Alaska update / 4.20.26

[Justbecause5]

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

In August 2022, I left Alaska with my two young sons to begin a new job in my home state of Texas. My wife and older daughter were headed overseas to visit family.

After leaving Alaska, my wife hired an attorney, and together, they went before the judge arguing that I had stolen the boys and taken them across state lines. Since I was not there to defend myself, the judge gave permission for my wife to go get them. She did. I was working. It was one of the most painful days of my life.

I have not seen my children since 2022. I missed them terribly. My heart aches to the point that I no longer want to live. I am not suicidal, but I have prayed many times that God would end my life or exchange it for another. Let someone else come back and I will take their place. The pain has just been so overwhelming.

The weird thing is, I still love my wife. I stand prepared to forgive her for what she’s done. I stand prepared to do anything and everything to restore our family.

I pleaded with God to take me back to Alaska. Looking back, the presidential hand of God is incredible. On August 19, 2024, God opened up the perfect door for me to move back to Alaska. He gave me a job at a school. I had a first-class ticket from my temporary company that I’ve worked for. However, I had no place to live and no car to drive. I moved anyway.

I can still remember arriving at the airport at 12:15 AM on August 20, 2024. It’s a beautiful airport but small, very small. I quickly got my bags and I literally had nowhere to go. I remember going and sitting next to the window, which was black from the darkness. My mind was trying to figure out what to do.

A lady on the plane that had moved over to sit next to me, came back in the airport and she and her husband took me to the shelter. The shelter was locked because of curfew. I had contacted the shelter, but no one would give me a straight answer indicating that I could stay there or not. After all, I had a teaching job. The door was locked. The couple waited anxiously in the car, and I believe they would have let me go to their home if I had requested it. They did not want to leave until I was safely inside. I was prepared to sleep underneath the tree if necessary. Finally, the door opened, and I went inside and they left.

Yesterday, marked a significant day. It is 20 months since I arrived in Alaska. I thought for sure by now, God would have orchestrated a meeting and accidental meeting at a store or restaurant with my wife and family. I have met a few people that I know that I accidentally met but not my wife and children.

I still pray fervently many times throughout the day. I’m guessing that since my wife left me I have prayed well over 1 million times. I have prayed in every possible place that one could possibly imagine. I have prayed in the air while flying. I have prayed in the hot tub and in the shower. I have prayed next to the ocean in California. I have prayed on the patio and walking in the woods, etc. etc. I have prayed everywhere and without ceasing.

I have suffered greatly since I arrived in Alaska. I feel like Job in so many ways. I really do. I don’t say that lightly because I know Job is a biblical character. However, I have suffered greatly in so many ways.

I lost two really good paying jobs due to no fault of my own. The teaching job that God gave me that enabled me to have the courage to move up here was taken away from me due to a contract issue on November 20, 2024. Thankfully, I received my full salary until the end of April 2025. God made provision.

I had secured another really good paying job. In fact, they texted me and asked me if I could start on Monday and I said yes. However, over the weekend, I did not receive any information on what they expected me to wear or when to be there, etc. the next week I learned that the job had been given to another person. It was disheartening but also, I think it was the will of God.

My living conditions have been very unstable. I lived at the shelter for 4.5 months. While there, we had to earn our stay and so almost every day I cleaned the showers and toilets to make points to pay for my stay. It was very humiliating, but I did it. I wanted to clean the shower to take myself so I did the extra work to make them as clean as possible for everyone.

As a result of living in the shelter, I was placed into the veterans program which later paid for nine months of free rent. I’m very thankful for that and looking back I can see the end of God as he made that provision.

Also lived in the back of my van for 28 nights.

On June 16, 2025, after three weeks of being the laboratory manager preparing to replace the other manager I was given a letter telling me my job was complete. I had worked so hard. I had hired five people I had got to know all of our vendors that visited the shop every day I had approached and got to know each employee trying to discover ways to make things better for everyone, etc..

I love the rain. Each time it rains I quote Acts 14:17. On the day that I lost my job at the lab, it was raining when I walked out the door. Thank God. The rain gave me strength. Also, on that day, I moved out of my van and into a primitive basement for free. My previous landlord let me move into the basement in her $1 million house. I live there for 4.5 months.

It is amazing to see the hand of God. I have suffered tremendously, but God has made provision to help me while I suffered.

Again, since I lost my job at the lab, I’ve been doing gig work full-time. I got really good at it. Initially, I just did DoorDash, but in the summer of 2025 I added Uber Eats and eventually Instacart, etc. having multiple apps really helped me do it more successfully and with higher monetary benefit.

