If you get a chance to visit the Ark Encounter is Kentucky- do it!

If you get a chance to visit the Ark Encounter during Christmas time with all the incredible light shows- by all means- do it!

If you get a chance to visit the Ark Encounter during Christmas time when God’s Bible School and College is putting on their Christmas performance- oh my- don’t just stand there- pack your suitcase and rush that way!!

Several weekends ago, my dad took a bus load of people to Kentucky for the weekend, and I was privileged to be included on the adventure.

Archive pic from a previous, more summery visit

I’ve visited the Ark different times, but I’ve never spent most of the day there.

I enjoyed the relaxed day of wandering through the grounds- exploring the ark in detail, eating a leisure lunch at Emzara’s buffet, meeting the variety of animals out in the petting zoo. It was a good day.

I love the reminders of Gods faithfulness, His provision, and His plan to provide a way of escape for those who worship Him. God keeps His promises- the Ark does a wonderful job of making that fact clear.

Mid afternoon we made our way to the Answers Center where God’s Bible School and College where sharing their Christmas musical.

For the next 2 hours, my heart swelled with praise and worship as the choir started in the Beginning of Time as Adam and Eve were led away from the garden after sin has entered the world; visited Abraham as God told him of things to come. Elizabeth rejoiced when she got a visit from Mary and they celebrated the upcoming birth of the Promised Child. The Shepherds excitement over the announcement of Christ’s birth was thrilling. But my favorite was the reaction of the man born paralyzed, the woman taken in adultery, and the man born blind when Jesus touched their life and offered them grace.

“Yes!” I thought “it’s so clear- all along God promises that a Messiah would come. For years people waited and waited. And then He came and conquered death so extensively, offering a way of escape for all of us even however many 1000 years later. What a difference Jesus makes in lives today. This is beautiful. God keeps His promises!”

As I stepped out of the auditorium, night had fallen, but the entire Ark Encounter grounds had turned into a rainbow forest. Everywhere were the beautiful array of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. Reminding me again- God keeps His promises.

What I didn’t know, as I rejoiced in the beauty and wonder of my worship service- back in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, God was at work.

My darling sister Em left a birthday party for a nephew, and was heading down an unfamiliar road after dark in typical Em fashion (hammerdown). A brief moment of inattention at a bend in the road, and Em’s car shot up a bank and sailed through the air. Luke Duke would’ve been proud as she went airborne.

We went to see her as soon as we got home from KY. “I hit a tree about 10 feet in the air and then fell forever. They say that when an accident happens- it goes so fast- you don’t even know what happened, well that’s fake news- I knew exactly what was happening the entire way, but I was powerless to stop it.”

When her car finally stopped at the bottom of a 20-30 foot ravine, the emergency worker in Em immediately took over as she discovered A. She was still alive and B. After a head to toe assessment, she wasn’t even hurt.

The impact was great enough that her rearview mirror was ripped off the windshield even though no glass was broken. And other than major whiplash and some issues from the seatbelt- she walked away rejoicing.

R.I.P. little blue Dart

When the pics started arriving and we pieced the story together- Mother and I both cried at the reality of Gods protection over Em. God does keep His promises.

I don’t know what battles you’re facing. And I know that the fact is- Gods promises don’t always protect us from tragedy. I also know, that He is Faithful and whatever difficult thing might be next, He will provide what we need in that moment.

Take a minute in this busy week to recognize what He’s providing in Your World.

And if you see Em around, give her a fist bump or shake her hand (or hug her gingerly- because sore ribs don’t leave overnight) and thank God for allowing us one more Christmas season with her 💞

Praise Him,

Kendra