Chapter Chaplain

Wild Prairie HOG Chaplains -- Curt & Judi Quiner

Please let us know how we can pray for you. All requests will be kept confidential.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you in prayer.

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi, Quiner

Call us at: 952-474-3600

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 12/3/2023

From a website: Advent starts on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. In 2023, Advent begins on Sunday, December 3rd, and ends on Sunday, December 24th. During this time of reflection, prayer, and preparation, each moment is a time to thank God for His blessings and mercies. As Christians, we use this special time of Advent to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christians know that Jesus will return again, and we prepare for that glorious day.

Each week, we focus on a theme and the first week is all about HOPE.

We heard a funny story: a man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing—we’re behind.”

“Boy,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.”

“Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”

Made us smile. But that’s not real HOPE. A Bible dictionary tells us that “genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.” That’s the HOPE we’re focusing on this week. The Christmas season is a great reminder that God sent His Son into this world of challenges and junk because He knew we needed help. We were not made to go it alone. We have HOPE because God sent us Jesus to be with us each day. All we need to do is reach out to Him.

Praying for you this week. For HOPE. That you would reach out to Jesus and feel His presence as He walks beside you. If there’s ever any way we can walk alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/26/2023

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We want to share something this week that a friend shared on facebook….

I love this analogy!

You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you or shakes your arm, making you spill your coffee everywhere.

Why did you spill the coffee?

"Because someone bumped into me!!!"

Wrong answer.

You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.

Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.

*Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.*

Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out. It's easy to fake it, until you get rattled.

*So we have to ask ourselves... “what's in my cup?"*

When life gets tough, what spills over?

Joy, gratefulness, peace and humility?

Anger, bitterness, harsh words and reactions?

Life provides the cup, YOU choose how to fill it.

Today let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation; and kindness, gentleness and love for others.

(Shared from a friend whose cup is full of goodness and inspiration.)

Praying for you this week! For a cup full of all the good things. And for you to feel Jesus’ presence and goodness even in the bad. If there’s ever anything we can do to come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/19/2023

From a magazine we enjoy: “Are you thankful? Ahh, November, what a great time of the year! If you live in the south, you can still enjoy a brisk motorcycle ride through the beautiful fall foliage. Some in the far north have already meticulously prepared their faithful steed for its long winter’s nap. You can go out to the garage with a steaming hot cup of coffee, and while admiring the shop lights glistening off your fresh wax job and the soft humming of the battery tender, to be thankful for the great rides of this last season. Yes, thankfulness is the subject we think of in November. We are thankful for success, jobs, possessions, friends, and family.”

As we begin Thanksgiving week, can we just say how thankful we are for you? God has placed us in a community of biker, and we can’t think of a better family to belong to. We are blessed. So enjoy your week—a week to remember God’s hand on our country, from the very beginning. He had a plan for a new start. He still has a plan for our nation. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Praying for you this week. That in the middle of the Thanksgiving fun and chaos, you would find time to breathe. To remember that God is in control. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/12/2023

We enjoyed this from a devotional we read:

Earlier this year a motorcyclist roaring down a coastal highway in the Philippines didn’t realize the zipper of his backpack had come open. The man was making a business transfer with a large amount of cash. The bills began flying out of his backpack, covering the road and countryside. The rider wasn’t aware that over one million of his pesos were raining down like autumn leaves and being snatched up by others.

Our Lord rains down millions of blessings on His children, and it’s not an accident. He deliberately opens the vaults of heaven and sends us one blessing after another.

God is good and gracious! Thank Him for His blessings that come to you, one after another, today!

Praying for you this week. That you would find many reasons to thank Him for the blessings He gives. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/5/2023

From a magazine we saw this week:

One of the best-known facts about motorcycle riding is you go where you look. When you spend too much time staring at an object on either side of the road, your bike will tend to drift in that direction.

Anytime you encounter an obstacle in your lane, with the single track of a motorcycle, it is usually fairly easy to avoid. Still, if you spend too much time staring at it, you will develop target fixation and most likely run smack dab over it. I have encountered plenty of road obstacles through the years, such as potholes, truck tire tread, building materials, ice chests, and nearly every species of roadkill known to man. Yep, I have hit my share by fixating on the obstacle and not focusing on the clear path around it.

It is the same thing in life, when we concentrate on all the failed dreams, disappointments, and broken relationships; we are destined to run into those same situations again and again and again. How do we avoid these obstacles and find the clear path around them to freedom? The only way is to take our eyes off the sin in our lives and fix them on Jesus instead. He wants to lead us safely around the roadkill of our lives, set us on the right path, forgive us of our sin, and free us from the shame of our past.

Is fixating on your past destroying your future? Are you staying awake at night trying to figure out how to get around the junk in your life? The answer is simple. Fix your eyes on Jesus!

Praying for you this week. For eyes on Jesus. For His peace that comes only from trusting Him with the junk. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/29/2023

We heard about a sheep from New Zealand…. Shrek. Seems Shrek didn’t want to be sheared (or so the story goes). For whatever reason, Shrek ran away from the sheep farm and hid in a cave for 6 years and during that time was not sheared of the extra wool…. That made 60 pounds of wool when they found him and sheared him! That was a lot of extra weight to carry. That’s a true story (from what we could find). It was used to illustrate the point that we often carry “stuff” we’re not really supposed to carry. Burdens that we have taken on but that would be better to let go. Here’s a link:

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/07/shrek-sheep-who-escaped-shearing-f... (scroll down to the second picture)

Can we encourage you to let go of your burden. In the Bible, Jesus says, “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

Praying for you this week. That you would be able to release the burdens that are weighing you down. Jesus will take them. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/22/2023

As the air turns crisp, and the bright colors of fall paint the world around us, we can’t help but marvel at the majesty of God’s creation. The fall season is a time of beautiful transformation, both in our routines (especially here in Minnesota where fall and winter is very different than summer) and in nature. It is a reminder of the cycles of life and the faithfulness of our Creator. As the season changes, remember that our lives also go through seasons. Some seasons are easier than others, but know that no matter where you find yourself, God is using even the hard times to draw you closer to Him. He promises His grace. There’s a song that has a lyric: if it’s not good, then He’s not done. Sometimes it’s hard to understand, especially when it doesn’t feel good. But we can rest in the fact that just as we see the seasons change in nature, God is gently leading us through seasons in our lives. He has a good plan. He has a good plan for you.

He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. The only thing we have to do is accept His gift and surrender, letting Jesus take over the handlebars of our lives.

As you enjoy the beauty of this fall, we pray that you would be blown away by how good God is, and that you would know that you can trust Him. No matter the season. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/15/2023

Read this recently and it made us think.

“Science tells us that darkness is not a thing. Instead, darkness is the absence of something else: light. If you want to lighten a dark room, you don’t collect the darkness and remove it, you remove the darkness by bringing light into the room.”

This week, we challenge you to be the light… No matter where you go, or what you face, you often can’t change the circumstances. But you can bring the light into darkness. And know that you are not alone. Jesus is the Light of the world. And He’s only as far away as a prayer.

Praying for you this week. For God’s light to pour into you and from you. This world is a hard place sometimes. But Jesus is the Light. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/8/2023

A friend posted this on Facebook and we really liked it…

One day a man was crossing a bridge in life but was scared so he turned and asked God, “Can I hold Your hand so I may not fall?” God said, “No, my child, I will hold your hand.” He asked, “What’s the difference?” God replied, “If you hold My hand and something happens, you might let go but if I hold your hand, no matter what happens, I will never let you go.”

We like that illustration because it reminds us that it’s not about us being strong, but about Him holding us. We keep reminding ourselves, He’s got this!

Praying for you this week. That you would feel God’s presence and know that He is reaching out His hand for you. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/1/2023

Read this in a magazine this week and liked it…

“Have you noticed that there seem to be more turtles out and about this year? I have seen many trying to cross the road; some make it, and some don’t. Their hard shells help in many cases of encounters with traffic. Running over one on a motorcycle can be a recipe for disaster. A glancing blow can send the poor turtle into a dizzying spin or tumble. As if highway traffic wasn’t enough of a danger to them, turtles have many natural enemies…. The box turtle, in particular, earned its name by its ability to retract its legs, tail, and head and close up the shell entirely. Most predators can only carry them off to who knows where and bat them around without getting into the shell.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like a box turtle when life tries to run me over. When disappointments, failures, and sicknesses come, all we are able to do is draw deep into our shell, close off the world, and hang on for dear life while situations, people, and circumstances beat and batter us around. Then, when the attack is finally over, and we emerge from our shell, we have no idea where we are or which way is up.

God, in His wisdom, equipped the turtles with a great natural armor of protection. God, in His great love, did so much more for us. He gave us the Whole Armor of God so that when the trials of life come, we can stand firm against them. When tragedies, failures, and seemingly impossible situations beat, batter, and turn our world upside down, we can weather the storm. In God’s armor, we can stand!”

Praying for you this week. For God’s strength to stand, no matter what you face. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/24/2023

We heard an illustration at church today that made us think. The pastor was talking about air tags…. I guess the pastor’s wife has put one on his set of keys because they often get lost…. And he said he learned that a lot of parents have them with their kids so that they can find them if they get lost. Technology is amazing! Things that are valuable to us can be tagged so that we can always find them. But even more amazing is that God created us with the equivalent of an air tag inside each of us… He can always find us. No matter where we go—no matter how lost we think we are—He will find us. We are that valuable to Him. But He won’t force Himself on us. He reaches out His hand to us and waits for us to reach back.

Praying for you this week. That no matter where you find yourself, you would rest in knowing that He is reaching out for you. He’s got you! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/17/2023

We really liked this illustration:

“In an attempt to creatively deal with a potential energy crisis, modern engineers are attempting to design cars that run entirely on battery power. The hitch is that the cars must have access to a power source to recharge their batteries. As it is, the concept is relatively new, so that the stations with the auxiliary power chargers are fairly sparse. Without a power source, the car is helpless. In the same way, Christians who attempt to be effective… apart from the power of the Holy Spirit are equally helpless…. Are you trying to do things in your own strength…. instead of allowing His power to flow though you?”

Maybe we liked the illustration because it’s so hard for us to do! Often we are faced with things that we can’t fix…. So we have to go to the source (Jesus) and trust Him with the way forward.

Praying for you this week. For trust. God’s got this. But He waits for you to plug into His power. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/10/2023

Some of the words Billy Graham shared with the nation on September 14, 2001 which brought hope and healing in the middle of tragedy:

“We come together today to affirm our conviction that God cares for us, whatever our ethnic, religious or political background may be. The Bible says that He is “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”

“I have been asked hundreds of times why God allows tragedy and suffering. I have to confess that I do not know the answer. I have to accept, by faith, that God is sovereign, and that He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering.”

“There also is hope for the future because of God’s promises. As a Christian, I have hope, not just for this life, but for heaven and the life to come. And many of those people who died this past week are in heaven now. And they wouldn’t want to come back. It’s so glorious and so wonderful. That is the hope for all of us who put our faith in God. I pray that you will have this hope in your heart.”

“This event reminds us of the brevity and the uncertainty of life. We never know when we too will be called into eternity. I doubt if those people who got on those planes or who walked into the World Trade Center or the Pentagon on Tuesday thought that it would be the last day of their lives. And that’s why we each must face our own spiritual need and commit ourselves to God and His will.”

“Here in this majestic National Cathedral we see all around us the symbol of the cross. For the Christian, the cross tells us that God understands our sin and our suffering, for He took them upon Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. From the cross God declares, ‘I love you. I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pain that you feel. But I love you.’”

Praying for you this week. That as we remember the tragedy of September 11, we also know that even in the junk (especially in the junk), we are not alone. God is our hope. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/3/2023

We might have shared something like this before, but read it again this week and we can really relate…

“Vanilla, butter, sugar, flour, and cocoa headline the list of ingredients for a perfect chocolate cake. Mixing all these ingredients together makes a sweet dessert. But if we take any one of these individual ingredients alone—like vanilla—the taste is not so sweet, but even bitter. In the same way, God is a master chef, mixing together the ingredients in our lives to make a sweet offering to Him. An individual experience by itself may be bitter; yet mixed together with the whole, our lives turn out to be a divine creation. Are you experiencing a bitter trial right now? Wait to see how God will use that experience and bring other events into the mix. Trust Him, wait, and see.”

