Month: September 2025

Stories in the Smokies

Notes from Alex: Discovering East Tennessee

Exploring the history, lore, and beauty of East Tennessee

I had the opportunity to live in Parrottsville, Tennessee, a small community about 90 minutes east of Knoxville and just 20 miles west of the North Carolina border. During that time, I learned a great many things about the area—and quickly realized how rich it is in American history.

East Tennessee is a region full of stories. From Civil War sites to old legends and ghost tales, the past lingers in the hills and valleys. Some of those stories are good, some are great, and some remind us of harder times—but together they weave a picture of a land shaped by generations of people and events.

We lived right by the Great Smoky Mountains, a place of breathtaking beauty, and just a stone’s throw from the Appalachian Trail. The mountains themselves hold countless stories—of settlers, soldiers, families, and wanderers—all layered into the history and lore of the region.

If you ever have the chance, I encourage you to visit East Tennessee. Walk its trails, breathe in the mountain air, listen to the stories, and discover the history for yourself. The region has so much to offer for anyone who is curious.

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Beautiful Chaos, Guided by the Spirit

Notes from Alex – A Light in the Chaos

As I sit and reflect on my spiritual journey, I see a thread running through my life that started long before I chose to follow Christ. Even as a kid, I felt this pull inside me—a desire to be a positive light in a world that often seemed swallowed up in darkness.

I remember looking around at my community, at my people, and noticing the chaos that swirled like a storm. It was heavy and unsettling, even then. And yet, deep in my heart, I knew I wanted to do something different. To be an encouragement. To bring a spark of light, however small, into the lives of those around me.

Sometimes that looked like the simplest of things—saying hello, asking how are you doing?, or just stopping long enough to really listen. I didn’t always know what I was doing, but I knew it mattered.

When I chose to follow Christ, that quiet nudge inside me didn’t disappear—it became stronger, clearer, and more purposeful. I began to understand that God had given me tools for this journey: prayer, His Word, the ability to speak encouragement, and the call to walk alongside others as they faced their own struggles.

These tools aren’t just for me; they’re meant to be shared. They’re meant to point people toward hope, toward light, toward the One who is greater than all of us.

Looking back, I see how God was already preparing my heart before I even realized it. That desire I felt as a kid—to be a light in the midst of chaos—wasn’t just me. It was Him. It always was.

And this is where I’ve landed: life isn’t about having it all figured out, but about using what God has placed in your hands to encourage, uplift, and shine a light for others on their journey.

And as I continue walking with my Creator, I hold onto this thought: my life is simply beautiful chaos, dancing in the wind of the Spirit.

As Jesus said in John 3:8, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

That’s how my journey feels—mysterious, sometimes unpredictable, but always alive in the movement of God.

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Homecoming Freewrite — Notes from Alex

Noticing the shadows — a year home in Metlakatla.

I’ve been home in Metlakatla for just over a year now, and the place I thought I knew is showing me new faces. There’s a kind of quiet I remember from growing up here, but underneath it I’m seeing something else — a current of worry and a tangle of things I didn’t expect: prescription pills trading hands like gum, illegal substances moving through corners of town, people who used to be on opposite sides now strangely close. It’s confusing. It’s sad. It’s real.

What puzzles me most is the connections. Folks I remember as neighbors or coworkers now move in ways that suggest there’s a map of relationships I don’t have. Enemies become pals, dealers and users exist beside pastors and parents, and the lines between “that kind of person” and “someone from church” blur. Maybe that’s how communities survive — we adapt, we hide our shame, we make peace with what we can’t face. Or maybe it’s how a problem grows: out of silence and the things done in the shadows.

I’ve been praying about it. Not the quick, “fix-this” kind of prayer, but the heavy, persistent kind that asks for truth and healing. I believe shadows don’t have the last word — light does. If there are people bringing drugs into our streets and wrecking lives, this shouldn’t be something we normalize or tuck away like a family secret. We owe each other honesty, care, and accountability. We owe our kids a town that doesn’t make brokenness into a quiet economy.

