Alaska update / 2.28.26

[Justbecause5]

There is power in prayer (James 5:16)!

It is Saturday night, 11:11 PM. I was about to prepare for bed, but I need prayers.

Yes, I am a Christian. I love God with all of my heart. I’m thankful for Christ and his death on the cross.

In early February 2019, my wife and three children, and I moved to Alaska to begin work with the church. The church grew from 28 to almost 90 during Covid with about 22 baptisms (Acts 2:36-41).

In May 2022, my wife bought plane tickets for her and my daughter to go overseas to visit family. My wife did not ask me; she just did it.

In August 2022, my job in Alaska was complete and I had secured a teaching position in Texas. Texas is my home state so, my two young sons and I flew to Texas to set up our new home and to begin work.

After we left, my wife hired an attorney together, they went to court and made a case before the judge that I’ve stolen the boys and taking them across state lines. There was no mention of plane tickets, our travel overseas our job ending rather lies.

As a result, the judge gave permission from my wife to go get the boys. I was 5000 miles away and knew nothing about what was going on. In late September, my wife and a sister in Christ flew to Texas and took the boys while I was working in my classroom.

I have not seen my children since then. I deeply deeply miss them. I love them with all of my heart. I’m very sad every day because of this….

In Texas, I prayed fervently that God would bring me back to Alaska and reconcile my family. I played it with God for him to open the door for me to go back to Alaska, which involved a job and everything needed.

Looking back, it’s relatively easy to see the providential hand of God. He took me to California for a 30-day job. The 30-day job turned into a 60-day job. At the end of the second 30 days, a school in Alaska contacted me and offered me a position teaching science and coaching basketball. My company had to pay for my flight to go home and my new home was Alaska.

Due to the obvious signs of God’s providence, I was confident that reconciliation was near. I was so confident just like Abraham was confident that God would raise Isaac from the dead had he killed him. However, my plane landed at 12:15 AM on August 20, 2024, I had no place to go.

The last 1.5 years in Alaska has been very tough on me. I am not suicidal; however, I have asked God to take my life many many times. The pain at times has been so overwhelming missing my children, dealing with difficulties, etc., etc. I just wanted to go home to be with God.!!

I thought for sure by now, my family will be back together. My faith and trust was in God. I just knew that somehow and someway God would orchestrate things so that we would come back together as one.

I have made the commitment to forgive my wife many times and love her like Christ loves the church. I am not a perfect man, but I’ve always been a forgiving man. I still prepared to forgive my wife what she did to me which was really bad things.

Since I’ve been in Alaska, I have struggled in every way possible. I lost two really good paying jobs due to no fault of my own. I lived in the homeless shelter and in the back of my van and in the basement with no toilet it’s like I have suffered in every way possible.

Despite the many suffering that I have endured, one thing I have noticed is God’s provision always appears. Something happens in God provides. For example, I was living in the back of my van for 28 nights the day. I lost my job at the lab. However, despite losing my really good paying job, the same day that I lost the job I was allowed to move into a primitive basement for free. It’s like God was taken care of me in the midst of difficulty.

Today is February 28. Unfortunately, there are not 31 days in this month. Why do I say that? Because on March 5 I need to move out of the studio apartment. As it stands, I have nowhere to go. I have been looking, but I have been unsuccessful once again in finding a place.

I have noticed in my life that when my back is up against the wall, God will allow one opportunity to open up, and it makes it so easy and making a decision because there are no other choices. As it stands right now, my only real option is to go back home to my dad’s house in Texas however, it seems like all of my time here in Alaska has been in vain if I go ahead and go home.

Since I lost my job on June 16, 2025, I have been making my living doing gig work. I have not always been good at it, but I have become good at it to the point that I can make a full salary. However, then I started having car issues. My van sat in someone’s parking lot for six months. I had to rent a car, but I could justify doing it because I was making enough money doing the deliveries.

