Standing in the Gap for Oregon

  Columbia River, Columbia County He shall be like a tree planted by the  river s of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.  Psalm 1:3   Columbia County was named after the Columbia River, which forms its northern and eastern boundaries. It was created in 1854 from the northern half of Washington County and is the third smallest county in the state after Multnomah and Hood River. It currently has a population of about 50,000 people.   St. Helens, a town of roughly13,000 that was named after Mt. St. Helens which sits 40 miles away in Washington, is the county seat. Lewis and Clark camped near the site of St. Helens during their trip to the Pacific in 1805 and again on their return trip in 1806. Fur traders set up camps in the area as well, as early as 1810.    It’s a pretty county. The main industries are forestry, fishing, dairy farming, horticulture, water transportation and recreation. St. Helens is clos

  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.  Psalm 107: 23-24   In a 1954 speech President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke of the distinction between the  urgent  and the  important . Current national events have seemed urgent, and are certainly distracting, but we recognize it is important to continue to explore Oregon, and to develop a prayer strategy.    In an effort to pray more effectively for my home state of Oregon, I have drawn from the writings of experienced prayer warriors, leading me to focus on our early history, praying over places where massacres occurred, for instance. Getting back to our roots is an ongoing and very interesting journey. Our recent unexpected move to Oregon City providentially puts me in the heart of the historic district and right where a lot of the early events took place.    Some teachings I’ve come across mention praying over points of entry into a region, both t