Peace from a Whirlwind

Hello friends and family!

If you’ve been a faithful reader of our SandScribbles, this is a fair warning to buckle your seatbelts. This prayer letter isn’t going to be like any of the others I’ve written so far! God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes He chooses quiet, small things like the way the sun shines through new cottonwood leaves. And sometimes He chooses to rearrange the major building blocks of life. The past few months have been an example of the latter.

Camp News

I’m not going to say much about camp, other than it’s been busy! We hosted retreats of all kinds: science camps for kids, men’s retreats, spiritual emphasis retreats for high-school classes, a board game and craft camp, and probably a few I’ve already forgotten. One highlight was Airsoft Camp, a test replacement for our usual Paintball Camp. People who would never set foot in a church are very willing to come to a Christian camp for twenty-four hours of thrilling airsoft battles. Plus, the challenge of the game makes it a great opportunity for families and church families to grow stronger relationships. Though we may not have served hundreds of Airsoft campers, God used that very short time to make a big impact on souls for eternity.

Palkki News

Where to begin? First, we got a puppy! A Belgian Malinois mutt named Diesel joined our household in the middle of February. He was only about 6 weeks old when he followed a camper back from the middle of the desert where we think he’d been abandoned. Gabe and I knew that if we didn’t take him, probably no one else would. We’d been wanting a dog and, like I said, sometimes God works in mysterious ways! Diesel loves people, is terrified of backhoes, and enjoys trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to eat rocks. It’s amazing that God can use something like a puppy to open relationship and ministry opportunities. We’ve enjoyed having Diesel around and hope that he continues to provide a connection point with Ministry Crew, Summer Staff and Resident Staff.

But wait! There’s more! Diesel was actually the second addition to our family in 2025. Lord willing, a baby girl will also be joining us in September! She seems to be growing right on schedule, and she’s been very active during ultrasounds. (This fact makes Gabe nervous she’ll inherit her Aunt Sequoia’s wild-child energy.) We are so thankful for this opportunity to glorify God as parents and we covet your prayers that our daughter will be born whole, healthy and safe. More importantly, pray that she will have a heart for God from an early age.

So, we have the excitement of a baby on the way. Then we threw in the chaos of training a new puppy. In the midst of all those changes to health, schedule, budget, lifestyle, and plans, surely God wouldn’t choose to send another part of our life flying in a new direction. (This, of course, is sarcasm.)

First, let me be honest: in the last two and a half years I’ve struggled with working at Ironwood many times. Some of those moments were a result of my own pride, discontentment, and weak faith. Some were a result of genuine discomfort with the ministry’s style and decisions. Though God used that struggle to grow my dependence on Him, I was still feeling a little burnt out at the end of last year. That is when Gabe suggested that I move to a different job area, hoping to relieve some of the pressure I was feeling. However, it quickly became obvious this solution did not address the problems that were causing the pressure. This realization triggered two or three weeks of intense prayer and soul-searching, discussion, and seeking counsel. In the end, Gabe and I came to the conclusion that I should stop working for Ironwood in order to focus on my clear calling of wife, mother, and disciple-maker.

The implications of this decision are mammoth. My ministry role at camp changes from “front-line” to “support.” I now have time and energy to do things for my family and friends that I couldn’t do while working. But I also lose opportunities that I could only get while working. Our budget no longer has the advantage of a guaranteed second paycheck. But I won’t have to leave our little girl for 20+ hours every week after she’s born.

Puppies and babies and careers, oh my! What a whirlwind our life has become since our last prayer letter. How can I be confident in my decision to leave Ironwood? What should I be doing to make sure my baby is as healthy as possible? Where will the financial support to replace my paycheck come from? When will Diesel learn that my fingers are not part of his treat? All of these questions (and more!) have been flying around like a bad CGI tornado in a low-budget film.

It's interesting that whirlwinds are often associated with the presence of God in the Old Testament. Sometimes they are harbingers of His judgement, but just as often they are displays of His power and majesty. The LORD is a God of whirlwinds, yet Jesus has this to say in John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

How do I reconcile Christ’s promise of peace with my own personal whirlwind? As I was wrestling with whether or not I should continue working at camp, I came across this verse in Hebrews 11. “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

He is a God of whirlwinds and a God of peace, and those things don’t go together unless I believe that He is also a rewarder of those who seek Him. I don’t know all the answers, but I can be confident that God will give me peace from a whirlwind when I’m running toward Him. In short, I have to trust Him and just take the next step.

Thanks for hanging in there through a long, crazy update! We want this chapter in our story to give you hope for your own whirlwinds. Pursue God! Trust Him!

Love in Christ,

Gabe and Cheyenne Palkki

PS: There aren't many new pictures in the Gallery, but there are a couple of a really cute puppy! And we need your prayers more than ever, so go ahead and check out the Pray page!