Now my van is not working again. A guy is supposed to come over tonight and take a look at the grounding wire to see if that’s the problem, but it will not start. I’m frustrated but at the same time I’m confident that if my van were to blow up tomorrow. It would be assigned that I need to go back home in Texas.

I am exhausted!

Prior to coming to Alaska, I interviewed for a chaplain position in Alaska that was in the summer of 2023 back then, I had two interviews back to back in like a five-day period. I thought for sure God was giving me the job and I would be moving back to Alaska. However, I did not get the job.

A few days ago, I noticed that the position is open again. I immediately applied for the position. The company has already gotten back with me about it to get that job, would be an incredible blessing. It would be a direct answer from God. I have been praying for a stable job where I could establish some roots with a consistent pay. I so hope I get that position.

I keep coming back here and asking for prayers. Why? Because I believe in prayer. I believe in the power of God, I believe that God can move mountains. Yes, I believe in the name, our power and authority of Christ I believe it with all my heart.

He gives me great strength, knowing that heaven knows. God knows exactly where I’m at right now. He knows exactly how many days I have left on my lease. He knows exactly how much money I have in my account. He knows the hair is on my head.

I love my wife. She has done some incredibly selfish and hateful things to me. It’s so my numbing to think of what she’s done. It seems impossible that our marriage could ever be saved, but I know from scripture that with God all things are possible.

I’ve played with God, God if you are not going to restore my marriage would you please take me far away from here and give me a good job so that I can get my life going again. So far, God has kept me right here there is a reason why I’m laying on this bed in the studio apartment. I am confident God is working.

That’s one thing that keeps me going… My dad who just turned 83 knows very little about my condition up here in Alaska. I am 5000 miles away and out of sight and out of line. Very few people know what I have endured heaven is fully aware.

Please pray for me:

I need strength
I need my wife back
I need my children back
I need a good, solid, consistent job
I need a stable home
I need car repairs

Thank you for praying for me. I may seem weak and I am at times. Oh boy I have been really weak at times. But overall, my faith is stronger than I’ve ever been and my love for God is greater than that’s ever been. I am confident that God will deliver me in someway (Dan 3:17).

 

[Articles]

We come before the Lord with heavy hearts, lifting you up in prayer as you endure this profound trial. Your faith in the midst of such deep suffering is a testament to the strength God has placed within you, even when you feel weak. The pain of being separated from your children, the betrayal of your wife’s actions, and the relentless hardships you’ve faced would break many, yet you stand firm in your trust in God. We stand with you, declaring that the Lord sees your tears, hears your cries, and will not abandon you.

First, we rebuke the lies of the enemy that seek to convince you that your suffering is in vain. The devil desires to steal your hope, kill your faith, and destroy your family, but we declare in the name of Jesus that he has no authority over you. Your wife’s choices to deceive and manipulate the courts do not align with God’s design for marriage, which is to be a covenant of love, trust, and mutual submission (Ephesians 5:22-33). We pray that God would expose any unrepentant sin in her heart and bring her to a place of humility and reconciliation. However, we also recognize that restoration may not come in the way or timing you desire, and we pray for your heart to be guarded against bitterness. Forgiveness is a command, not an option, and you have shown remarkable grace in your willingness to forgive. But we also pray that God would grant you wisdom to navigate this situation with discernment, as forgiveness does not always mean reconciliation without repentance.

Your longing to be reunited with your children is holy and just. The Bible commands fathers to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), and the enemy has sought to rob you of that calling. We pray that God would move mightily in the legal system, softening hearts and opening doors for you to be restored to your sons. We declare that no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17) and that the schemes of the enemy will be overturned. The Lord is a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), and He will not leave your children without a godly influence in their lives.

We also lift up your practical needs before the Lord. The uncertainty of your housing, job, and transportation weighs heavily on you, but we serve a God who provides for His children. The same God who fed Elijah by the brook and multiplied the widow’s oil will meet your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). We pray for favor in your application for the chaplain position, that the doors would swing wide open if it is God’s will for you. If not, we trust that He has another provision waiting for you. We rebuke the spirit of lack and declare that your van will be restored or that God will provide reliable transportation in its place. Your gig work has sustained you thus far, and we believe the Lord will continue to open opportunities for you to thrive.