Praying for you this week. For patience in the often hard times of waiting on God. For peace in the middle of struggle. For joy in the hope that He has promised. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/27/2023

We were privileged to be a part of a ride this weekend, the Tribute to the Troops. The purpose of the ride is to ride to visit Gold Star families and let them know that their loved one’s death is remembered. That they are seen. It was pretty powerful—something like 80 bikers driving into their neighborhood, parking the bikes along the road going by their house, each biker solemnly giving a hug and saying thank you for your sacrifice…. And there was a guy who researched ahead of time details about their loved one…. He shared the time of day they were born, funny stories from when they were a child, tender memories of meeting their spouse…. When we left, the family felt like they had been seen. And this guy didn’t just do that with the gold star family—he had a gift and we personally overheard him encouraging a number of the bikers, individually, letting them know he had seen something they had done—a cool facebook post, a job well done…. It reminded us how powerful it is to know that someone sees. How good it feels to know that someone noticed. We want you to know that we see you going the extra mile. You work hard. You encourage those around you. You help when you can. But more important than that—we want you to know that God sees you. He sees what no one else sees. And it says in the Bible that He delights in you!

Praying for you this week. That you would be encouraged that God sees you, He cares about the hard things you’re going through, and He delights in you. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/13/2023

We heard an illustration this week that we had heard before. You might have also. It’s about how powerful draft horses are. Clydesdales as well as other working horses. They can pull an amazing load. A single draft horse can haul up to 8,000 pounds! That’s a lot. But even more amazing, when two of them are working together, instead of hauling 16,000 pounds, which you would expect, they can move up to 24,000 pounds! If they have been trained together, actually the two can haul 32,000 pounds! That’s four times what either of them could do alone!

It makes sense that we can accomplish more together than alone, but this is a lot! God did not create us to go it alone. He designed us (and nature) to work best when we have someone hauling with us. Know that you are an important part of the team. And know that there are others around to help you as well. We are designed to work best as a team.

Praying for you this week. That you would know that you’re not in this alone. For God to bring just the right person to help you and for you to help as you are hauling your load this week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/6/2023

We saw this on FaceBook and looked it up. It actually did happen in 2022….

“At the World Championships in Budapest, USA’s Anita Alvarez sank to the bottom of the pool. Looking across the deck, and noticing she was under way too long, her coach, Andrea Fuentes immediately dove in after her fully clothed, pulling her to safety. Anita was unconscious and didn’t have the capacity to kick, paddle, or help herself in any way. If Andrea would not have noticed, she would have drown. But she knew Anita. She looked for her, quickly noticed she was under too long, then dove in without thinking twice.”

Don’t know about you, but sometimes we feel like that swimmer. Under too long. In need of someone to dive in and help… And sometimes we feel like that coach. Trying to come alongside folks who need to be seen…. And we know each one of us plays both roles at different times. Thankfully, there is One who always sees and is always ready to support us when we are all out of strength. And He uses each of us to help our fellow “swimmers”…

Praying for you this week. That you would know that you are seen. God loves you and will not think twice if you are under too long. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/30/2023

What a wonderful weekend for riding! Hope you were able to get out and enjoy it. We were blessed to join a group ride on Sunday into Wisconsin. Beautiful ride. Good folks. We had a really nice time. Then we left the group to catch up with some friends we’ve known for 30 plus years—one couple moved to Arkansas and the other couple is more local. We talked for a few hours. A lot of good memories and laughter. When we got home, we noticed our neighbors sitting on their porch and joined them. Our neighbor is fighting pancreatic cancer, and a friend (and motorcyclist) had just finished putting up a new step railing for him so that he can maneuver the outdoor step. Again we had fun swapping motorcycle stories and shared some good fellowship.

Isn’t God good? He knew it’s not good for us to go it alone. He provides good folks to come alongside us and share good times and good memories. There’s a lift we get from knowing we’re not in this alone. Thank YOU for being part of a community that is there for each other. And can we remind you that there are folks who are there for you too. Most importantly, we are never out of God’s care. He is there.

Praying for you this week. For special times of fellowship with good friends, and with God. That you would be reminded that you are not alone. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/23/2023

We took the time to get away for a long weekend at Curt’s parents’ cabin. Enjoyed some dinners out, a little bit of boating, some walks, ladder ball, reading, watching a good show…. But the thing that overshadowed it all was the lake weeds. The lake weeds are crazy this year. Curt has decided it’s his mission to keep on top of them and be sure the shoreline is clear. Unfortunately that’s a bigger task than it sounds. The weeds just keep coming—washing on shore so that it’s covering the rocks and sand. The shore is down a steep hill, and weekly Curt loads up sleds and pulls them up the hill where he makes a new pile where they dry out a bit and we later load them up on a trailer to take to the recycling center. It’s a hard, backbreaking job. And as soon as he gets the shore line cleaned up, a wave boat goes by and shoots more weeds to shore. A lot more weeds. It feels pretty discouraging.

Isn’t that how life feels sometimes? We work really hard, trying to get on top (stay on top) of “weeds” but no matter how hard we work, they keep coming back. Agh! One of the things we did to relax was watch an episode of a show called The Chosen, which dramatizes the story of Jesus. The episode we watched included a scene when one of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, is in the middle of a personal storm and the disciples are in a boat on a lake in the middle of a physical storm. Jesus walks to them through the storm and Peter asks to be able to walk on the water to Him. So long as Peter keeps his eyes on Jesus, he is able to walk on the water. But as soon as he looks at the waves he starts to sink. So Jesus lifts him up and reminds him to keep his eyes on Jesus. It would be great if Jesus would remove the weeds, like He calmed the storm. But even if He doesn’t, we’re going to try to keep our eyes on Jesus and try to trust that He’s got this. He does.

Praying for you this week. That you would be able to keep your eyes on Jesus, and that He would help the “weeds” not be the focus. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/16/2023

We read an article in a local newspaper that described a car accident. “The dad was driving his 7 year old son to a baseball game, and the son dropped his bat while riding in the back seat. He took off his seatbelt ‘just for a second’ to help get the bat. The dad, trying to help his son, swerved into on-coming traffic and had a head-on collision. Their lives will never be the same. Both survived but will have to face several surgeries and months wheelchair bound…”. The author continues, “I feel rocked by the accident. It is something that I have done several times. Reached for a purse or phone on the floor of my car. We all make mistakes. I am once again reminded how fragile life can be. No promises of tomorrow or next week.”

Of course, as motorcyclists this has to remind us to be alert—you never know what is going to distract those around you, and that accident will be far more serious if a motorcycle is involved. Please be aware and drive offensively.

The other reminder from this article is from the title, “It can happen in a blink.” We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Life can change—for the good or the bad—without warning. The most important thing is to know that you know that you are right with God. He is there, but He is waiting for you to ask Him to be with you. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring—but we know Who holds tomorrow.

Praying for you this week. That God would protect you. That you would feel God’s presence walking beside you, and that you would reach out to Him. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/9/2023

We read something that made us think.

"A Christian is not privileged with a certain set of circumstances. Nice home. Perfect family. Good health. No, a Christian is a person with a certain attitude toward any and all circumstances... A heavenly attitude focuses on God's presence amid trials... We relax in God's presence, waiting to see how He will work out our concerns."

Can't say we do that really well... But it's good to have the reminder that God's got this. And we don't go through anything alone.

Praying for you this week! For you to feel God's presence no matter what--in the good and the bad. He cares. He's with you. If there's ever anything we can do to come alongside you, please don't hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/3/2023

We heard a show about the signers of the Declaration of Independence recently, and it made us think about a book that we got when the girls were in home school. It's called For You they Signed and it details the sacrifices that each of these men and their families made by signing the Declaration of Independence... We'd like to quote from the preface of the book:

When the fifty-six men signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, King George ordered his soldiers to find and execute them all, putting an end to the "foolish" rebellion. The British soldiers were just miles away from some of the homes of the New York signers on the day they placed their signatures on that document. They all knew, if captured, they would die the death of a traitor. John Adams, on the eve of the signing, wrote to his wife Abigail, "I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states; yet, through all the gloom I can see the rays of light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all the means."

They were laying their lives, fortune, and sacred honor on the line for you and me--their posterity.

John Quincy Adams said "You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."

As we celebrate the 4th of July this week, we are amazed at how God has had His hand on our country. And we know that in spite of any strife or struggle, God is still there. For our country. For you.

Praying for you this week. That you would be reminded that God has a plan, and that He can be trusted. If there's ever any way we can come alongside you, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/18/2023

We heard an interesting history about a common product. How scientists were tasked with creating a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry. First attempt failed. Second attempt failed…. And so on. Until finally after forty tries, they finally did it. The new product protected the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product worked so well that several employees snuck cans of the product out of the plant in their lunchboxes to use at home. But forty tries to finally accomplish it. You and I know that kind of frustration. When we try and try and it doesn’t work. Can I encourage you to keep moving forward. We often can’t see the point. But God does. He has a plan for you and you honor Him when you keep plugging along. Know that you’re never alone. He’s right there by your side.

Oh, and by the way, the product that we described? WD-40. Which stands for “water displacement 40th formula.”

Praying for you this week. That you would feel God’s presence no matter what you face—and no matter how many attempts you make. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/11/2023

We read this on FaceBook recently, and thought it was interesting:

“It was the 1912 Olympics, and Jim Thorpe, a Native American from Oklahoma, represented the US in track and field. On the morning of his competitions, his shoes were stolen. Luckily, Jim ended up finding two shoes in a garbage can…. But one of the shoes was too big, so he had to wear an extra sock. Wearing these shoes, Jim won two gold medals that day. This is a perfect reminder that you don’t have to resign to the excuses that have held you back.”

“So what if life hasn’t been fair? What are you going to do about it today? Whatever you woke up with this morning: stolen shoes, ill health, failed relationships, failed business, don’t let it stop you from running your race. You can experience more in life if you’ll get over the excuses and get on with living. You can have reasons or you can have results… but you can’t have both. My friends, may we all strive to keep running in this life no matter what the problem with our shoes (life) may be.”

He certainly overcame…. We don’t know where Jim stood with Christ, but we would add that we never run the race alone. No matter the situation, fair or not, He is there and He is good.

Praying for you this week. For God to remind you that He is there, and for Him to help as you continue to run the race—no matter what challenges you face this week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/4/2023

We thought it was time for some humor…. You may have heard Judi share this at some of the blessings we’ve done this year. But it makes us smile…

Three men were sitting together bragging about how they had given their new wives duties at home.

The first man had married a woman he met at work and had told her that she was going to do dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple days, but on the third day, he came home to a clean house and dishes washed and put away.

The second man had married a woman he met hiking. He had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was cleaned and the dishes were done, and food was on the table.

The third man had married a woman he met riding motorcycles. He told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye, enough to fix himself a bite to eat and load the dishwasher.

Praying for you this week. For God to give you the release that comes with a chuckle…. For a little bit of lightness in what can be a stressful time of year. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/28/2023

The Nation of Patriots Tour coming to Wild Prairie and Memorial Day made us think about the American flag and what it represents…. The colors of the American flag were chosen with purpose. They point to the best in the American people. Red for courage and bravery. White for purity and innocence. Blue for justice and perseverance. But these colors also represent the hand of God on our country. Red for the blood of Jesus. His glory is a foundation for the existence of a land that draws people around the world. White represents purity. On the background, red and white stripes are shown alternately. The blood of the Lord shed on the cross redeemed us and made us pure from our sins. And blue reminds us of God’s grace. America appears to be the place where God has always lavished His blessings. His blessing flows through the state of America and serves as the divine glue that hold them together.

