Picture of Josh Gulvas from 2007
Erin (Nate’s wife) called me a few minutes ago. The search has continued and at this point, they have still not found him. They are searching in a very rugged area of wilderness because they had found a flashlight. I do not know if it was Josh’s flashlight or not.
Today I went with our home schoolers from church to a popular hiking spot. We drove way up into the San Juan National Forest and did a hike followed by a picnic. We were directly across the valley from the Weminuche Wilderness and I heard search planes overhead the entire time. It was sobering and I kept starting to cry. I cannot imagine what Josh’s parents are feeling. They live in Columbus, Ohio and Josh and his dad came here to volunteer their vacation time to serve the ministry Nate directs.
Picture I took this morning…..that’s the start of the Weminuche Wilderness
This Thankful Thursday I am thankful for:
rescuers who risk their own lives to find the lost.
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the Colorado Mounted Rangers, Civil Air Patrol and LaPlata County Search & Rescue.
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search planes that are looking. ***
trained canine who search.
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horses that are trained to search.
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sweet bloggy friends who have prayed and have also spread the word for others to pray as well.
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Please keep praying. I will update as soon as I hear anything.
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I want to go to the camp tomorrow. Dw and I are not trained hikers. We have no clue. At all. But I want to go and pray.
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Update: 5:00AM 9/11/09 Durango, Colorado – there is a group committed to fasting today for Josh. We are praying & fasting pleading with the Lord that he be found today. I remember the desperation I felt as I watched our home burning down. I was jumping up and down begging the Lord to get the fire trucks here – please Lord, please – faster, faster!! It felt like life was in slow motion and it seemed that that first truck took forever to get to our little log home. I feel similarly. Please Lord, please, move faster, find him, find him!!
Please join us in praying and, if you are able, in fasting.
Still hopeful and my family is praying!
Thankful as well!
God bless!
I will be fasting tomorrow. Can I challenge others to do so as well?
I just can't even imagine being in their shoes.
I second your 'thankful thursday' thankfulness!…and we are still praying and holding out hope that God will lead the search and rescue team to Josh soon. My heart aches for his family, too. I cannot imagine what they are going through right now. Very sad.
Thank you for letting us know…I have been in prayer all day for them all!
My heart is heavy tonight and I can't even put a finger on "why", several things may be…a sense…silently lifting up all to the LORD and glad for friends like you!
Continued praying here too. Hugs
llandtmom,
I will join you and thank you for bringing it up. It is terrifying to me to even think of this young man being lost.
I will join you as well. Anyone else?? Thank you for suggesting it.
Emma, Anna (her buddy) and I are going to make cookies tonight – lots and lots and take them to the camp tomorrow where the rescue operation is based.
Love, Linny
Oh Linny… my heart is broken for this family. I cannot even imagine the horror. I will be joining you in prayer and fast tomorrow. I sent you an e-mail.. but put that one on the back burner.. I am sending you a new one, and I would like for you to take a peek at that one and get back to me if you can.Thanks.
Hugs~
amie
I will not give up! There are people out there doing in the physical what I cannot. I will do what I can in the spiritual.
God is HOPE to the hopeless!
I was so hoping for better news…praying with you guys. I can't imagine what his family is enduring right now.
i'm still praying for Josh to be found alive ….Our God is real, and He is faithful 🙂
Oh Linny how wonderful if you and DW can go there and pray tomorrow. I too feel this families pain!
We are praying.
Please keep us posted.
Still praying…
I ditto your post today. will continue to pray and hold his family in prayer…nothing is impossible with God
My heart aches for Josh's family. I cannot imagine what they are going through right now. Oh Lord, let him be found soon! The name Josh means "God saves," so I remain hopeful and prayerful that God will indeed save Josh from the Weminuche Wilderness area.
It was already on my heart to fast tomorrow for family, our nation, and God's direction for next steps, so I will certainly uplift Josh and the search efforts to the Lord.
May God hear and answer our earnest prayers.
Tina
Praying so hard for Josh and his family as well as all the search teams that are looking for him. Brings back horrible memories from a few springs ago for me, and I'm praying that the Lord delivers their son safely to their waiting arms like He delivered my brother Sam to ours.
I kept having these lines from "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong running through my head today as I prayed each time I thought of this family…
Saviour, He can move the mountains
Our God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave
Let it be so for Josh, Lord. Bring him safely home to his family. Comfort them, and fill them with your peace that passes all understanding. Draw them close to you and be their strength. Lord, I praise you for your sovereign hand in this situation. Like we prayed for our Sam, we praise you that even though we don't know where he is, you do. Be close to Josh, Lord, be his sustainer and protector as only you can.
I live about 30 minutes from Columbus, Ohio. Do you know if his mother needs anything? You can let me know via email at brucelisafreeman@windstream.net
I would be glad to help if there was something I could do.
I'll join in the fast and continue the praying too.
Carrie T. – mom to 4 from Korea
Thanks for the update. Just 2 weeks ago my daughter called with a prayer request … the brother and father of a friend of hers were missing in the mountains. Thankfully, they were found alive … about 48 hours later, I believe.
Praying with you. A trained prayer warrior can be more powerful than a trained hiker. God will use both.
Laurel
Thank you for the update, continued prayers for Josh.
I just discovered your blog yesterday and was very blessed by it. I will be in prayer for Josh and his family.
Ab–I have been singing that SAME song as a prayer/praise/cry out to God. For days I have been singing, humming, thinking about those lyrics.
He IS mighty to save. Let's pray He does today.
I'm fasting and praying, my friend.
Continued prayers and I too will join you in fasting.
Going to get on my knees right now and pray for Josh and his family. How heartbreaking. Nothing is impossible with our God and I pray that as Josh awaits the rescuers to find Him, our Savior protect him and hold him in the palm of His hand.
Hugs!!!
Still praying over here in Chicago. I, too, will be joining in fasting today.
Matthew 21:22
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
I'll be praying and fasting today also.
Josh is a 2007 graduate of Gahanna Christian Academy and I taught him his senior year. I am thankful for your site as it is difficult to feel so far removed from the situation. GCA is praying for Josh and the Gulvas family and we are thankful that He is in charge!