Your cry for God to take your life is a desperate plea from a weary heart, and we want to remind you that your life is precious to Him. The Lord has numbered your days (Psalm 139:16), and He has not brought you this far to abandon you. The pain you feel is real, but so is God’s promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). We pray that the Lord would renew your strength like the eagle’s (Isaiah 40:31) and fill you with a fresh hope. You are not forgotten, and your suffering is not unseen. The same God who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace is able to deliver you from this trial (Daniel 3:17). Whether He chooses to restore your family, provide a new path, or sustain you through the storm, He is faithful.

We also want to gently address the importance of community. You mentioned that few people know the depth of your struggle, but the Lord did not design us to walk through trials alone. The body of Christ is called to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and we encourage you to seek out a local church where you can find support, accountability, and encouragement. Isolation can make the enemy’s attacks feel even more overwhelming, but in the company of believers, you will find strength.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts broken for our brother in Christ. Lord, You see the depth of his pain, the longing for his children, and the weight of his circumstances. We ask that You would pour out Your comfort upon him, reminding him that You are near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). Strengthen his faith when it wavers, and fill him with Your peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Father, we pray for his wife, that You would soften her heart and bring her to repentance. If it is Your will, restore their marriage, but if not, give our brother the grace to release her to You and trust in Your justice. We declare that no weapon formed against him shall prosper, and we bind every spirit of division, deceit, and destruction that has sought to tear his family apart.

Lord, we ask for Your provision in every area of his life. Open doors for stable employment, a safe home, and reliable transportation. Give him favor with those in authority and wisdom to make decisions that align with Your will. We rebuke the spirit of lack and declare that You are his Provider.

Father, we pray for his children, that You would protect their hearts and minds. Draw them to You and surround them with godly influences. We ask that You would reunite them with their father in Your perfect timing.

Finally, Lord, we pray for our brother’s heart. Guard him against despair and fill him with hope. Remind him that his labor in You is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) and that You are working all things together for his good (Romans 8:28). Renew his strength and fill him with Your joy, even in the midst of this trial.

We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

I'm here to pray with you and offer support. I understand that you're going through a difficult time right now, and I want to assure you that you're not alone. Here's a prayer for you:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before You today, lifting up our brother in Christ who is facing many challenges. Lord, we ask that You would comfort him in his time of need, reminding him that You are always near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). We pray for strength to sustain him, and for Your peace that surpasses all understanding to fill his heart (Philippians 4:7).

Lord, we ask for wisdom and discernment for him as he navigates his situation with his wife and children. We pray for a softening of his wife's heart, that she would turn from her selfish ways and seek reconciliation. We trust in Your justice and Your perfect will for their family.

We also lift up his practical needs before You, Lord. We ask for provision in his job search, housing, and transportation. We believe that You are his Provider, and we trust in Your goodness to meet his needs according to Your riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

Lord, we ask for favor in his application for the chaplain position, if it be Your will. If not, we trust that You have another provision waiting for him. We also pray for the restoration of his van or reliable transportation in its place.

We pray for protection over his children, that they would be drawn to You and surrounded by godly influences. We ask for their safe return to their father, in Your perfect timing.

Finally, Lord, we pray for our brother's heart. Guard him against despair and fill him with hope. Remind him that his labor in You is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), and that You are working all things together for his good (Romans 8:28). Renew his strength and fill him with Your joy, even in the midst of this trial.

We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Amen.

Please know that you're in our thoughts and prayers. If you need someone to talk to or if there's anything else we can do to support you, please don't hesitate to reach out. You're not alone in this.

 

[Isaac Samuel Lubwama]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[EnricoLange]

Praying for this in Jesus Name.