Lower 48 Road Trip: South Dakota, North Dakota & Minnesota

“A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” -Matthew 5:14

What a week it’s been! Life is definitely getting interesting in the United States of America. With Joe Biden stepping out of the presidential race and Kamala Harris being promoted, it’s obvious that we are indeed in unusual times. I expect 2024 to get even more wild as we approach election day, so let’s remember to keep our eyes on Jesus. If we become obsessed with the news or politics, we can open ourselves up to all kinds of fear and frustration. God has a good plan for the United States and every other nation on earth. Let’s stay focused and continue to stretch ourselves to trust in Jesus, instead of relying on what we can see (which is not the full picture). Thankfully, our savior sees everything and he will work all these things out for our good (Romans 8:28). Receive peace today for your heart and mind. We will get through this turbulent year together.

The next states we encountered on our road trip were South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. There was so much to explore in these states! God also opened up opportunities for us to minister to people. The adventure was just getting started!

South Dakota: is a “beacon of freedom” for the rest of the United States. I believe the “winds of worship” are blowing across this state. It will be a “new sound.” This state is a place of “rest and refreshment.” I heard the Lord call it “Sweet Sleep South Dakota.” We really enjoyed our time in this state. I wanted to visit this state for the past few years, and it certainly did not disappoint! We camped in the Black Hills National Forest at Horsethief Lake. It was serene and refreshing. As I sat near the lake, I had a very powerful encounter with God’s love and I knew this was a very special place. Of course, we saw Mount Rushmore! The monument is remarkable, but I love how the name and flag of every state is on display as you walk up to the viewing area. It made me feel happy to be an American. Then we explored the town of Keystone, which is a fun old western town. We were looking around at an intriguing wood carving shop at the edge of town, when we stumbled upon a moment God had planned for us. The young woman who worked there started talking to us and we were amazed to find out she had gone to school in Vancouver, WA where we live! When I asked her if she knew Jesus, she said “yes” and showed us her name is “Rhema” (which is a Greek word used in the Bible to refer to the living word of God). We got to pray with her and she was amazed by how God was working because another woman had just prayed for her at the shop the day before. It was so encouraging!

We went down to Rapid City for dinner, but before we could pick a restaurant, we ended up in an argument. It was so frustrating, so I got out of the car to cool down. I was about to walk down the sidewalk, when I felt drawn to a native man named Jered who was holding a sign that said “God Bless.” I asked him if he knew Jesus and he said “yes!” He told me he met Jesus on Christmas Day. He said Jesus came and sat down beside him and whispered into his ear. Jered was homeless, living under a bridge. He shared with me that he had a broken heart, so I had compassion on him. I held his hand and prayed for him to find a home. Then I felt compelled to give him a $100 bill as a seed of faith toward a home. He was elated! At this point my husband Gabe came out to talk with him as well. Jered told us he felt his heart starting to heal. We hugged him and he felt certain he would see us again… even if it will be in heaven. It was such a moving and special encounter. Even though Gabe and I were not at our best, God still decided to use us. What amazing grace!

The next morning, I looked out of the van and saw three bikers holding hands praying. I quickly went over to them and asked how I could be praying for them. They were heading to the rally in Sturgis and asked for protection. I also told them about my husband’s ministry United Hive and how we were traveling to all the lower 48 states. Then we all prayed together and one of the men handed me a $100 bill for gas! This was so incredible since I just gave the same amount to Jered the night before. God very quickly poured that blessing right back into my lap. I was in awe!

A day later, we drove through the gnarliest storm of our lives on the Lake Traverse Reservation. We were getting gas in Summit, when we saw a wall of black clouds moving toward us very quickly. The winds were rocking and the rain was fierce. We tried to wait it out, but we didn’t have much time to spare, so we ventured out onto the road. There was a tornado watch for our area, so I was praying like crazy. The clouds were black and it was as dark as night, even though it was during daylight hours. We really didn’t know whether to pull over or keep going (we tried both). However, since we had no where to shelter, we just kept pushing through slowly. It lasted for quite a while, but eventually, we made it out ok and never saw a tornado… praise the Lord! Those midwestern storms are no joke!

Lastly, we stopped at the gorgeous Falls Park in Sioux Falls. The Big Sioux River runs through the middle of the city. In the park there is a dramatic set of waterfalls you can get very close to. If you are ever in the area, you have to see the falls… they’re so refreshing.

North Dakota: is “North Star North Dakota.” I heard the Lord say, “They are my Northern Lights” and it’s the “land of opportunity.” This state is surprisingly beautiful. It is covered in fields of sunflowers and rolling hills. The Camp Hancock State Historic Site in downtown Bismarck, is a charming park with a gorgeous old church and a steam locomotive train. It was so lovely. Jamestown is a real gem! If you are ever in the area, you have to stop there. They have a cute old western town on a hill called Frontier Village. They transported old buildings from all over the state and put them on the same street together, so it feels like you are stepping back in time. At the end of the road, there is a giant buffalo statue that they claim is the largest buffalo in the world. We had so much fun and the people were so friendly! However, Fargo was a huge disappointment. In fact, it was our least favorite place we visited on the whole trip! It was cold and raining there in August, but what was worse than the bad weather were the trans flags. There was literally a trans flag on every street lamp in the entire downtown area. You expect to see that kind of thing in June, but not in August. It was so overkill! What happened to flying the American flag? Anyway, we were not there very long and couldn’t wait to leave. It was very obvious the spirit of confusion has a stronghold in Fargo. This city would be a great place to hold a revival event to share the love and truth of the gospel.

Minnesota: is a “warm blanket of love.” We first crossed over the line into Moorhead, while we were in Fargo. I immediately felt a difference spiritually, which was lovely. They have a marvelous replica of the famous Hopperstad Stave Church in Norway. When we grabbed coffee at a local shop there, we were surprised to see wild turkeys across the street in a neighborhood. It was hilarious to see turkeys in town! A couple days later, we were back in Minnesota and stopped to have dinner in Albert Lea at the “Thirsty Fox.” Our server, Jennifer, really opened up to us. She shared about her faith in God and about her son, who is also a believer. She seemed amazed at how God was moving in her family. However, there was also some worldly mixture in her faith because she practiced Reiki. We didn’t get to pray with her, but we prayed for her on our drive. She reminded me of the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well. My hope is for her to worship Jesus in the Spirit and in truth, without worldly mixture (John 4:23-24). As we went through Minneapolis, we stopped at Mall of America to have lunch and look around. It is enormous and it would be very easy to get lost inside. The most incredible feature is the theme park with rides and a roller coaster in the center. I can see why it would be a dream place for kids. Lastly, we drove over to St Paul to see the famous cathedral and the wonderful road of Victorian era mansions on Summit Avenue. Then I heard the scripture, “A city on a hill that cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). Then I prayed for God to, “Spring up a well of living water.”

Does it surprise you to hear of what God is doing in these states? I was certainly surprised by what I heard and felt. Our beautiful country is full of hidden treasures… if only we will look with God’s eyes, we will see people and places in a new light. I hope you are enjoying this journey with me so far. More is coming next week!