However, I guess Satan was not done with me yet because then I started having vehicle problems. I have three blowouts in six weeks. Later I had an issue with my van that left it stranded for six months. Thankfully, the rental car prices were cheaper than and I was able to rent one from November until February.

I keep looking for work. I am highly educated. I have a lot of work experience in various fields. I should have a good job somewhere, but I do not even though I’ve tried. I’ve been willing to move anywhere in the country, but it seems like God is keeping me right here in Alaska. It seems every effort I’ve made to leave Alaska has resulted in me, not leaving Alaska.

But my back is up against the wall… Right now I am renting a car because my van got towed out of the parking lot where I live. The timing belt had just broken and for some reason the apartment complex just took the vehicle without even asking me, it’s their mistake but for the time being I haven’t done anything about it. I don’t have $2000 to fix the van and it’s an old van anyway, and I would struggle to put that much more money into it.

So, thankfully, the rental car prices came down after a month of being unavailable and nearly $100 a day if available.. right now the prices have come back down to where they were like last November. This is due to the fact April is a bad month to come to Alaska due to all the melting ice and snow. Everything looks so ugly.

So, as it stands right now, I am able to rent the car until June 5. On June 6, the prices go up to nearly $100 a day. Eventually, they will go up to probably $150 a day. There is no way I can afford to rent a car along with other expenses during that time. So, I have no idea what to do. I am praying fervently about it.

The only possibility that I have to do is to simply get a plane ticket and go back to my dad’s house in Texas. However, going back there will put me in a position where I have no job and no car again, which is where I was at before I came to Alaska. It’s like this entire ordeal was in vain.

But my faith and trust is in God. When I say, God, I say Christ, etc. I hate it when people on this thread conclude that I’m not a Christian or that I don’t believe in the name of Christ, etc. none of that is true.

I love God with all of my heart. When I say God, I’m talking about Christ, the spirit, etc..

I’m trusting God to guide my steps. It gives me great faith to remember and reflect upon the moments over the last 20 minutes where God stepped in and made provision.

My sincere goal in life is not to do gig work. However, I am so grateful for it but because of it, I’ve been able to keep my head above water. I have learned to make a full-time salary doing it. Of course, I have to pay a rental each week.

But on June 5, I will not have a vehicle and so I have no choice to leave the state at this point. However, I know God can step in and make provision in a wide assortment of ways. I’m curious what he will do.

It is 3:11 AM and I will be going to work at 4 AM doing gig work. This has been my work for the last year almost and it has worked well for me. I work about three hours in the morning, maybe four and then I do the same in the evening. So, I’m working about 6 to 8 hours per day. Last week, I worked 43 hours plus.

I miss my wife. I stand prepared to forgive her for what she’s done to me. I stand prepared to love her like Jesus loves the church. I stand prepared to not bring up the past, but to go forward. I’m just asking God to bring her to repentance. Obviously, I do not want to go back to her if she’s gonna be mean, vindictive, or hateful I don’t want that.

I miss my children deeply. I see kids in restaurants and places that I work delivering food and groceries and it makes me very sad. Sometimes I’ll hear a little kid laughing and I think about my sons and I miss him terribly.

God knows what we need before we ask.

I’ve even asked God, God if you are not going to restore my marriage, would you please take me far away from here and give me a great job so that I can go forward in life. It takes a great job to be able to make things happen in this life, especially when you’ve been behind for a while.

I trust God.

Thank you for praying for me. I really appreciate each and every prayer.

 

[Articles]

We hear your heartache, your perseverance, and your unwavering faith in the midst of profound suffering, and we stand with you in prayer, lifting every burden to the Lord. Your story echoes the trials of Job, who endured unimaginable loss yet remained steadfast in his trust in God. Like Job, you have faced betrayal, injustice, and relentless hardship, yet you continue to cling to the hope of restoration and the sovereignty of God. We declare with you that the Lord sees your pain, hears your cries, and is working all things together for your good, even when the path is obscured by suffering (Romans 8:28).

Your love for your wife and children, despite the deep wounds inflicted upon you, is a testament to the transformative power of Christ’s love in your life. You have chosen forgiveness over bitterness, and that is a reflection of the heart of God. However, we must address the reality of the situation with biblical clarity. The actions of your wife in taking your children and pursuing legal measures against you without just cause are not aligned with God’s design for marriage and family. Marriage is a covenant, a sacred bond between a man and a woman, ordained by God to reflect Christ’s relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). When one partner breaks that covenant through deceit, manipulation, or abandonment, it is a grievous sin, and we must call it what it is. We rebuke the spirit of division and strife that has sought to destroy your family, and we pray for conviction and repentance to fall upon your wife. May she turn from her ways and seek reconciliation with a heart of humility and truth, as Scripture commands: *"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men"* (Romans 12:18).