That doesn’t mean I want to point fingers from a place of judgment. I want to see people helped, not shamed. I want the folks stuck in cycles of addiction to find paths out, and for the people enabling the flow — whether knowingly or not — to be confronted with help and consequences. And yes, I want the hidden things brought to light, because only in the light can healing begin.

It’s a strange mix: pride in this place that raised me, and grief for the things that are wrong. It’s also a call — to pay attention, to speak up when I can, to pray louder when I can’t. Maybe the first step is simply noticing, and then doing the next small thing: check on a neighbor, show up to a local meeting, call someone who can help. Small lights can join to make a blaze.

“For there is nothing hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” — Luke 8:17

A short prayer: Lord, bring what is hidden into the light. Bring healing where there is harm. Give us courage to act and wisdom to love well. Amen.

“If we want a healthier community tomorrow, it begins with the choices we make inside our own homes today — for our kids, for our families, for the ones watching us most closely.”

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Freewrite – Reflections

Wrestling with Darkness, Seeking the Light

I am sitting here tonight, after a full day of work, saddened and unsettled by the news of what happened today. A man, in what is already being called a political assassination, was shot and killed while speaking to university students.

This was not just any man—he loved his country, and he loved young people. That’s why he chose to engage with them, to debate, to challenge, to listen. And now his life has been taken.

I sit here puzzled, almost speechless, wondering why this even happened. Part of me can’t help but see it through the lens of spiritual warfare. Anytime someone stands up for young people, or speaks truth—whether biblical truth or simply the truth of what is right and just—it seems they are targeted. Not by the light, but by the darkness.

And when darkness strikes, it leaves in its wake confusion, pain, and unanswered questions. That confusion is the very atmosphere the enemy of our soul thrives on.

Tonight, I feel both sadness and anger. Anger, because my heart tells me there is more we can be doing. More to stand for truth. More to protect life. More to speak hope into the next generation.

But what is that “more”? That is the question stirring in me tonight.

So tonight I leave this question not just on my own heart, but with you as well: what more can we do? How do we push back against the darkness that tries to silence truth and steal hope from the next generation? Maybe it’s in prayer, maybe it’s in showing up for young people, maybe it’s in speaking truth when it would be easier to stay quiet.

I don’t have the full answer. But I do know this—we cannot remain numb or passive. Each of us has a role, however small or large, to shine light where darkness wants to dwell.

Jesus reminded us in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” That is where our confidence rests. The “more” begins with turning to Him, walking in His light, and carrying that light into every space we can.

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A New Chapter in Aviation and Life

Back in My Wheelhouse

Over the past few weeks, I’ve stepped into a new role that has placed me right back into the world of Private Jet Aviation. It feels good to be back in my wheelhouse—sales and operations—working with an incredible ops team that truly loves what they do. What makes it even more rewarding is that we are a fully remote team, spread across the country, yet united by our passion for aviation. Different walks of life, different backgrounds, but one shared drive. It shows in the way we work together.

When I came home to Alaska, my heart was set on helping in any way I could. I wanted to contribute, to lend my experience, and to move projects forward. But the reality was harder than expected. Leadership support was missing at key moments, and decisions that needed to be made simply weren’t. It left me confused and, if I’m honest, a little discouraged.

In the end, it became clear that my help wasn’t truly needed in the way I had hoped. That was a difficult realization, and making the decision to move on wasn’t easy. But today, I find myself deeply thankful for this new opportunity and for the people I now get to work alongside.

I still hope the best for the projects happening here in Metlakatla. This is home, and I care about the work being done. But for now, I’m grateful to have found a team and a space where my skills are being put to good use again.

At the end of the day, I see this as another reminder that the journey—whether in aviation, family, or faith—isn’t always a straight line, but every turn has a purpose in shaping where we’re meant to be.

Faith-focused:
“Through it all, I’m reminded that God’s plan often unfolds in ways I don’t expect, but always in ways that prepare me for where I’m meant to be.”

Family-focused:
“It’s another reminder that the work I do isn’t just for me—it’s about creating stability and setting an example for my family, showing them that resilience matters.”

Aviation-focused:
“Much like flying, this journey has had its turbulence and course corrections, but every adjustment keeps me moving toward the horizon where I’m meant to be.”

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