%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 19 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /XObject << /I1 15 0 R /I2 16 0 R /I3 23 0 R /I4 24 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 17 0 R /GS2 18 0 R /GS3 21 0 R /GS4 22 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text /ImageC ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 1.0.2 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20241126164727+00'00') /ModDate (D:20241126164727+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1797 >> stream xXM6WѮ1$i{q9NFU>!!(ڻ@bW~2TԈnt1fti7VaQ"+9% 1՚nFQsk魲FEz5row$Vr!rvBw1U'ь||q$CiS9xhO~ V;+H MeNc og%^oauVf81Ci, @CJ:뮕E]i[{]w*5<$i&fbvDz}ːx#'hJSQ4/?l[]=Sz؛S+XXriWUΛ=Q#ӭOڨ oG; bH<-VKCSBCWi3%ߓ^u}xYbF%,u#ѽrJ7Vp5E",bXrȒ{}NIMV[EZ."wґ]ʮC귭Zu1; R^FP5Oy]S>|4hrcY^}eVѓrUb,}Sr}0ɖFCjM8QʁX*>>{-+^2XV ؄X#LIsޯc "VζJ>iHFY0}%=]#=D gق QA10(O辋$[bV*xFF~PN& -J{-{J?HѲ?Ncij;~V[+i!kvj^ X!X+^ /0Q^, on1=:1YG{Taq[˱}gX~8v@rF2_^']X+@qjxb rp?J  X@bCهcU)c8 [m^~7G!>1Bu(4:ـN:/Si$/iI@l|y&I^vW `)LX02:: Gɴg'[0AM7ģ,h)͎Fo;Qj{%}q75ḧ́f tQEӋ(";bN4-DWwhTκ4z 048UI nڻoD2(2X 1#,pʌN̲lvC,n-q9+q2jf gce&.8' AYpnRzz)bYdqx=xu/on*BC-΢˜OYҋ2b.g%gb(7o8|=ܢ8pH?{>E'7)VC endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 20 0 R >> endobj 20 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 834 >> stream xU8sTa@nf^%n-c%J/GHR{ۢ@X0====")'-V?y-yDet鎋w{ZWagliCNy!2wD_~;9[Rg^dӓD:ˋ}fH'u-b<@J'cǧU.čI#J>+]5j鬐Uĵ aPVje"nS&|?Q{#Π!jUuQ$P2{t3s^ZR#~@oK:~خӍr>y;bdHYDlR,1AeÖG "8(9M5# dpaF ?9g'.)R\duW޺)zQƪÅ`M SWV\a͑1+Өd0&]`z sг? ̳?KzR~)Ẋxzt<`chbn-zWYįE|7#KzoX]u-M2C87U#XQº]Z'ouYyz'vf-v>ʯRϷ'ꦪ+Z+Vō/@e endstream endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj xref 0 25 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000461 00000 n 0000000498 00000 n 0000000647 00000 n 0000000750 00000 n 0000002620 00000 n 0000002727 00000 n 0000002835 00000 n 0000002945 00000 n 0000003058 00000 n 0000003174 00000 n 0000003203 00000 n 0000003313 00000 n 0000008888 00000 n 0000010019 00000 n 0000010078 00000 n 0000010137 00000 n 0000010242 00000 n 0000011149 00000 n 0000011206 00000 n 0000011263 00000 n 0000016838 00000 n trailer << /Size 25 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[<4909dd12f6b698715f29740bb539e78e><4909dd12f6b698715f29740bb539e78e>] >> startxref 17969 %%EOF As the mountains surround Jerusalem | Caring Magazine

As the mountains surround Jerusalem

Listen to this article

from theDesk of…

by Pam Strickland, Lt. Colonel –

Recently I had the privilege, along with Cabinet and the Territorial Executive Council, to attend the Alaska Congress in Sitka, Alaska. The beauty of the mountain scenery and the warmth of the people was a wonderful experience.

Meeting in such a majestic setting brought to mind the Scripture verse, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore” (Psalm 125:2).

Though Jerusalem is not surrounded by a ring of mountain peaks, the city is located in what Old Testament writers called a mountainous region. Scripture describes Psalm 125 as “A song of ascents.” Many of the Psalms were anthems sung by pilgrims on their yearly journey to Jerusalem during the feast days. As you read these hymns of the highway, you can imagine yourself (as the pilgrim) on a long journey, a traveler far from home with your destination now in view.

The second half of that verse declares, “The Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” What a wonderful promise, knowing the Lord actually surrounds us. With that comes peace, protection and provision.

We all know that peace has always been an elusive commodity. Historians have stated that in the last 3,500 years of human history, less than 300 of those years could be called ‘warless.” More than 8,000 treaties have been made…and broken…during that time. True peace comes only from the Lord. Just as the city of Jerusalem in David’s day housed the very presence of the Lord, so our body today is the “temple (dwelling place) of the Holy Ghost.” We have the very source of peace dwelling within.

Psalm 121:5,6 gives us the assurance of protection. ”The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” An unsleeping guardian stands watch over each of us day and night. What more protection could you or I ever need or want.

All of life’s securities and blessings are gifts from God rather than anything you or I could have accomplished. As the children of Israel left Egypt and journeyed to the Promised Land, the Lord provided for them each step of the way. Their clothing or sandals never wore out, food was provided as manna from heaven. Their enemies were defeated in battle as long as they were obedient to God’s promises. The key word is obedient.

As we shared in worship and fellowship in southeast Alaska with the officers and soldiers of that great division, I was reminded again of God’s beautiful creation, not only in nature totally surrounding us, but in the beauty of each soul that is committed to him. How wonderful to be in the mist of fellow believers that are on the same journey, with the same destination ahead. In the singing of the songs, and the reading of Scripture, we were united as one body in Christ. I believe it could be summed up in the chorus of a song sung by Dallas Holm:

Here we are in your presence,
Lifting holy hands to you.
Here we are praising Jesus
For the things he’s brought us through.


You May Also Like