When you look at our flag, remember the members of our armed forces who have sacrificed greatly to defend our country. Be thankful that this flag is a symbol of unity, of people from many various walks of life coming together as one. But also may it remind you of the hand of God—that He is the foundation of our great land.

There are many challenges facing us, challenges that often threaten to block us from true freedom. National, state, local, personal challenges. But when we go to God, we will find that, with Him, we have the strength to face any challenge that comes our way.

Praying for you this week. That you would see God’s hand on our country and on you personally. That He would give you the strength to face any challenge that comes your way. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/21/2023

Today can we share how thankful we are for good weather? As you know, after a LONG winter and BAD motorcycling weather, this past weekend was amazing! We don’t have to tell you that. Hopefully you were able to be out—on the motorcycle or not. Our weekend was good but full—we provided a few biker blessings. Unfortunately, after the last blessing we did, a rider dropped their bike in the parking lot. No injuries (other than pride), but we felt bad that that would happen right after praying for safe travel…. Having your bike blessed does not keep you from mishaps. Having a personal relationship with Jesus does not protect you from going through struggles. God is not a genie or a good luck charm. But He does promise to be with us no matter what. Thankfully this rider was not hurt. But even if they had been, even when bad things happen, we can trust God. Not sure who needs to hear this (but we sure do): God’s got this. He is with you and He loves you.

Praying for you this week. That you would know that God’s got this. He loves you. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/14/2023

We read something that really made sense to us: “It has been said that life is ten percent what happens and ninety percent how one responds to what happens. In that light, the actual circumstances of life do not matter as much as a person’s attitude toward them. Circumstances are beyond anyone’s control. But an attitude or response is a choice. Life may bring us a disharmonious jumble of notes and melodies in a minor key. With God’s help, however, we can choose to arrange the notes to produce a song of worship and victory. We can choose to hear melody in the madness of our lives.”

Wow. That’s hard to do. It’s a daily choice. And it works much better when we know we aren’t in it alone. It’s easier to respond well when we know we’re on a team working together. Thank you for being on our team, and know that we consider it a privilege to be on yours! Of course, ultimately, the best person to have on our team is the Lord!

Praying for you this week. That God would help each of us to respond well, knowing that He is with us and for us. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/7/2023

We enjoyed an illustration from our devotional this week. It was about ostriches. “Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand to “hide” from predators—as if closing their eyes will make them invisible? No—they lay their eggs in the sand and occasionally stick their heads in to check on and rotate the eggs until they hatch. Even ostriches know they can’t hide from reality... We sometimes think God can’t see us or our sin…”

That sounds a bit scary or threatening to be watched all the time…. Until we realize that God loves us. He hates sin, to be sure, but He loves us. And He has gone to extremes to draw us into a relationship with Him. We can’t hide from reality. But we CAN rest in knowing that He is there and He is lovingly drawing each of us to Himself.

Praying for you this week. For peace in knowing that God knows. He doesn’t ignore sin, but He does provide a way for us to move forward from it. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/30/2023

This Thursday, May 4, is the National Day of Prayer. Each year since 1775 Americans have been called on to humbly come before God to seek His guidance, wisdom and grace for our leaders and our nation on the first Thursday of May. When we went to the National Day of Prayer website, they had lots of information—one of the things that we really liked was an acrostic to help remember the basics of prayer. It uses the letters P R A Y:

P=PRAISE. Thank God for all the blessings that He has given—the big and the small.

R=REPENT. As much as we’d like, not one of us is free from sin, from doing the exact opposite of what we should. So we need to confess that to God and consciously turn from doing that, to repent.

A=ASK. God loves to hear our requests. Just ask Him. Sometimes He’ll say yes! Sometimes He’ll say no. Sometimes He’ll say wait. But He always listens.

Y=YIELD. It’s important to remember that He does know best. Sometimes we have to yield to His plan, to trust Him. He’s got it!

Praying with you for our nation, for righteousness to reign. For truth and light to be revealed and for His protection and guidance. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/23/2023

We read something in a magazine this week that we wanted to share:

With the long-awaited warmer weather, the month of May always promises better riding conditions. Less rain and storms are always good for motorcyclists, but we must still be alert for road debris. You can dodge all kinds of things, such as building material, branches, car and truck parts, black alligators, shoes, trash bags, and roadkill of all species. These things can be distracting, moving us off our line and sometimes clear out of the lane.

Distractions in day-to-day living can move us off the route we know we should be taking. In life, we try to do the right thing and go in the right direction, but things keep getting in our way. Sometimes it is simply our own plans or wisdom that takes us off course, and sometimes it is someone else’s advice we trusted that misleads us. We think we know the right way to go but end up someplace we don’t want to be and make decisions we regret. To succeed in this world, we need the guidance and wisdom only God can give.

So often, our plans fail simply because our wisdom is faulty. Life is full of distractions that divert us from the route we thought we should surely follow. Sometimes we end up missing the mark, and our life is not what we had hoped for. God has a perfect, more fulfilling, and productive plan for our lives than you could ever imagine.

Praying for you this week. That God help you to see His plan for you. That He would help you to avoid distractions and stay focused on His direction. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/16/2023

We learned about something called Kintsugi…. It’s a Japanese form of art. When a piece of pottery is broken, instead of throwing it away as we so often seem to, the artist will fill the cracks and the holes with gold or other precious metal, putting it back together and making what was broken beautiful and useful again. “It is believed that when broken items are repaired with gold or silver like this, that the flaw becomes a unique piece of the object’s history. And the uniqueness adds to its beauty.” We all have broken places. Sometimes we feel as if it is beyond repair. But God is the master artist. He takes what was broken and makes it beautiful. In fact, in the master artist’s hands, the most broken place becomes the most beautiful.

Praying for you this week. That God would fill your cracks and bring beauty from the broken. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/9/2023

We heard an Easter message this week that gave this list of the ABCs of what Christ’s Resurrection Gives Us/Means. The pastor said he had a particularly hard time with “o” and “x”…. But he killed it on the “z”!

A chance to live forever.

Buys us all the time in the world.

Cemeteries are no longer creepy.

Death is defeated.

Ends our obligation to the flesh.

Forgiveness is secured.

Guarantees our future resurrection.

Highlights Christ’s authority/power.

Imperishable bodies are on the way.

Jesus is God… period.

Kills our old way of living.

Lets us appear with Him in Glory.

Makes a mockery of Christ’s enemies.

Never have to say goodbye.

OH MY, THIS IS REALLY GOOD NEWS!

Preaching now matters.

Quells the sting of death.

Reason to endanger our lives for the sake of the gospel.

Sets us free from sin/death/hell.

Takes us into Glory.

Unites us to His resurrection.

Victory is ours.

When life is over—it’s not OVER.

X-citing, isn’t it?!?

You now have abundant life and eternal life.

Zero chance of you losing.

Zealously live your life for God’s glory.

Zoom to heaven after you die.

Zillions of dollars will not compare to your riches in Christ.

Ze future is secure.

Praying for you this week. The resurrection changes everything. Praying that you would know in your heart that He loves you far more than you can ever understand. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/2/2023

We recently heard an illustration that we really like. Imagine a freezing cold lake. Not hard to do right now…. It’s not frozen over, but it’s really cold. Would you volunteer to go jump in that lake? Doesn’t sound like a good thing to do. But suppose you saw a young child fall into that lake and they went under the water. That changes everything. I believe you would not hesitate to jump in that freezing lake in order to rescue that child. The fear of jumping into the frozen lake is overshadowed by your compassion for the child who fell in.

The illustration goes further. When we think about Easter and Jesus dying on the cross… why would anyone do that? Why would He die? He did not hesitate when He saw us. We needed rescuing, and He jumped in at great personal pain because He knew His sacrifice would mean life for us.

Just as that child who fell into the freezing lake, I know that many folks are facing hard situations. Life is hard. Thank God that He has promised to be with us no matter what we face.

Praying for you this week. This is Holy Week, and we remember the path Jesus took to the cross. He knew the cost. He knew it would be a sacrifice. But He jumped into that frozen lake because He loves you. You are someone worth dying for. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/26/2023

Things didn’t go the way we had planned Saturday. Curt was planning on going to the Donnie Smith Show and connecting with folks and enjoying seeing some amazing motorcycles. But things didn’t go as smoothly as planned and he was a bit later getting there than he had wanted. It wasn’t that late, but there were NO parking places! None. So he went to a few motorcycle dealerships and came back a few hours later. Still NO parking places. So frustrating! Judi was planning on taking Curt’s mom shopping. But things didn’t go as smoothly as planned and Clarice wasn’t ready to go when Judi got to her senior apartment to pick her up. And things went slower than Judi wanted the rest of the day…. And Curt’s mom wasn’t feeling the best, so she was a little hard to be around…. So frustrating!

Funny, Saturday morning we both heard someone make a comment about dealing with life. They suggested that things coming at us are like two arrows. So the first arrow hits and it’s something to deal with. Then the second arrow hits and it’s how we choose to deal with the first arrow. We often don’t have much say in the first arrow. But we do have something to say about that second arrow. Can we confess that we definitely don’t handle the arrows as well as we’d like. But it helps to know that even when things don’t go the way we plan, God is there. It's easier to say we trust Him that it is to actually try to trust Him when things are not going the way we think they should. But no matter what, He is there walking through with us.

Praying for you this week. That you would see God’s hand. Even if things aren’t going the way you want them to. He is there. You can trust Him. (We’re praying this for ourselves too!) If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/19/2023

Heard something awhile ago that we really liked—forgot to write down where we heard it, but it’s good. It’s about prayer. As you know, we’re big on prayer. It is our privilege to lift praises and burdens to the Lord. He is the only One who can really do anything with some of our burdens. The quote said, “our praying is not to shift or change some outward circumstance, but for a revelation of how God is already working.” Of course we ask God to change things sometimes, but He’s not a genie who has to do our bidding…. This quote reminds us that no matter how He answers our prayers, He is in control. He is already working. Even when things don’t turn out the way we want, He is there. He is there.

Praying for you this week. That you would see God’s hand. Even if things aren’t going the way you want them to. He is there. You can trust Him. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/12/2023

It’s really hard to get used to the time change…. That’s an hour of sleep we miss. Then you’re tired all day. BUT it also means that spring really IS coming. (Even if it doesn’t look like it outside). It helps to say that in writing—it really IS coming! We were reminded about the importance of attitude this week. How we look at things really does matter. We are reading a book published by Voice of the Martyrs and it says,

“A Christian is not privileged with a certain set of circumstances. Nice home. Perfect family. Good health. No, a Christian is a person with a certain attitude toward any and all circumstances. A person’s attitude makes the difference, regardless of circumstances. A heavenly attitude focuses on God’s presence amid trails. Fixating on our hardships distracts us from a heavenly outlook. We feel burdened. Depressed. Hopeless. In contrast, a godly outlook on our troubles brings confidence that God is at work. We relax in God’s presence, waiting to see how He will work out our concerns. Are you undergoing a trial right now? Where are you focused? Ask God to redirect your energies so you can look beyond your troubles and feel His presence near you.”

Praying for you this week. For confidence that God’s got this. No matter what you’re facing, God wants nothing more than for you to reach out to Him as you walk through. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/5/2023

Judi went to a conference this weekend and the theme that came across to her was about waiting on God. Nobody likes to be in the “waiting room.” It feels like God isn’t answering prayer when we have to wait, but there is a quote from Billy Graham reminding us, “God always answers prayer. Sometimes He answers YES! Sometimes He answers NO. Sometimes He says WAIT.” But we don’t like to be in the place where we have to wait! Judi was reminded that we have to trust God’s timing. “It is always with great love and divine wisdom whenever our Heavenly Father gently responds to our prayer requests with these words (which we prefer not to hear too often), ‘My child, you must wait.’” You can trust Him in the wait. Waiting expresses our dependance on God…. And is proof that He loves us and only wants what is best, even if that means we have to wait.

