken into and no longer locks, carpet that you can't get the smell of smoke out of. But we are grateful to have a roof over our heads, the family back together and a place to call home.

Then there was the realization that we are no longer living in the Bible belt. This has been by far the hardest adjustment of all. There are a large number of Lutheran churches in the area and a great deal of Catholic churches, Baptist churches are few and far between and the cross over from Lutheran to Church of Christ is pretty apparent, especially in those that share the Lutheran Pastors. This is a dark place in many ways and if you talk about Jesus you are met with rolling of the eyes and sometimes completely shut down. There is little tolerance for "religion" first with the tribe and very much so on the Bakken.

I was very discouraged when I read this in my morning devotion a couple days ago:
"You will be My mouthpiece in places where there are no other voices to be heard. You will magnify My Name in a dark corner. You will praise Me in a place where others extol men. You will show My love and reality to those who have not as yet experienced My nearness and fellowship in the way you have known Me. I need you as a light to shine in dark places. I have not called you by some fickle whim. HOw will the message go out without a messenger? I have made you My messenger. You will go with winged feet. You will not allow your foot to be bogged down in the mire of earthly cares and riches. You will discharge your duties with dispatch and will deal in wisdom with each responsibility; but your heart will rest in My hand. Your thoughts will return to Me..."   (Come Away My Beloved by Frances Roberts)

This was very convicting and very much a blessing to read. Now comes the hard part...waiting on His direction and leading for our mission here and the church we are to become a part of.

WAITING ON and TRUSTING IN HIM!