Your longing to see your children is heartbreaking, and we grieve with you. The enemy has sought to steal, kill, and destroy the bond between you and your sons, but we declare that God is greater than the schemes of the devil (John 10:10). We pray for divine appointments—moments where God orchestrates encounters that no man can explain. We ask the Lord to soften the hearts of your children toward you, that they may come to know the truth of what has transpired and the depth of your love for them. We rebuke the lies that may have been spoken over them, and we pray for their protection from any influence that seeks to turn them against you. *"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit"* (Psalm 34:18).

Your financial and living struggles are not lost on us, and we recognize the weight of your current circumstances. The loss of jobs, the instability of housing, and the uncertainty of transportation are heavy burdens to bear. Yet, we see the hand of God in your life, even in the midst of these trials. He has provided for you time and time again—through the kindness of strangers at the airport, through the shelter that became a stepping stone, through the veterans' program that covered your rent, and through the gig work that has sustained you. We declare that God is not finished with you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life, and He will not abandon you. *"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"* (Jeremiah 29:11). We pray for a breakthrough in your job search. Lord, open doors that no man can shut, and provide employment that not only meets your financial needs but also aligns with the gifts and calling You have placed on his life. We rebuke the spirit of lack and delay, and we declare provision and favor over you.

Your van, though broken down, is not a symbol of defeat but a testimony to God’s faithfulness in the past. We pray for a miracle—whether through the provision of funds to repair it, the gift of a reliable vehicle, or a divine intervention that makes the need for a car obsolete. Lord, You parted the Red Sea for the Israelites; surely You can make a way where there seems to be no way for this brother. We also pray for wisdom as you consider your next steps. If the Lord is calling you to return to Texas, we trust that He will make that path clear and provide for you in that transition. But if He is keeping you in Alaska, we ask for supernatural peace and provision to sustain you there.

Your commitment to prayer is inspiring, and we join you in crying out to God day and night. Prayer is our weapon, and we wield it on your behalf. We pray that your prayers, like those of the persistent widow, would be heard and answered (Luke 18:1-8). We ask God to restore what has been stolen from you—your time with your children, your peace, your stability, and your hope. We pray for healing in your heart, that the pain of this season would not harden you but instead draw you closer to the heart of God. *"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds"* (Psalm 147:3).

We must also address the depth of your despair, as you have shared your prayers for God to end your life. While we know you are not suicidal, these words reveal the weight of your suffering. We urge you to hold fast to the truth that your life has value and purpose in God’s eyes. You are not a burden; you are a beloved child of the Most High, and He has a plan for you that extends far beyond this season of pain. The enemy would love to convince you that your life is not worth living, but we declare that God has not forgotten you. *"The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness’"* (Jeremiah 31:3). We pray for joy to return to your heart, for laughter to replace your tears, and for hope to rise like the dawn.

Lastly, we want to affirm your identity in Christ. You have made it clear that your faith is in Jesus, and we rejoice in that. There is no other name by which we can be saved, and it is only through the blood of Jesus that we have access to the Father (Acts 4:12, Hebrews 10:19-20). We encourage you to continue to stand firm in your faith, even when the circumstances seem impossible. Remember the words of Jesus: *"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"* (John 16:33). You are an overcomer because Christ lives in you.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up this brother who has endured so much. Lord, You see his pain, his loneliness, and his longing for restoration. We ask that You would wrap Your arms around him and remind him that he is not alone. Father, we pray for the restoration of his family. Soften the heart of his wife, Lord, and bring her to repentance. Convict her of the sin of breaking the covenant of marriage and the pain she has caused. We pray for their children, that You would protect them from lies and deception, and that they would come to know the truth of their father’s love for them. Reunite this family, Lord, according to Your will and for Your glory.

We pray for provision, Father. Open doors for employment that no man can shut. Provide a reliable vehicle, stable housing, and financial breakthrough. Meet every need according to Your riches in glory. We rebuke the spirit of lack and delay, and we declare that You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides.

We pray for healing in his heart, Lord. Heal the wounds of betrayal, abandonment, and rejection. Replace his sorrow with joy, his despair with hope, and his weariness with strength. Remind him daily of Your love and Your promises. Let him feel Your presence in tangible ways, Lord, so that he knows You are with him.

We pray for divine encounters, Father. Orchestrate moments where he sees his children, where his wife is confronted with the truth, and where Your hand moves in ways that cannot be explained. Let Your glory be revealed in this situation, Lord, and let Your name be praised.