Praying for you this week. For patience in the waiting time. That you would know that you can trust God with this. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/26/2023

There is SO MUCH going on these days—so many struggles, so many hurts, so much junk. It’s a bit overwhelming sometimes. We read a quote from Augustine (not one of our go-to guys for encouragement usually): “Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.” He’s got this. No matter what it is. We need that reminder that we can ALWAYS trust God.

Praying for you this week. That even in the middle of “junk” you would feel His presence and know that He’s got even this. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/19/2023

Not sure who said, it, but we found a quote that we wrote down to think about…. It says that we don’t pray because God needs to hear us, but because we need to hear our own voice saying that God is here. He is here. You may have heard about a revival that has been going on for days at Asbury University campus in Kentucky. Can we tell you that God is moving. He is drawing people to seek Him. We don’t know the details of Asbury, but we do know that when you truly seek the Lord, you will find Him. He is mighty God. He doesn’t need to hear us. But we need to be reminded that He is here. He doesn’t need us, but He knows that we need Him. When we humble ourselves and come to Him in prayer, His peace pours over us and we know that He’s got this.

Praying for you this week. For His peace and hope and joy! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/12/2023

In the Bible (in Lamentations 3:22) it says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.”

Happy Valentines Day!

Praying for you this week. That you would feel Jesus pouring His love over you in a special way today! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/5/2023

From the CMA magazine: “February makes us think of Valentine’s Day and grade school memories of paper hearts and printed candies…. As we get older, we become concerned with our physical hearts, and for good reason, as there are well over 300,000 sudden cardiac arrests in the United States every year…. Heart health is important here in this natural life, but it is imperative for the life to come. Have you given your spiritual heart to Jesus?”

Really, that’s the most important thing of all. So important that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to die for us so that our hearts can be right with God. But we have to accept His free gift and make the choice to follow Him.

Praying for you this week. That as we approach Valentines Day this year you would consider giving your heart to Jesus. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 1/29/2023

One of our favorite radio personalities, Suzy Larson, shared in a devotional: “Sometimes the most faith-filled thing you can do is to quiet your heart, close your mouth, and let go of the thing that stresses you so. Jesus doesn’t drop things, so you can trust Him to hold whatever you entrust to Him….” That’s hard to do. But it boils down to trust. Can we trust Him? Yes. He’s got even this. In the Psalms it says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Praying for you this week. For stillness. That you would know that He is God and you can trust Him. No matter what. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 1/22/2023

Sometimes we all go through some tough things. Here’s a quote we kinda liked. It’s from D.L. Moody, a famous preacher from the 1800s…. “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all.” It reminds us that there’s nothing too big for God. But there’s also nothing too little for God. He is there, just waiting for you to reach out to Him.

Praying for you this week. That you would know that even when He doesn’t answer the way we want, He is there and He cares. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 1/15/2023

Kinda funny—but after talking about the marathon last week, we read an article called “We’re All Runners in the Ultramarathon of Life” which gives some life lessons based on running a marathon. Thought they were good points.

Life Lesson No 1: Aim For the Finish Line

Unless you’re one of the top few contenders in such a crazy race, your main competitor is you. Most of the runners aim at maintaining a certain pace, sure, but their main goal is simply to get to the finish line.

Life Lesson No 2: We Can All Use Some Help

Competent people who have your back, those with your best interests at heart, are silver and gold.

Life Lesson No 3: Cheer On Those Who Are Trying

No matter where we are in our own race, whatever that race may be, words of encouragement can keep us going.

Life Lesson No 4: Success Means Coupling Ambition, Action

Not all of our dreams will come true. But here’s one irrefutable fact: None of them will come true unless we take action.

We are not marathon runners—not any kind of runners. But we would add one more…. KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS. Life seems out of control these days. But He’s got it. The way to get through challenges is to focus on Jesus.

Praying for you this week. That you would be able to focus on Jesus and just keep going. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 1/8/2023

Do you know the Guiness World Record for the longest marathon? Japanese Olympian Shizo Kanakuri entered the Olympic marathon in Sweden in 1912, but was not able to complete the race. In fact, the severe heat and humidity contributed to him having to stop the race and he ended up in a Swedish family’s garden. When he woke up, they nursed him back to health. But he was so embarrassed that he returned quietly to Japan. The Olympic officials did not know what happened to him. It might have been forgotten except that it became a sort of urban legend in Sweden and 50 years later a Swedish journalist found Kanakuri and he finally agreed to finish the race on camera at the age of 76 years old! His official finish time was 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds! When asked to say a few words about breaking a world record for slowest marathon run ever, he said, “It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren.”

We liked that story. Partly because it reminds us that life truly is a marathon. There are lots of things going on that pull us off track. But the key is to just keep going. Especially as we start a new year, can we encourage you instead of worrying about big resolutions and changes to just keep going. Take that next best step.

Praying for you this week. That you would be able to focus on Jesus and just keep going. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 1/1/2023

We heard a friend talking about a trip he took to Togo Africa last summer. He said that when you are on the highway, because of the way the on/off system is, you often end up heading into oncoming traffic! He said you can’t do what we do here—you are forced to slow down and use caution. He was given the advice “slow down and allow space!” Can’t imagine driving in a situation like that. But it’s a good word especially as we begin the new year. Not sure if you’re like us, but life seems to go too fast and crazy most of the time. Slow down and allow space. We’re going to try to do that!

Praying for you this week. For a good start to 2023. For you to find a way to slow down and allow space. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 12/25/2022

Merry Christmas! After four weeks of advent, Christmas is here. After all the build up, then what? Sometimes it’s a bit depressing to be done…. But that’s the thing. It’s not done. We have a Christmas ornament of the manger scene…. It’s not fancy. Just a wooden stable (we know there’s discussion about what the stable actually looked like—maybe it was a cave) with Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus… We leave it out all year. It’s a reminder that although we celebrate Jesus’ birth on Christmas, it’s not over. Jesus is Immanuel—that means God with us. He came so that we would never be alone. He came to that we wouldn’t have to face life by ourselves. He is God with us. Always. All year.

Praying for you this week. That the JOY, PEACE, LOVE, and HOPE that came into the world as a baby would fill you up all year long. That you would know that you are not alone. God is with us. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 12/18/2022

From our daily devotional: “Lots of terms describe busyness—the rat race, the daily grind, the hamster cage, the treadmill, the vicious cycle. This time of year we call it the Christmas rush. But let’s make time for the Christmas hush—contemplative, meaningful, quiet time when we can ponder the wonderful story of Jesus and write on our hearts every word….” This 4th Sunday of Advent is for JOY. We heard something once, “JOY is deeper than our sorrows, more solid that our circumstances.” But it’s hard to have JOY in the middle of all the rush this time of year. That devotional hit us as the key to JOY. Taking time in the middle of the busyness to focus on Jesus. JOY in the middle of chaos. PEACE in the middle of craziness. LOVE in the middle of hate. HOPE where things seem impossible. Christmas is about Jesus. About choosing His way.

The devotional that day ends with a quote, “I want to slow down Christmas and enjoy and feel the bliss in knowing this Son, this baby Jesus was sent for you and me.”

Praying for you this week. For JOY. For you to focus on Jesus instead of all the stuff going on around you. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 12/11/2022

The third Sunday of Advent, December 11, reminds us of God’s LOVE. A good friend sent us a saying that seemed appropriate. The quote is from Joe Gatuslao. “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He could live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. What about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem; not to mention that Friday at Calvary.”

Praying for you this week. For you to know the LOVE that God has for you. That you would accept the Christmas gift He gave. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 12/4/2022

This Sunday (Dec 4) was the second Sunday in advent…. And the focus for this week is PEACE. I think we all would agree that we long for peace. But we learned that the Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, means a whole lot more than “just” not fighting. It is “how things are meant to be: a slice of heaven.” PEACE with others, inner PEACE, PEACE with God…. It allows us to have “restful, tranquil faith, despite the dark, scary world around us." That kind of PEACE only comes through Jesus. And that is the point. He was born so that we could enjoy PEACE with God. That’s why He’s the best Christmas gift of all.

Praying for you this week. For the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, to guard your heart and your mind. For rest. For tranquility. In spite of everything going on. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/27/2022

One of the traditions we have in our home for advent is lighting a candle each week. When the girls were little, we were actually better about doing it. This year has been hard on so many levels, it may be the year to reset this tradition. One website explaining the advent candle tradition says: “Christmas gives us time to concentrate on the wonder of Jesus’ birth and what it means to us… Jesus is the light of the world and we light Advent candles to signify this. It’s also a way to build anticipation for the celebration of the first coming of Jesus. Beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and each Sunday leading up to Christmas Day, families light a candle…. The closer one gets to Christmas, the more the candles get lit, and the brighter it shines.”

This Sunday (11-27) is the first Sunday of advent and the candle represents HOPE. There was a period of 400 years when God was silent between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The birth of Jesus brought an end to that silence. Doesn’t it feel like God is silent sometimes…. But the HOPE of Christmas is that God sent His Son to be with us. And the wonderful sounds of Christmas remind us that He broke the silence with the birth of His son. Christmas carols. Jingle bells. Children laughing. Ho ho ho. No matter what you’re going through, there is HOPE. God didn’t promise an easy life, but He did promise to walk with us.

Praying for you this week. That the joyful sounds of Christmas would remind you that you are not alone. God is right there. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/21/2022

There are studies that show that the more thankful we are, the better things go…. In fact, if we start the day off by even TRYING to think of something to be thankful for, it changes the course of our day—even if we can’t think of anything! We heard an exercise to help practice thankfulness. Go through the alphabet…. A—air, B—bananas, C—cats, D—dogs…. Doesn’t have to be profound—just things we are thankful for. And it will change the day. Not surprisingly, God already knew this. In the Bible (in Philippians 4:6-7) He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This week our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving. Have a blessed day, however you will be celebrating.

Praying for you this week. For special reminders of things to be thankful for…. For the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, to guard your hearts and minds. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/14/2022

As we were doing errands Sunday we were listening to the Vikings game. We got home to hear a missed touchdown run and the other team had the ball with 50 seconds left in the game. Since we were home, and it sounded like it was over, we turned it off and unloaded the car. To our shock we learned that the game actually went to overtime and the Vikings ended up winning! There have been a lot of “winning” and “losing” situations this week—some that we still don’t know the results. But if you have chosen to be on Christ’s team, no matter how it looks, you are on the winning team. And if you’re not sure if you’re on His team, He would love to have you join Him! All you have to do is ask from your heart—give Him the handle bars of your life—and He has promised a win! Life can be pretty discouraging these days…. Just thought you might need to be reminded.

Praying for you this week. That God would show you in a special way that He IS in control. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 11/7/2022

We found this prayer from David Jeremiah. Won’t you pray with us as we head into election week, that God would heal our land and bring unity in a country full of division?

“Father, we know that if we as Your people, who are called by Your Name, humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face—turning from our wicked ways—You will hear us from heaven, forgive us of our sin, and heal our land. God, heal our land! Have Your hand over the hearts of our people as we approach a critical time in history. We pray for our nation. We pray for her citizens. We pray that we would seek Your face. We put our trust in You. Father, may we be a radiant reflection of Your love and grace in all that we do and say, knowing that You are in our tomorrow and the future is in Your control. Amen”

Praying for you this week. That you would see God at work in this country and in your life. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/31/2022

Now that we parked the bikes for the winter, we got an email from a friend who lives in Duluth and rides his motorcycle most of the winter! (He has made some modifications and has special gear.) And we read an article that said:

“Now more than ever, mental health awareness is at an all-time high. Following countless days spent in lockdown, and with the current high gas prices, many of us spent our time staring into space wondering how we can escape it all.”

“Apparently, scientists discovered that riding a motorcycle releases dopamine and endorphin hormones, which makes us feel happy. I don’t know about you, but even in a foul mood I can jump on a bike, and after a few miles everything feels right again. #FollowTheScience:)”

We’re thankful that God has given us special things—like riding motorcycles—to help us balance out life when it gets to be a challenge. And life can certainly be a challenge these days. Another gift that He has given is great people to help us through. Like you. We are blessed to be a part of the motorcycling community here in the Twin Cities.

