In last week's first episode of this VIP interview with LaTalia Peterson (Navajo), she began to unpackage the tragic story of the auto accident that caused her husband and father of her two young children to suffer irreversible brain damage that left him for years in a near vegetative state until his passing in 2022. Now a single mom, and left to pick up the pieces of a life so tragically altered by this horrific decade of pain and suffering, LaTalia continues to share how the Lord sustained her, healed her broken heart, and has given her incredible ministry opportunities in a church on the Navajo Nation, in a job as a teacher in the same school she and her husband were students at, and how she has lead a growing number of Navajo youth to encounter Christ at the annual Warrior Leadership Summit. The glow of God on her face speaks volumes to the attempts of Satan to kill, steal, and destroy her life, future, and godly role as a Victorious Indigenous Person among Navajo youth and children. She truly is a remarkable Christian woman, and a godly example to all who know her and are blessed to be impacted by her life and testimony. And if she can find victory through some of the most difficult and discouraging experiences of life, friend, you and I can be victorious too, if we only trust the Lord like LaTalia Peterson. Be encouraged, friend, by the second and final episode in this inspiring story of our dear friend, LaTalia! And remember, if God can do that great of a work in her life, He can do it in yours and mine as well! Rejoice with us as we continue our Amazing Visit with VIP LaTalia Peterson!

Imagine being a young mother of two small children, having just married the man who is the father of the children two short months ago and being called late in the night that your husband was in a horrific auto accident and was flown three hours away to a hospital where he clung to life. This is the story of our dear friend, LaTalia Peterson from the Navajo Nation. You heart will ache like ours did as LaTalia shares the details of that journey through deep pain and sorrow, and how her faith in the Lord sustained her. The peace filled smile on her face shatters the pain and agony of those days as she now lives in victory over these trials of life. You will be amazed at how this young mom continues to live for the Lord, raise her two children, who are now teenagers, and serves the Lord who sustained her through the darkest days any of us could face. LaTalia epitomizes the definition of Victorious Indigenous People, and her faith and trust in the sovereignty of God is something we can all learn from. Be sure to listen to both episodes of this intriguing story as we present the life story of LaTalia Peterson, one incredible VIP!

In today's final episode on Craig's message titled The Chief Aim of Man, Craig continues to help his listeners understand that ultimately, God desires to redirect the affection and worship of every human being from the things created to the One who created all things. There's an answer for every human condition and worship that is not worship at all as lost people are drawn to the things on the earth, the cosmos, the spirit world, etc., as objects of worship. Salvation redirects those affections and worship to its rightful place, and directed at the right entity, the One who created all things! Our primary reason for being here on earth is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! Salvation opens the door for every human on planet earth to experience that great realignment of heart and actions, all because of the mercy and grace of our Lord as He died in our place! Glorify God, dear friend, and in doing so, you'll enjoy His presence forever!

In the next two episodes, we join the congregation of the Smith's home church, Cass Lake Alliance, as Pastor Smith shares a message titled The Chief Aim of Man. Taken from Westminster's Lesser Catechism of 1647, Craig reminds his listeners of what the real purpose of living is for all of mankind, that of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever! Craig draws from an outline of an old Puritan preacher who stated years ago we glorify God in four important ways, Appreciation, Adoration, Affection, and Submission. A biblically healthy Indigenous Faith is lived out in these four very important ways as Craig notes in his message. Anything less that that is missing the mark God has established for His followers, and will never lead us to a fulfilling life in Christ if we miss this process. So please join Craig and LaDonna as they bring to us today this important message on the Chief Aim of Man. And don't forget to tune in next week for the conclusion of the message!

In today's episode, we join Craig and LaDonna Smith in their recent visit to the On Eagles' Wings Leadership Center on the campus of Hutchcraft Ministries in Harrison, Arkansas where Craig was spending a week teaching the On Eagles' Wings team members who were part of this year's class. While there, Craig was asked to share a staff devotional message to both the OEW staff and students and the staff of Hutchcraft Ministries. In this devotional Craig has titled The Supernatural River of God, he takes the audience into the book of Ezekiel to an incredibly important and relevant imagery Ezekiel presents on this supernatural river of God. While Craig brings the implications of this mighty river to the Hutchcraft and OEW staff, the implications can easily be made to every ministry and worker who takes the gospel of Christ, like yours, into dry and dead places across the globe. See how the relevance of this message has on you, dear friend, and the work God has called you to. I'm sure you'll take away some encouraging words from God's Word on staying in the middle of this mighty river of God, as you bring the hope of the gospel to those within your reach.

In today's second and final episode from Craig Smith's message on suffering, preached at the First Baptist Church in Coweta, OK, he continues to explain the miraculous way God intervened in both Craig and LaDonna's lives by sparing them from their graves. Most certainly, they should have died in this horrific accident as both suffered catastrophic injuries that most certainly take people's lives immediately. But here they are, sixteen years past this life altering event, continuing to serve the Lord and His purposes. Most importantly, Craig unpackages how the indwelling Christ made all the difference for him in his deepest time of trouble and trials, sustaining him, embracing him, healing him, and comforting him in a way only the risen Savior could. Craig ends the message with a clear and compelling explanation of what happens for the believer at death's door. You won't want to miss this extremely important study into life, death, and finding shalom in the presence of ongoing and life altering pain and suffering. As Craig tells the worshippers there at First Baptist Church, you may not need this message right now, but someday you will, as we are all heading to the date on the right side of the hyphen on our tombstones. Be blessed as you listen to Craig share his personal journey on finding shalom in the midst of suffering!

Today, Craig and LaDonna share a message Craig preached in mid-April 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Coweta, OK. Pastored by the Smith's dear friend, Dr. Vern Charette, Craig shared about the Shalom he found in the midst of great suffering in the aftermath of their Miracle at Mile Marker 313. The Smith's have many listeners to the podcast that have recently joined them and are unaware of what happened on June 9, 2009 when both the Smiths should have died from the injuries they suffered in a catastrophic auto accident in northern New Mexico. Please be sure to listen to both episodes to learn the great lessons the Lord has taught the Smiths in their school of suffering. It will be a great encouragement to you and helpful in your walk in Christ! Shalom!

In today's third and final episode of this enlightening series, Craig and LaDonna Smith continue their visit with Nick Liew (Apache) and Wes Francis (Navajo), young and emerging leaders in the highly successful On Eagles' Wings ministry. Their maturity and effectiveness in ministry is highlighted in today's episode. As the two continue to discuss what On Eagles' Wings is all about, the visit concludes with the Smith's taking you to the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in upstate New York to hear Wes wrapping up the OEW visit there with a powerful presentation of the gospel. It shows how God is using these Native youth to bring Christ and His power to Native communities across North America. The Smith's think you'll be amazed at how clearly the gospel is conveyed to lost people through these amazing and emerging Native leaders, who will serve Christ well in their generation. The take away is this...the gospel will continue to ring out loud and clear into the generations that follow the years Craig and LaDonna Smith have invested in their generation of serving Christ! And for that, they rejoice with a loud shout of praise!