Jackson County

Walden, Colorado, the county seat of Jackson County, is a drive you will want to take. To get to Jackson County from Broomfield, you need to cross through Grand County and over Berthoud Pass. There are no words. You just have to do it.

Jackson County alone contains such sights as the Colorado State Forest and the Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge, not to mention The Never Summer Wilderness. (Yes, it is correctly named, having snow year round – even in June and July!)

On entering Waldon, we had an interesting “tour guide” – our hotel host! One thing he told us as we asked him about seeing wildlife, was that in Mareh, April and May, the snow will break in town but still snow in the high mountains. Moose will come down during those months and are seen walking the streets.

Waldon is known as the “Moose Capitol of Colorado” but this time of year (September), we will likely not see any. Our host added that his kids don’t like that time of year (early spring), when they loose their yard to the moose who are in their back yard having babies!

We did see a great video of a moose helping himself to tree leaves in their yard last spring. And, I got a GREAT closeup of a moose in town- it was a picture hanging on the wall because unfortunately, that is likely as close as I will get!

Our new friend also cautioned us about getting near any wildlife, especially when they are having their young. And he told us, seeing mountain lions in the far distance is not a bad thing. But if you see them nearby, it’s too late. If they are that close, THEY are hunting YOU! Note to self… STAY IN CAR!

We left our kind “tour guide” and began our trek through this town. We prayerwalked around several churches in town, including the North Park Baptist Church, Christian Life Church, and a beautiful red brick church with a huge cross on the outside. We love to pray over the Post Office, symbolizing to us things coming into and going out from the county. We prayed over businesses, and always pray for the schools, police and first responders. In the town there was also a museum, and definitely one cute little yellow “Union Pacific” train car that should at least get “honorable mention!”

Nearby was a very pretty bench painted with US Flag colors. We stopped there to rest, then went on to the Public Library and the absolutely beautiful Court House (above). We were able to go inside and pray over some of the government offices: The Assessor’s Office, The County Commissioner’s Office, and the Clerk and Recorder’s office, to name a few. It was a magnificent and historical building, and fascinating to walk through. We prayed with some residents, especially for the upcoming elections, that they can keep their Courthouse. Much concern was expressed to us as to the potential results of this election. The concerns expressed were that loosing their Courthouse and having to move everything quite a distance and across the mountain to Fort Collins could have devastating effects for Jackson County.

There were two more surprises awaiting us in this town of Walden. One (above) was the shining reservoir where we stopped for our time of offerings and worship. We drove “out in the boondocks” and found a fantastic spot on a desolate road where we would have privacy. Well, there were no cars until we stopped.

Then all of a sudden, it seemed to be a major thoroughfare! As we continued our time there, whenever someone drove by, I would act like a “silly tourist” taking pictures of the mountains. Then, nobody seemed “suspicious”! It was fun, but also a precious time with the Lord. Many times we have had “Divine Appointments” on these journeys.

We would have one of those later this evening. For now, I will use pictures to depict our time by the water, on the side of that road. As always, our time with the Lord here was precious. The fence alongside of the sparkling water with that majestic mountain in the background was stunning, and the perfect place for our worship.

We took our time and placed the emblems of our prayers in the ground, and then sealed our time here with worship. Lord, we pray again for You to send Your fire on our hearts. Bring “Younity” to Your church oh Lord, and please, send more watchmen on the wall. Raise up warriors who will fight on their knees, and cry our for You to take this country back!

Anoint us again with Holy Spirit and with Your living water. Light Your fire in us again and spread faith like a mustard seed across our land! As we take communion together, Lord, we remember what You did. We honor and worship You for Who You and and we thank You for WHOSE we are. Thank You; thank You! In the mighty Name of our Savior Jesus we pray, Amen!

We sealed our time here with worship and shofars, and we again bless Your Name! After all this, You had one more final surprise waiting for us in Jackson County!

When I checked our messages, Pastor Robbie (the contact we would meet tomorrow in Grand County) had left a message. He had a contact for us here in Walden. I called this contact and reached a sweet woman who was excited for what we were doing here. She had a previous engagement but her husband Mike was free and could come and meet with us where we were eating. He came, and invited us to a youth meeting they were having at their church right then! He said the kids were mighty prayer warriors and would be very interested in what we were doing, and did we want to come? Well, of course we did! The kids were great and prayed with us, listening to our stories. We took pictures of all of us with the adults there, but no kid pictures were taken by request. What a precious youth group and lovers of Jesus! It was a sweet gift from the Lord and a sweet way to close out our day.