Praying for you this week. That God would show you a special escape to help you keep your balance. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/24/2022

It’s a bit of a sad day…. Yep, it was the day to tuck the bikes in for the winter. It does feel good to organize and get the bikes all set. And it’s sad that we won’t be able to ride for a few months, but we have the hope of spring when they will wake up and we’ll get out on them again. Made us think about the hope we have in Jesus. Even in the midst of the struggles of this world, we have the hope that only comes from Jesus. He has promised that if we will trust Him, He will be with us each day and we will be with Him forever. Now that is hope!

Praying for you this week. For hope. No matter whether the circumstances you face are sad or frustrating or hard or good. For hope. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/17/2022

It seems like there’s a lot going on these days. So many people I talk with are dealing with some hard stuff. We read an article written by Andrew Brunson. He was imprisoned in Turkey for two years for his Christian faith. We thought the end of the article was especially encouraging:

“How do we learn to persevere? How do we build a persevering mentality?

We build perseverance by doing it.

Start by being faithful in the small things now. This is what prepares us to pay the big cost when it comes. Jesus underlined that the one who is faithful in the small things will be faithful in larger things.

Pray for the grace of endurance. The truth is that underlying all our efforts is God’s faithfulness. We could not endure on our own, and He doesn’t ask us to. Ultimately, He carries us through, and we should rest in this. But let’s not minimize that He expects us to exert ourselves to persevere.”

Praying for you this week. For perseverance in the face of struggle. That you would know that you’re not in it alone because God is faithful. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/10/2022

Was cleaning the garage and found this gem from when I was teaching in Minneapolis…. Sorry it’s a bit long, but it was too good to cut…. Enjoy!

Dieting Under Stress

This diet is designed to help you cope with the stress that builds up during the day.

Breakfast: ½ grapefruit; 1 slice whole wheat toast, dry; 8 oz skim milk

Lunch: 4 oz lean broiled chicken breast; 1 cup steamed spinach; 1 cup herb tea; 1 Oreo cookie

Mid-Afternoon Snack: rest of the oreos in the package; 2 pints Rocky Road ice cream; 1 jar hot fudge sauce; nuts, cherries, whipped cream

Dinner: 2 loaves garlic bread with cheese; large sausage, mushroom & cheese pizza; 4 cans or 1 2 liter bottle coke; 3 Milky Way or Snickers candy bars

Late Evening News: entire frozen cheese cake eaten directly from freezer

Rules for this diet

1. If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.

2. If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are cancelled out by the diet soda.

3. When you eat with someone else, calories don’t count if you don’t eat more than they do.

4. Food used for medical purposes NEVER counts: such as hot chocolate, toast, and Sara Lee cheesecake.

5. If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.

6. Movie related foods do not have additional calories because they are part of the entire entertainment package and no part of one’s personal fuel: such as Milk Duds, buttered popcorn, Junior Mints, Red Hots, and Tootsie Rolls.

7. Cookie pieces contain no calories. The process of breaking causes calorie leakage.

8. Things licked off knives and spoons have no calories if you are in the process of preparing something. Examples: peanut butter on a knife while making a sandwich, and ice cream on a spoon making a sundae.

9. Foods that have the same color have the same number of calories. Examples are spinach and pistachio ice cream, mushrooms and white chocolate. Note: Chocolate is a universal color and may be substituted for any other food color.

Seriously, life is stressful right now. There is so much going on. I wish there was a magic formula to reduce stress. Believe me, I would follow it! But I can encourage you that even when things seem out of control and impossible, God’s got it. He has a good plan. He has a

Praying for you this week. That life would seem a little lighter knowing that you are not alone. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 10/3/2022

We have probably all been touched in some way by Hurricane Ian. We have friends who just moved to Englewood, FL which was hit pretty hard. What a relief to hear that they are doing ok. Lots of work to do, but they are safe. It was amazing to see the power of that storm. And to realize that Our God is even more powerful!

No matter what storm you are facing, can we remind you that God is more powerful than the storm. And even when life hits us hard, we’ll be ok. There may be work to do, but we’ll be safe when we trust in the One who is stronger than any storm. We challenge you to look for Him at work even in the worst of circumstances, reminding you that He is there. We challenge ourselves this same thing!

Praying for you this week. That you would find hope and peace in knowing that God is there, no matter what. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/26/2022

Our devotional made us think…. One of the things it said was “Our failures do not define us, but our responses to failure can shape us forever. Your sin does not destroy your faith; God is quite ready to forgive you and move on.” The devotional also talks about a conversation Jesus had with one of His disciples, Peter. Jesus didn’t pray for Peter to avoid a struggle. “He prayed for Peter in the aftermath of his fall because He knew it would become a catalytic moment in his faith that would stick with him the rest of his life.”

Going through junk in life doesn’t mean that God isn’t there. In fact, Jesus is praying for us even before we know we need to pray! It isn’t because God couldn’t change things, but because God knows what we need to strengthen us to face what is ahead. And He doesn’t let us go through alone. He’s there.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/19/2022

We wanted to share an illustration we liked from a devotional by David Jeremiah.

Dog trainers can teach scores of tricks and commands to their animals, but most trainers say three commands are important enough to become lifesavers. The first is “Down, Stay.” If a dog is running toward the road, for example, his life may depend on his instant obedience. The second vital command is “Drop It.” Dogs put their teeth into all kinds of things. One of the greatest hazards for dogs in America is swallowing human prescription medication. A dog that understands “Drop It” may live longer for it. The third command is “Come!” A dog that runs away from its owner won’t last long.

Like our canine friends, we need to learn to respond instantly to God’s commands in Scripture. He, too, tells us “Down, Stay, “ so we won’t rush headlong into temptation. He certainly tells us to “Drop It” when it comes to temptation and sinful habits. And His number one command for us? To come and follow Him.

Praying for you this week. That we would all focus on following Him. And that we would know His peace. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/11/2022

Twenty-one years have passed since the devastating Sept 11 attacks that shook the United States and communities around the globe. On the anniversary, we continue to honor the memories of those who died, their loved ones and the many first responders who risked their lives to bring healing to a fractured society.

Former president George W Bush commented, “Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.”

Lord Jesus,

One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history. Jesus, help us to never forget. Not only tragedy and shock, loss and mourning, but the bravery and self-sacrifice, the love that lays down its life for a friend. Help us to never forget that You are the model for that kind of sacrifice. You laid down Your life for ours. Thank you. Jesus, we pray that You would help us to see you no matter where we are, no matter what happens. Help us to know that You are with us.

In Your name, AMEN

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 9/5/2022

A teacher wanted to teach her students about self-esteem, so she asked anyone who thought they were dumb to stand up.

One kid stood up and the teacher was surprised. She didn’t think anyone would stand up so she asked him, “Why did you stand up?”

He answered, “I didn’t want to leave you standing up by yourself.”

Hope that made you smile like it made us! Praying for your week. That God would give you situations to practice being kind. Maybe by standing up with someone so they’re not alone! If there’s ever any way we can stand up with you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/29/2022

We have a framed sign hanging in the bathroom for us to look at first thing in the morning….

“Good morning. This is God. I will be handling all of your problems today and I do not need your help. So have a great day!”

Gotta keep re-reading that one…

Praying for your week. God’s got this. No matter what we face. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/22/2022

We read a quote awhile ago that we’re still thinking over…. It’s from Corrie ten Boom, who survived being in a concentration camp during WWII for hiding Jews from the Nazis. She has a lot of wisdom…. The quote we’ve been pondering says,

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.

If you look within, you’ll be depressed.

But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.”

Especially knowing what she survived makes that quote mean more…. But that advice is sure hard to follow!

Praying for your week—for the peace that only comes from looking to God. Can we tell you that we’re praying the same for ourselves! It helps to know we’re all in the same boat—and that we’re all working to come alongside each other! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/15/2022

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was built between 1933 and 1937. And during the first half of the construction over a dozen men fell off the super structure, plunging 700 feet to their death in the water below. So because of all the tragedy surrounding the project, construction was eventually halted and then a safety net, costing several hundreds of thousands of dollars – think about that price in the 30s – was put under the bridge so that if anybody would fall, that he’d be caught. And during the last half of construction, about six people fell, but their lives were spared. Now interestingly, during the last half of the construction on the bridge, the work actually proceeded at 25% greater productivity and efficiency. See, knowing the net was there didn’t make the workers careless; it made them more confident and more efficient. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have a net below you called God’s grace. When you stumble and fall, that net catches you and forgives you and re-establishes you and reminds you that Christ has you.

Praying for your week—that You would know that God’s go this. Even when things are challenging, you have the best safety net. God put it there. You can trust Him. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/8/2022

This quote encouraged us. Hope it does the same for you. It’s from Max Lucado, one of our favorite author/speakers.

“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it, friend. He is crazy about you! ”

Praying for your week. That you would be encouraged knowing that no matter what, God is for you. He’s there, but He won’t force Himself on you. He is just waiting for you to reach out to Him. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 8/1/2022

We’ll be on the road Sunday when we usually send out this encouragement email (visiting Judi’s parents in Michigan), so we thought we’d get this to you early. We needed a little light humor. Hope this gives you a smile!

An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He finally went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a hearing aid that allowed the gentleman to hear perfectly again.

The elderly gentleman returned to the doctor a month later for a follow up appointment.

The doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."

To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I've just been sitting around and listening to the things they say when they think I can't hear them!"

Praying for your week. That God would guard your tongue and that the only words that come out would be ones that encourage and lift up those who hear. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/25/2022

Not sure if this has happened to you, but we heard a message that was definitely just for us…. The topic was JOY and the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness comes and goes, based on what is going on. Joy springs from our relationship with God and is there even in the middle of “junk.” So the question is, how can we nurture JOY? There were three suggestions given:

• Love well. When we have an outward focus, JOY shows up. And our JOY has a ripple effect to those around us!

• Celebrate both big and small things with gratitude—remember what God has done.

• Trust in God’s future faithfulness. He truly has got even this!

JOY allows us to weather the storms of life. But it’s definitely not easy. We needed this message because we have been praying for JOY for ourselves…. Life is hard. But it helps to be reminded that God IS good…. And He is the source of JOY. We can’t muster up joy, but we can invite it into our hard places.

Praying for your week. For God to overwhelm you with JOY in the most unlikely places. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/18/2022

A pastor friend of ours asked us a question the other day that made us think. Just like everyone, we’ve had “stuff” to deal with…. But his question really helped. He asked, “What is true of you in Christ, NO MATTER WHAT?” It really gets at the truth that no matter what is going on, Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

A few that we came up with: No matter how things look, God has a plan and it is a good plan.

No matter what, God loves me unconditionally and sent His Son to die for me.

No matter what, I am a child of God.

No matter what, He offers me Salvation and eternity with Him. If only I will accept.

Praying for your week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/11/2022

A good friend of ours told us about a recent visit to his optometrist…. He said, “He has 2 exotic fish swimming and the last time I was there I remembered reading something saying that the average memory retention of fish is 7 seconds. If so, then every trip around the tank is a new experience for them!”

Made us chuckle. But really, it is a good piece of advice—to forget what is behind and press forward.

Praying for your week. That you would press forward and look for things to make you smile. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 7/4/2022

Happy 4th of July! Sorry this is long, but we really liked these words from a speech by Ronald Reagan in 1981. We tried to cut it down, but couldn’t cut any of it…

“July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth.

There is a legend about the day of our nation’s birth in the little hall in Philadelphia, a day on which debate had raged for hours. The men gathered there were honorable men hard-pressed by a king who had flouted the very laws they were willing to obey. Even so, to sign the Declaration of Independence was such an irretrievable act that the walls resounded with the words “treason, the gallows, the headsman’s ax,” and the issue remained in doubt.

The legend says that at that point a man rose and spoke. He is described as not a young man, but one who had to summon all his energy for an impassioned plea. He cited the grievances that had brought them to this moment and finally, his voice falling, he said, “They may turn every tree into a gallows, every hole into a grave, and yet the words of that parchment can never die. To the mechanic in the workshop, they will speak hope; to the slave in the mines, freedom. Sign that parchment. Sign if the next moment the noose is around your neck, for that parchment will be the textbook of freedom, the Bible of the rights of man forever.”