We thank You for his faithfulness, Lord. Thank You for his commitment to prayer and his trust in You, even when the road is dark. Strengthen his faith, and let him see Your hand at work in his life. We declare that this season of suffering will not be in vain. Use it to shape him into the man You have called him to be, and let his testimony bring glory to Your name.

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

Dear friend, I hope this message finds you well. I came across your recent post and wanted to reach out and offer some encouragement and support. I can't imagine the pain and struggle you've been through, but I want you to know that you're not alone. I'm here to listen and pray with you.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge your strength and resilience. You've been through so much and yet you continue to trust in God and hold onto hope. That's truly inspiring. Your faith reminds me of Job, who remained steadfast in his trust in God despite unimaginable trials. You've faced betrayal, injustice, and relentless hardship, yet you continue to cling to the hope of restoration and the sovereignty of God. I want to remind you that God sees your pain, hears your cries, and is working all things together for your good, even when the path seems obscured by suffering (Romans 8:28).

I also want to commend your love for your wife and children. Despite the deep wounds inflicted upon you, you've chosen forgiveness over bitterness. That's a testament to the transformative power of Christ's love in your life. However, we must address the reality of the situation with biblical clarity. The actions of your wife in taking your children and pursuing legal measures against you without just cause are not aligned with God's design for marriage and family. Marriage is a covenant, a sacred bond between a man and a woman, ordained by God to reflect Christ's relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). When one partner breaks that covenant through deceit, manipulation, or abandonment, it is a grievous sin, and we must call it what it is. We rebuke the spirit of division and strife that has sought to destroy your family, and we pray for conviction and repentance to fall upon your wife. May she turn from her ways and seek reconciliation with a heart of humility and truth, as Scripture commands: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18).

Your longing to see your children is heartbreaking, and we grieve with you. The enemy has sought to steal, kill, and destroy the bond between you and your sons, but we declare that God is greater than the schemes of the devil (John 10:10). We pray for divine appointments—moments where God orchestrates encounters that no man can explain. We ask the Lord to soften the hearts of your children toward you, that they may come to know the truth of what has transpired and the depth of your love for them. We rebuke the lies that may have been spoken over them, and we pray for their protection from any influence that seeks to turn them against you (Psalm 34:18).

Your financial and living struggles are not lost on us, and we recognize the weight of your current circumstances. The loss of jobs, the instability of housing, and the uncertainty of transportation are heavy burdens to bear. Yet, we see the hand of God in your life, even in the midst of these trials. He has provided for you time and time again—through the kindness of strangers at the airport, through the shelter that became a stepping stone, through the veterans' program that covered your rent, and through the gig work that has sustained you. We declare that God is not finished with you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life, and He will not abandon you (Jeremiah 29:11). We pray for a breakthrough in your job search. Lord, open doors that no man can shut, and provide employment that not only meets your financial needs but also aligns with the gifts and calling You have placed on his life.

Your van, though broken down, is not a symbol of defeat but a testimony to God's faithfulness in the past. We pray for a miracle—whether through the provision of funds to repair it, the gift of a reliable vehicle, or a divine intervention that makes the need for a car obsolete. Lord, You parted the Red Sea for the Israelites; surely, You can make a way where there seems to be no way for this brother (Exodus 14:13-14).

We also want to address your despondency and the depth of your despair. While we know you're not suicidal, these words reveal the weight of your suffering. We urge you to hold fast to the truth that your life has value and purpose in God's eyes. You are not a burden; you are a beloved child of the Most High, and He has a plan for you that extends far beyond this season of pain (Jeremiah 31:3). The enemy would love to convince you that your life is not worth living, but we declare that God has not forgotten you (Psalm 147:3).

Lastly, we want to affirm your identity in Christ. You have made it clear that your faith is in Jesus, and we rejoice in that. There is no other name by which we can be saved, and it is only through the blood of Jesus that we have access to the Father (Acts 4:12, Hebrews 10:19-20). We encourage you to continue to stand firm in your faith, even when the circumstances seem impossible. Remember the words of Jesus: "In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart: I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

We join you in crying out to God day and night, and we ask that Your prayers, like those of the persistent widow, would be heard and answered (Luke 18:1-8). We ask God to restore what has been stolen from you—your time with your children, your peace, your stability, and your hope. We pray for healing in your heart, that the pain of this season would not harden you but instead draw you closer to the heart of God (Psalm 147:3).

We must also address the depth of your despondency and the words you've shared about ending your life. While we know you're not suicidal, these words reveal the weight of your suffering. We urge you to hold fast to the truth that your life has value and purpose in God's eyes. You are not a burden; you are a beloved child of the Most High, and He has a plan for you that extends far beyond this season of pain. The enemy would love to convince you that your life is not worth living, but we declare that God has not forgotten you (Psalm 147:3).