Quenched: Reflections on Alaskan Waters

By Valerie Burgess

Burgess House Publishing
Eagle River, Alaska
BurgessHousePublishing.com

Zane Burgess Artist
ZaneBurgess.com

Alaskan waters create an aura and awe that make me want to worship the one who created them. In 2004 I began considering the spirituality surrounding waters, particularly as described in the Bible. As a family we took several trips around Alaska where I photographed glacier-fed streams, tumbling rock restricted creeks, wickedly rushing rivers, and expansive bays.

During these times of retreat, I also searched the Scriptures for help navigating the spiritual draw of Alaskan waters. Phrases like "drink from the river," "dive into the water," and "dig your roots in the bank" surfaced in my mind. Through spiritual pictures and metaphors, I recognized God's invitations to a closer relationship with Him. This book sends us to the Source of the spiritual waters. We are invited to the river's edge. It dives into the Alaskan waters and the Scriptures with equal gusto helping people to draw closer to the water's Source.

I have lived in Alaska enjoying the stories of these waters for over 30 years. As a pastor's wife for over 20 years and working in various ministry positions as well, I sensed the thirst in people as they struggled through life, sometimes turning to tumultuous relationships, substance abuse or the desire for wealth. As I shared the Word of God, I saw spiritual growth and health. Quenched gets its title and message from John 4:10-13 where God promises a spiritual water that relieves a dry soul.

What a great joy it has been working with Zane, as God's creation flows on his canvas. Zane and I both developed our skills at Evangel University, a small private university in Springfield, Missouri. Zane earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and I finished a communications degree. He now sells his work in a gallery in downtown Anchorage. I extended my university classwork into being ordained as a minister with the Alaska Network of the Assemblies of God. I have also earned my Master's in Teaching (MAT) from Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage.

Quenched delves into the uniqueness of the Alaska waters that intrigues. It creates a thirst for the Last Frontier while providing solutions for the thirst in each person's soul. Every section of this book provides a new invitation to become more spiritually awakened. The paintings, highly acclaimed by art critics in Alaska, provide an aesthetic awakening in and of themselves. Yes, prints are available on zaneburgess.com.

You are invited to dive in with us and quench your thirst.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B09NZ5X4GT
• ISBN13: 9798781918829
• Release Date: December 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 50 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"