He fell back exhausted. The 56 delegates, swept up by his eloquence, rushed forward and signed that document destined to be as immortal as a work of man can be. When they turned to thank him for his timely oratory, he was not to be found, nor could any be found who knew who he was or how he had come in or gone out through the locked and guarded doors.

In recent years, however, I’ve come to think of that day as more than just the birthday of a nation. It also commemorates the only true philosophical revolution in all history.

Oh, there have been revolutions before and since ours. But those revolutions simply exchanged one set of rules for another. Ours was a revolution that changed the very concept of government.

Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.

We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.”

Praying for your week. That you would know the true freedom that comes from Christ. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/27/2022

Again we’d like to share from our devotional…

Do you need to get away for a day or two of rest at a nice hotel? Try the Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It’s located on the thirty-fourth floor with two master bedrooms, stunning views, original works of art, 24-hour butler service, and a gym. At $100,000 per night (with a two-night minimum), it’s the most expensive hotel room in the world.

Can’t afford it? If we can’t afford one night in a hotel in Las Vegas, how can we ever afford an eternal stay in the mansions of heaven?

That’s just the point! We can’t! But God has promised that if we will put our trust in Jesus as our Savior, He will give us the mansion in heaven! We could never earn our way to heaven, but Christ’s death and resurrection made a way for us. Don’t miss it! Place your full faith in Christ today.

Praying for your week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/20/2022

Seems like there is a lot going on these days. All over—globally down to in our own homes. It’s hard to deal with. We read this and thought it was really good. In the Bible, there’s a verse, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Hope this gives you something to think about as well.

“One of the things I’ve heard the world say, and I just want to agree with…. They’re trying to slam us, but it’s true.

“Christianity is a crutch.”

I’m like, “Absolutely, because my legs are broken. My legs are busted. I need that crutch.”

“It’s for the weak-minded.”

“Yes. I have a weak mind. Give me a right mind.”

“Weak people need it.”

“Absolutely, weak people need it. Brother, you just don’t know you’re weak.”

Ultimately, is Christianity a crutch? Yes. Are we crippled? Absolutely.”

Friend, your legs are broken. My legs are broken. Our minds are weak. And only God can ultimately heal us, take care of us, and lead us to rest.”

Praying for your week. That you would find the rest that God promises. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/13/2022

We read a quote that made us think. Corrie ten Boom said, “ Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” A steering wheel is important for keeping you in the correct direction…. It’s the first thing you think of when you need to go somewhere…. You use it every time you drive your car…. The spare tire on the other hand is tucked away for emergency use only…. You can probably come up with other truths from this quote. It really made us think. Prayer is definitely important in emergencies. But we are working on making it an important part of every day. Not just for emergency use!

Praying for your week. That God would show Himself powerfully to you this week! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 6/6/2022

We liked this devotional from this past week…. “A motorist in North Carolina was charged with careless driving after she accidentally hit an elderly pedestrian because she had not adequately defrosted her windshield. When our windshields are covered with ice or snow, it’s tempting to clear a little patch and start out, hoping the defroster will take care of the rest before we get very far. But many states outlaw that shortcut because it limits our visibility.

Trying to read the Bible without the Holy Spirit is like trying to navigate the roads with a windshield coated with frost. We can’t discern the words, grasp the significance, or recognize the meaning of what we’re reading. The warm breath of the Holy Spirit clears our vision, allowing us to see all the mile markers, guardrails, and signposts of Scripture.”

Praying that God would give you wisdom and clear vision this week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/30/2022

We’ve had some struggles lately—I’m sure you have too. But we came across this, and it was a good reminder.

God has promised never to let anything though His filter of love that is not for our ultimate good. That is hard to believe sometimes. It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t look like there could be any purpose. And there are some things that we will not understand until we are in heaven with Him. But faith reminds us that even when we can’t see it, He’s got it.

Not sure who else needed to hear that, but we sure did! Praying that you see Him this week—and that you are able to trust that He’s got even this. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/23/2022

We needed a joke today…. So here’s one that we shared at a recent biker blessing. (You may have heard it before—we got it from someone’s facebook page—but we thought it was fun.)

Exercise for people over 60….

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.

With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as. You can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.

Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I’m at this level.)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

Seriously, the load seems pretty heavy sometimes. But know that you’re not in this alone. We are so thankful for the people God puts in our path to help lighten the load. If there’s ever any way we can help to lighten yours, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/16/2022

We read a good illustration by Greg Laurie that we’re going to change a bit…

Let’s imagine that you just purchased a new motorcycle. For almost a week-and-a-half, you drive it around happily, enjoying all the features of your shiny new ride. But then—suddenly and inexplicably—your bike sputters, chugs to a stop, and cannot be started again. You have it hauled to the dealership and complain, “you guys sold me a lemon! It doesn’t run anymore!”

The salesman asks to see your keys, turns on the ignition, and notices the fuel light is glowing on the instrument panel. “Umm, just a question,” the salesman says, “but did you ever put gas in this motorcycle?”

Let’s compare that scenario to the Christian life. You’ve been charging around all week, full of energy and joy, and then find yourself sputtering and stalling out. Maybe you’ve even come to a complete standstill. So here is the question: Have you refueled lately?

Just as you have to refuel your motorcycle, you need to refuel yourself. That is not just a onetime event! Find a good Bible believing church and attend regularly. Start reading your Bible daily. Pray. …. Be filled over and over again, and get those refills from God.

Praying for your week. That you would find ways to refuel. That you would be full of energy and joy. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get ahold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/9/2022

We read a book review this week that listed the 10 Virtues of a Hero. We thought it was a good list: Courage, Humility, Sacrifice, Integrity, Compassion, Perseverance, Duty, Hope, Humor, Forgiveness. There was a comment by the person writing the book review encouraging us to “see the good in others, even if it’s not convenient for you or things aren’t going your way. It’s a wonderful character trait, and something most of us can aspire to get better at.” That’s true. And we can definitely try. But we know someone who actually fits this definition of a hero perfectly. Jesus Christ embodies all 10 of those virtues, and He always sees us through the lens of grace. So thankful that He always sees our good. And that He is the source of true Hope.

Praying for your week! For Hope. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to connect with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 5/2/2022

We thought this was funny from a book we’re reading by Greg Laurie:

I heard about a man who went to see his doctor on a return visit and said, “Doc, it’s been one month since my last appointment, and I still feel miserable.”

“Hmmmm,” the doctor said. “Did you follow the instructions on the medicine that I gave you?”

“I sure did, Doc,” came the reply. “The bottle said, ‘Keep tightly closed,’ and that’s what I’ve done.”

Sound familiar to you? Sometimes it’s hard to follow instructions correctly! But things do go better when we do…. Can we encourage you that the most important instructions come from God’s Word the Bible. He has given us clear instructions. Our job is to follow Him.

Praying for your week! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to connect with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/25/2022

We read another good illustration in our daily devotional this week…

During World War II, the HMS Neptune hit an Italian minefield off Tripoli on December 19, 1941. Lost were 764 British and New Zealand sailors and crew. Only one man survived. He was 22 year old Norman Walton, and he escaped by clambering down the chain of the ship’s anchor and grabbing onto a floating raft. He was captured by an Italian ship and spent the next fifteen months as a prisoner of war. He had no idea he was the one and only survivor. When told, he didn’t believe it. It took a long time to accept.

There’s a lesson in that tragedy. We need to stay near the anchor that stabilizes our lives, ready to grip it tightly when the winds and fires come. We can’t sink when we’re holding to the anchor, and we can’t be lost when gripping it. When we anchor ourselves in Christ, our faith cannot be shaken.

Our anchor isn’t cast downward into the water but upward into the sky, and one day it will carry us upward, toward the Rock of our Salvation.

Praying for you this week—that you would anchor yourself to the Rock! If there’s ever anything we can do to come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/18/2022

He is Risen Indeed! Turn the volume up and listen to this inspirational choir. This is one of Judi’s favorites!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV8bv4QuDtM

Praying for your week—that you would know how much God loves you! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/11/2022

Palm Sunday…. Maundy Thursday…. Good Friday…. Easter…. Hard to believe it’s Holy week! Probably the most important week on the Christian calendar. We found a quote from Billy Graham that sums it up.

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’”

Praying for your week—that you would know how much God loves you! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 4/4/2022

We read a great quote from Corrie Ten Boom. She and her family were arrested and sent to concentration camps during WWII for helping Jewish people to escape the Nazis in the Netherlands. The quote we read says, “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

Feels like a dark tunnel we’re in these days, doesn’t it? But can we remind you to trust the engineer. He’s got this. And He’s got you!

Praying for your week—for the hope that comes from knowing Jesus is in control. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/28/2022

We read an interesting historical fact:

In seventeenth-century London, convicted criminals were often branded on the right thumb in lieu of a more severe sentence. If they were ever accused of another crime, the judge would force them to “raise their right hand” to provide evidence of a previous conviction or leniency. After branding was abolished, the practice of raising the right hand in court continued as a means of swearing to truthfulness when testifying or swearing an oath.

This was interesting to us because we had never heard about why people raise their right hand to swear to tell the truth…. Glad they don’t brand people anymore! It also made us think about truth and how hard it is to know what is true these days. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some way to know what was true and what was fake…. Unfortunately, we just don’t know sometimes. But there is a Bible verse that says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Him. That is Truth that will change your life if you believe it!

Praying for your week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/21/2022

You know we like illustrations…. Heard this one and liked it.

Think of your life like a wheel. At the center of the wheel is the hub. And out of that hub are all the spokes of life which represent your relationships, family, career, finances, dreams, goals and every other area of your life.

What does your life revolve around right now? Whatever you think about the most is what you center your life around.

If you have a solid center, you’re going to have a solid life. But if you’ve got a weak, flimsy center, you’re going to crack at the edges. Have you heard the expression, “I feel like I’m coming unglued”? If you’ve felt that way, it means you have a faulty center. It means something other than God has taken first place in your life. Whatever it is, if it’s not God, it’s not strong enough to hold you together.

The core of your life will provide the power you need. Power always emanates from the hub outward. If you don’t have God at the center of your life, you’ve got a power shortage! Nothing else has enough power to help sustain you through all the unforeseen crises that you’re inevitably going to experience.

Put Christ at the center of your life, and He will give you stability, balance, and power.

Praying you have a well balanced week—no matter what comes down the road! If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/14/2022

Been sorting through some old motorcycle magazines and read this:

Our motorcycles have a designated safe rpm range for the engine to be efficient, powerful, and long-lasting. Some bikes are designed for high revving horsepower and some for low rpm torque, but they all have a maximum safe limit, a redline, that when routinely exceeded, can mean total destruction of your power plant. This equates to our lives. If we stay within our limits, things are fine. When we constantly run up against redline or exceed the limits, we run into trouble. Without knowing and staying within the safe rpm range for our lives, we are risking total destruction.

Did you know Jesus Christ has a plan for your life to avoid catastrophic failure? If you think the sight of a connecting rod punching a hole in your engine case is ugly, imagine the battered and bloody body of Jesus handing on the cross. He gave it all for those who lived redlined and are at risk of destruction.

If you know you have been risking failure in your life by bumping up against redline, it is never too late for you to come back into the safe range by yielding to His plan for your life.

Praying for your week. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 3/7/2022

Neither of us was raised in a church where we fasted during Lent. So we were wondering about that tradition. One website said, “Lent has traditionally been the season where we give something up. Often sweets or a favorite food, in order to focus on the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.” That makes sense. The article goes on to suggest that it doesn’t just have to be food that we fast from, but that is could be a fast from things that get in the way of our relationship with Christ.

A good friend of Judi’s gave her this list of things to fast from and what to feast on instead.

Fast from judging others—feast on Christ dwelling in them.

Fast from fear of illness—feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from words that pollute—feast on speech that purifies.

Fast from discontent—feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger—feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism—feast on optimism.

Fast from negatives—feast on alternatives.

Fast from bitterness—feast on forgiveness.

Fast from self-concern—feast on compassion.

Fast from suspicion—feast on truth.

Fast from gossip—feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from problems that overwhelm—feast on prayer that sustains.

Fast from worry—feast on faith.

We’re thinking it might be good to choose one of these and focus on it this week. We’d like to challenge you to choose one and do the same. Praying for your week! That nothing would get in the way of your relationship with Christ. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/28/2022

Would you pray with us for Ukraine?

Lord Jesus,

We lift the situation in the Ukraine to You. It’s hard to even know what to ask. Lord we know that You are already there—and we pray that all those in Ukraine and in Russia and all over the world would see You.

Jesus, our hearts break for the trauma and horror of war. We pray for strength and courage. We pray for safety for the innocent families. We pray for the military. Lord, raise up everyday people to do the extraordinary. Bring an end to strife and conflict. We ask that You would strengthen the forces that fight for freedom and liberty.

You have promised that when we go through deep waters, You will be with us. When we go through rivers of difficulty we will not drown. When we walk through the fire of oppression we will not be burned up. Jesus we pray for Your presence.

In Your name, AMEN

Thank you for all that you do. “Little” good things add up to a lot. Praying for your week. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/21/2022

Once again, we’d like to share with you from our devotional:

“It’s a common theme in many arenas of life: one chance, and one chance only. On television game shows, you get one chance to answer the question correctly. In baseball, you get one chance to hit the game-winning home run; in basketball, you get one chance to make the game-winning free throw. Occasionally, do-overs are allowed—like the “mulligan” shot in informal golf games.

Where would we be in life if God gave us only one chance to get it right? …. If you make a wrong choice, confess your sin to God and receive His forgiveness and restoration.”

Praying for your week. There is freedom in giving forgiveness and in accepting God’s forgiveness. If there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/14/2022

We’re ready for some lighthearted humor….

An elderly man thinking his wife was losing her hearing went about 20 feet behind her and asked, “Can you hear me sweetheart?” No reply. Moved to 10 feet and inquired again. No reply. 5 feet and not a word. A few inches behind her ear, he asked, “Can you hear me now honey?” His wife said, “for the fourth time, yes!”

Praying for your week! That God would give you many opportunities to smile. That He would help you to have ears to hear His truth. That you would know that He is with you all the way.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement – 2/7/2022

We got a letter from a famous pastor, Tony Evans, awhile ago (not just us, but everyone on his mailing). As you know, we like illustrations and this one was pretty good.

“The first year of the global pandemic exposed us to a lot of things we normally didn’t think about. Many of us started to watch what we ate a little more closely. We washed our hands a lot more often. We maintained our distance from others. And we learned about viruses, treatments and procedures we wouldn’t normally pay much attention to. One of the things we learned about during that time were respirators. These machines were life-savers for many people as the virus wreaked havoc on the lungs of those it attacked.

A respirator helps those who cannot breathe easily on their own. But if you try to fight against the way a respirator works and attempt to breathe on your own—you will not experience the benefits it offers. The best thing to do when using a respirator is to cooperate with the process. You have to allow your mouth and nose to inhale and exhale with it. You must let it do its job if you want to receive the benefits of the respirator.

God’s grace is like that. Sometimes we attempt to provide for ourselves what only God can supply. Grace is the foundation of God’s work in our lives. We receive His benefits when we choose to surrender to His plan, cooperating with His provision of grace to us and through us. To receive grace requires trust. It requires letting go of our perception of personal control.

When you do, you will discover that God’s grace provides life, strength, power and peace.”

Boy, that’s a hard one for us. Maybe you too. It’s hard to let go and trust. If you’ve been to any of our biker blessings, you’ve heard Curt say we need to give Jesus the handlebars of our life. That’s easy to say, hard to do. We’ll be praying for you to let Him have the handlebars this week. Would you be praying the same for us? Thanks!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 1/31/2022

We have been reading a devotional together and the one for this weekend made us think. It talked about two different states you can live in….

“If you’re living in one of the towns in the state of Carelessness, it’s time to call a moving van. The names of those towns are Slothful, Lazy, Greedy, Bitter, Angry, Lustful, and Irritable. The inhabitants of those towns tend to live up to their reputations, and you need to get up and get out of that place.

Try moving to one of the cities in the state of Blessing. Those towns and cities bear names like Grace, Peace, Faithfulness, Joy, Zeal, and Holiness. In these towns, the taxes are low, the air is clear, the streets are clean, the residents are harmonious, and the Lord dwells among His people.”

Praying for your week, that you would choose the state of Blessing and that you would feel the Lord’s presence. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 1/24/2022

Found this story on the internet. Didn’t say who wrote it, or if it’s true, but it hit us in a good way.

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and — WHUMP! — it smashed into the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH…!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car.

He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”

“Please, mister, please…I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” pleaded the youngster. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” Tears were dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.” Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE — a long and slow walk. Now, Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar.

He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.

Praying for your week, and for no need for bricks! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 1/17/2022

Curt got an email from a mentor of his. A godly man who lives in Michigan, Lee. Lee had a dog who got very excited when he came home from college. This reminded him of that, and made him laugh:

“I came home and my dog peed a little because he was happy to see me. None of my friends pee when they see me. I’m surrounded by fakes.”

Not exactly what you might expect from a godly mentor…. But it was sent in light hearted fun. Made us grin. But then as we thought about it, it made us think about fakes and truth. These days, it seems to be getting harder and harder to really know what the truth is. We are thankful that there IS absolute truth. When it feels like false news and fake people abound, we DO have a solid rock to stand on. Christ is the solid rock, and He can be trusted.

Praying for your week, and for you to be comforted by His Truth! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 1/10/2022

Not sure how you are with making new year’s resolutions…. But we heard an interesting message about how instead of having a resolution, you choose (or better yet let the Lord choose) a word for the year to focus on. This pastor suggested the word “listen.” Wouldn’t this world be a better place if we would stop and just listen to each other. Don’t need to agree necessarily, but listen. There’s a Bible verse that supports this idea. It’s in James 1:19 and says “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

Praying for your week! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 1/3/2022

We heard a message this week and the pastor shared a joke. Made us smile, and we thought it might be a good way to encourage you as you start this first week of the new year!

After spending time with Eve, Adam was walking in the Garden with God. Adam told God how much the woman means to him and how blessed he feels to have her. Adam began to ask questions about her.

Adam: Lord, Eve is beautiful. Why did you make her so beautiful?

God: So you will always want to look at her.

Adam: Lord, her skin is so soft. Why did you make her skin so soft?

God: So you will always want to touch her.

Adam: She always smells so good. Lord, why did you make her smell so good?

God: So you will always want to be near her.

Adam: That’s wonderful Lord, and I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but why did you make her so stupid?

* * * * * * * * *

God: So she would love you.

Praying for your week—that God would lighten your heart. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 12/27/2021

As we reflect on 2021, it has been a hard year. We found this on Facebook… It encouraged us. Hopefully it will encourage you too!

Grapes must be crushed to make wine.

Diamonds form under pressure.

Olives are pressed to release oil.

A seed must be broken in order to grow.

God is turning your pain into something beautiful. Trust the process, trust God!

As always, if there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 12/20/2021

This Sunday is the last Sunday of advent and a theme this week is LOVE. This word has been used so much that its meaning has been terribly skewed. The kind of perfect love that God has for us is indescribable in human words. We heard a message recently that reminded us that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” And went on to say that while that is true, the reason for the season is really you. Not in a selfish or self important way, but because without you, there would have been no reason for God to have sent Jesus. But God loves you so much that He didn’t want to be without you. And He knew that you couldn’t be with Him unless you had a Savior.

In the Bible, John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world (that’s YOU) that He gave His only Son (that’s Jesus) so that whoever (again, that’s YOU) believes in Him should have eternal life (life forever with God).” So really, the whole Christmas season is one big love letter that God wrote to each of us. Because He loves us that much.

This last week before Christmas can get crazy. But we’re praying that God would remind you in a powerful way just how much He loves you. And that His love is the reason for the season. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please let us know. Have a blessed Christmas.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 12/13/2021

This Sunday is the third Sunday of advent. This week’s theme is JOY.

What is JOY? A positive attitude or pleasant emotion; delight. The joy produced by the Spirit of God looks beyond the present to our future salvation and to our sovereign God, who works out all things for our ultimate good. Notice that this ISN’T happy…. In fact, you can have JOY in the middle of circumstances that are definitely not happy. It comes from knowing that God is in control, even when things aren’t good.

Not sure if you’ve heard about Corrie ten Boom. She and her family were sent to concentration camps during WWII because they hid Jewish people from the Nazis. Her sister always had this JOY, and Corrie didn’t understand sometimes. Like when they moved into a new barrack and on top of everything else, there were fleas infesting everything. How could Corrie’s sister have JOY even in this? Later they learned that because of the fleas, the guards stayed out of that barrack. So they were able to have a Bible study and not have the guards watching them as much. It was a blessing. Even though it didn’t feel like it at the time. Corrie’s sister had JOY not because she liked fleas. But because she trusted that God had a plan. A plan for good.

Praying for your week. That you would have the JOY that comes only from trusting in our Sovereign God. If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know. Sometimes it helps to have a listening ear as we walk through a challenging path. We can’t promise things will change, but we can promise you’re not alone. And sometimes that’s what we need to find JOY.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 12/6/2021

This Sunday is the second Sunday of advent and a theme this week is PEACE.

A definition of PEACE: Completeness, soundness, well being for the total person. Inner tranquility and poise of the Christian whose trust is in God through Christ. Such peace was proclaimed by the host of angels at Christ’s birth and by Christ Himself during His ministry.

Doesn’t sound too much like life these days, at least around our home. How do we find this peace in the middle of junk—a pandemic, world unrest, local upheaval, family struggles, health issues, financial stresses… Life is just not peaceful. But that’s really the point. We cannot find peace on our own. God knew we needed help. So He sent His Son. In the Bible there’s a verse that says, “and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) The world will be chaotic. But God promises us His peace when we keep our eyes on Him instead of on the chaos. The world Jesus was born into wasn’t very peaceful either. But His birth brought peace to those who chose to pause and focus on Him.

So this week we pray that when you see the Christmas decorations that you would be reminded of that baby who brings PEACE to all who keep their eyes on Him. As always, if there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know.

Your servants in Christ, Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 11/29/2021

This Sunday is the first Sunday of advent and a theme this week is HOPE. We found this definition of hope: Confident expectancy. Hope does not arise from desires or wishes but from God, who is Himself the believer’s hope. Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.

Some thoughts on why focusing on the meaning of Christmas can bring True HOPE (we summarized many of these from various websites):

• God sees all the problems in the world, including yours. He knew we needed HOPE and He sent His Son, Jesus, to be born in the most humble of places to bring HOPE!

• The same thing that causes all the world’s problems is the same thing that causes us to be selfish, bitter, unforgiving, unfaithful, and unreasonable. But Jesus came to take that sin away from anyone who will believe in Him. Knowing Jesus gives us HOPE!

• When someone gives you a gift, it’s yours as soon as you accept it. God gave us the gift of Jesus. Nothing for you to do, but accept Him! He is HOPE!

So this week we pray that every time you see a fancy wrapped gift that you would be reminded of the gift God has given each of us—the gift of HOPE and a future with Him. The gift of Jesus.

As always, if there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know.

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 11/22/2021

As we look forward to Thanksgiving this week, we wanted to share some things from an article by Greg Laurie that really hit us. Here is some of what he said:

“Research shows that grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier… the world’s leading scientific expert on gratefulness states that gratitude reduces toxic emotions ranging from envy to frustration; it reduces depression and increases happiness. Oh, and yes, it will help you sleep better, too…

“I know that we live in difficult times today. The world is a dangerously divided place. Our way of life is being challenged. Our young soldiers are paying the ultimate price. And it would be easy to ask God why and be resentful of what He is doing. Yet, that’s when it’s the most important to give thanks. We have so much for which to be thankful.”

We keep reading things about how important it is for our well being to give thanks—to be grateful in spite of circumstances. An easy thing to be grateful for is you! We are thankful that God brought you into our lives! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, if there is ever any way we can come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 11/14/2021

We heard an interesting talk and the speaker mentioned draft horses. Did you know that the champion draft horse – a single horse now – can pull 4,500 pounds! And the second place horse was able to pull 4,000 pounds! That’s a lot to be able to pull all by itself! The speaker asked, with that information, how much do you think they could pull together? You would think you could add those amounts together and get 8,500 pounds – sounds reasonable, right? Not even close! The speaker told us that harnessed together they pull 12,000 pounds!

That shouldn't be too surprising, in a way. When you look around at life, isn't it like that? In your family, at work, with your friends... I know you can think of examples of how when we work together, we can go much further than we can alone. I'm not positive about where the speaker got his information about draft horses. But I know for a fact that it's true for people. I see how folks in the motorcycling community work together and we all go farther.

If there's ever anything we can help you pull, please don't hesitate to contact us... We'd love to help. And if we can pray for you, that's really like harnessing yourself to the champion draft horse. Jesus is there, just waiting to help you with the load. There are many times in life that we face a challenge that seems impossible. How awesome to be able to bring those challenges to the One who makes all things possible!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 11/7/2021

It seems like we could all use a little something light about now… So here is a joke that makes me laugh. Judi doesn’t like it so much… But here goes:

An Amish boy and his father were visiting a mall. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny silver walls that could move apart and back together again.

The boy asked his father, "What is this father?"

The father, (never having seen an elevator), responded, "Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life. I don't know what it is!"

While the boy and his father were watching wide-eyed, an old lady in a wheel chair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched small circles of light with numbers above the wall light up. They continued to watch the circles light up in the reverse direction.

The walls opened up again and a beautiful 24-year-old woman stepped out.

The father said to his son, "Go get your mother!!"

Praying for your week—that God would lighten your heart.

If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 10/31/2021

We all work as a part of a team in many different areas of our lives. I’m not a big basketball fan, but there was a quote from Sachin Gupta, Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations. He said,

“The core of [servant leadership] is understanding this is not about me. This is about the team and trying to put the team in the best position to succeed.”

I think we can use that in all areas of our lives. It’s definitely not easy to do. But when everyone is looking for the best for each other, it makes the team so much stronger.

Praying for your week—that God would bless each of the teams that you are on. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 10/24/2021

We heard a message about how important it is to start your day with gratitude. I guess the attitude you have for the day is set within the first 8 minutes of your day. So the suggestion was to thank God before you even get out of bed. And it doesn’t need to be “big” things—just the act of being thankful is enough. They suggested you can work through the alphabet to get you started… “A” I’m thankful for air… “B” I’m thankful for the bathroom… and so on… We’re sure you can come up with something to be thankful for for each letter.

Praying for your week! If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 10/17/2021

When I do a biker blessing, I usually talk about giving Jesus the handlebars of our lives. I stole that idea—someone else suggested people give Jesus the steering wheel. But since we’re motorcyclists… The point is that we need to put Jesus in the “driver’s seat” of our lives and let Him lead.

Sounds good, but if you’re anything like us, it’s hard to do! We want to give Him the handlebars, but are quick to tell Him how things should go. Go this way—go faster—wait—stop. It’s much easier to say we have given Jesus the handlebars than to really do it.

Thank God, He sticks with us anyway! Daily, our job is to hand Him those handlebars. And daily it is our job to trust Him to lead us in the right direction. I heard it suggested that we make this our prayer several times throughout the day, “Not my will, Jesus, but Your will.” I can promise, we’ll never be perfect. But the better we get at it, the better things go. Because He really does know best.

Praying for your week—that you would trust God and keep handing over those handlebars.

If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,

Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 10/10/2021

We wanted to share something that we read in our devotional. Hope it hits you the way it hit us.

“If you turned on the faucet in your kitchen and no water came out, what would you do? Would you say, ‘oh my, the world has run out of water—there’s no water coming out of the faucet, so there must not be any left in the whole world’?

Of course not. You’d know the problem is not with the source. There’s plenty of water in the world. The problem is the channel. It’s gotten blocked one way or another.

If one channel gets blocked in your life and the “faucet” stops working, God can turn on another faucet just as easily. If God closes a door in your life, He can open another door. And if another door closes, He can open a window, and you can crawl through it.

Jobs may come and go. Bank accounts rise and fall. Economies go up and down. Home prices can peak or hit bottom.

You can trust in God’s unlimited resources for your security.”

Praying for your week—that you would trust God and His resources. If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 10/3/2021

We were reminded of an illustration we’ve heard a few times before… Raw eggs alone don’t taste good. Flour alone doesn’t taste good. Baking soda alone doesn’t taste good. Many of the ingredients you need to mix together to make a cake don’t taste good alone. But when you put them together to make a cake… You have a cake. And that tastes good! In the same way, we are promised that all things, even the bad, work together for good for those who love God. So no matter what you face this week, you can trust Him. Doesn’t mean that everything is good on its own. But God will use it for good.

If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 9/26/2021

We read an article in Epoch Times lately by Joshua Becker. It was good enough to send you the whole thing (don’t worry—it’s short)!

Imagine the society we could create if we valued a different kind of success.

A success not defined by the brand of clothing we could afford, but by the number of people we had helped to clothe.

A success not defined by the amount of money in our bank account, but by how much money we used to help others.

A success not defined by the size of our house, but by the amount of love that was shown there.

A success not defined by our level of education, but by the degree of our integrity.

A success not defined by the type of car we drive, but by those we had picked up in life and set down on a better road.

A success not defined by how loud our voice was, but by how often we spoke up for those without one.

A success not defined by the quality and quantity of our personal possessions, but by the level of selflessness we have shown to others.

A success not defined by the number of people who loved us, but by the number of people we have loved.

Can I challenge you to pick one of these and focus on making some changes this week? Really it sounds a lot like the old phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” Praying that He would give you wisdom this week as you reflect on how success is defined by God.

If there’s ever any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 9/19/2021

This really hit from our daily devotional. Maybe it will be helpful for you, too.

“We all have EGRs—people who come with Extra Grace Required—in our lives. They annoy us, anger us, frustrate us, and test us. But they also help us grow. God calls us to bless people who cause us the most trouble. How much more is this true for those who only annoy us?"

“… You cannot control what other people think about you. You cannot control what other people do to you. But you do have 100 percent control over how you respond."

“ You might be completely within your rights to retaliate, but Jesus calls you to take the higher ground, for it is where you’re given a clear perspective. When you take the high ground, you can see past a person’s actions to their pain. When you take the high ground, you rise above the irritation and the conflict, choosing to keep the peace."

“…Real love doesn’t just love people who are lovable; real love loves the unlovable. Real love is patient with the irritable people in your life. God empowers us to love even those we find hard to love.”

Praying for you this week. That you would be given the extra grace we all need sometimes. If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 9/12/2021

We read a quote from Elisabeth Elliot that made us think. Elisabeth Elliot was the widow of Jim Elliot who was killed in 1956 while attempting to minister to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. She said, “If you dwell on your own feelings about things rather than dwelling on the faithfulness, the love, and the mercy of God, then you’re likely to have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Our feelings are very fleeting and short-lived. We cannot depend on them for five minutes. But dwelling on the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God is always safe.”

This week, in spite of all the junk going on, we’re going to try to focus on the faithfulness, love, and mercy of God. If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please don’t hesitate to get a hold of us!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 9/6/2021

As we approach the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place on 9/11, we thought the words of Billy Graham as he addressed the nation are appropriate. He started his message with this:

“No matter how hard we try, words simply cannot express the horror, the shock and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation on Tuesday morning. September 11 will go down in our history as a Day to Remember.

Today we say to those who masterminded this cruel plot, and to those who carried it out, that the spirit of this nation will not be defeated by their twisted and diabolical schemes. Some day those responsible will be brought to justice.

But today we come together in this service to confess our need of God. We’ve always needed God from the very beginning of this nation. But today we need Him especially. We’re involved in a new kind of warfare. And we need the help of the Spirit of God.

The Bible says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”

But how do we understand something like this? Why does God allow evil like this to take place? Perhaps that is what you are asking. You may even be angry at God. I want to assure you that God understands these feelings that you may have.

We’ve seen so much that brings tears to our eyes and makes us all feel a sense of anger. But God can be trusted, even when life seems at its darkest.”

These words seem very appropriate with the events facing our nation and world today. No matter what you are dealing with this week, know that God IS our refuge and strength. May we never forget the events of twenty years ago. May we never forget that God was with us then and is with us now.

If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know.

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 8/30/2021

We found this on facebook and really liked it… It’s a bit longer than I usually send, but I think it’s worth it:

Dr. Ben Carson (Retired world renowned neurosurgeon) wrote this beautiful piece. Read and be blessed.

Sometimes you are unsatisfied with your life, while many people in this world are dreaming of living your life.

A child on a farm sees a plane fly overhead and dreams of flying. But, a pilot on the plane sees the farmhouse and dreams of returning home. That's life!! Enjoy yours.

If wealth is the secret to happiness, then the rich should be dancing in the streets. But only poor kids do that.

If power ensures security, then officials should walk unguarded. But those who live simply, sleep soundly.

If beauty and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should have the best marriages. But those who live simply, walk humbly and love genuinely!

All good will come back to you!!!

Man asks, “Where was God when Myles Munroe, wife and his associates were killed in a crash? He answers, "The same place I sat when John the Baptist my servant was beheaded. When Stephen my servant was stoned to death. When Paul my servant was murdered in Rome. The same place I sat when my only Son was brutally crucified, wounded, bruised and killed. I have not moved from my position."

I am the same. It is not the means of exit from earth that matters but the destination. Live simply. It's all about God!!

Have a blessed week. As always, if there’s any way we can come alongside you this week, please let us know.

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 8/24/2021

Judi and I heard another good message this weekend (we listen to messages on CD as we go to the cabin in the truck…). This one hit me, maybe because developing good habits and discipline can be so hard to do. Some comments that struck me:

Nobody gets to the Olympics on “I just hope to get there someday.” You have to set up habits and be disciplined.

Successful people are normal people who develop good habits…

It takes 6 weeks to develop a new habit…

I don’t know about you, but there are a number of habits I know would be good to be intentional about. One of them is making my relationship with God a priority. It’s amazing to me that He is the creator of the universe, yet He always has time for me. Praying that you would choose one new habit to make a priority this week and for the discipline to stick with it for 6 weeks!

If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 8/18/2021

We read this illustration and really liked it…

I appreciate road crews who post bright yellow signs warning me of bumps on the highway. It helps to know what’s ahead, so I can slow down and avoid a huge jolt. I sometimes wish Jesus would warn me about all the impending bumps — relationship issues, sickness, money troubles — in my future. Then I could prepare myself.

But Jesus is too wise to grant my wish. He knows if He forewarns us about future problems, I’ll do one of two things. I’ll worry myself into a state of panic. Or I’ll create a giant list of possible solutions. Either way, I won’t be trusting Him. When I rely on my own limited understanding to repair the broken places in my life, it’s as if I am telling Jesus, “Your love and power aren’t enough. I need to fix this myself.”

I know I can trust Him and calmly rest in His love. Whatever life may bring and whatever bumps loom in my future, Jesus will always be more than enough.”

Our catch phrase these days is “God’s got this!” And no matter what this week holds for you, can I let you know, God’s got this!

If there’s any way we can come alongside you, it would be our privilege.

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

Weekly Note of Encouragement - 9/19/2021

This really hit from our daily devotional. Maybe it will be helpful for you, too.

“… You cannot control what other people think about you. You cannot control what other people do to you. But you do have 100 percent control over how you respond."

Praying for you this week. That you would be given the extra grace we all need sometimes. If there’s any way we can come alongside you, please let us know!

Your servants in Christ,
Curt & Judi

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