The Book of the Lamp — Read free with Kindle Unlimited · Kindle eBook: $0.99 · Paperback: $5.75.
Where the story’s roots grew · Hammond, Oregon
Two Anchors
A school and a church in Hammond, Oregon, near the mouth of the Columbia River, that held a young writer steady. Every lamp in the EVERgreen story was first lit here.
⚓ The first anchor
Anchor Christian Academy
“To me, it is the best Christian school in the world.”
— Nathanael Elijah Smith, founder of Kitchen Monk™ and author of The EVERgreen Chronicles™
Anchor Christian Academy is a small, Christ-centered school at 796 Pacific Drive in Hammond, Oregon. The school describes itself as a mission-based learning community that equips and inspires students to thrive in God’s world, and today it serves families from preschool through 8th grade. Small classes mean every child is known by name.
Nathanael went to high school there, and it remains his favorite private Christian school. It is where he met the late Mrs. Sandra Smith, the English teacher who taught him to write in his own voice. Without her, there would be no Book of the Lamp, no Kitchen Monk, and no Flourishing Nursing. Her lessons are in every page.
A Dream for Educational Access
Nathanael dreams of one day making the kind of Christian education he treasures available to everyone who desires it, regardless of financial circumstances. He hopes future scholarships and community support could help more families access an education rooted in faith, learning, and love. This is a vision for the future; he has not established a scholarship program.
🕯️ In loving memory of Mrs. Sandra Smith
A teacher can light a lamp that keeps burning for a lifetime. Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for helping a young writer find his own voice, and for believing it was worth hearing.
💛 How you can help Anchor Christian Academy
- Enroll or visit: families on the North Oregon Coast can schedule a tour.
- Give: small Christian schools run on generosity. Ask the school how to support scholarships, teachers, or classrooms.
- Volunteer: read with students, help at events, or share a skill.
- Pray and share: follow them online and pass their page to a family who might be looking.
🌳 The second anchor
Riverside Fellowship
Riverside Fellowship has served Hammond, Oregon, for generations. It began as the Hammond Gospel Mission, became the Philadelphia Church of Hammond in 1953, later Gateway Community Church, and in 2026 took the name Riverside Fellowship. The name has changed; the heart has not. The church describes itself as a family of brotherly love with a mission to bring the gospel to Hammond, Warrenton, Clatsop County, and the world.
“Like a tree planted by streams of water.” (Psalm 1:3) The church takes its vision from this verse: a Spirit-led community rooted in God’s Word. It is the same image behind every garden on this site.
For Nathanael, Riverside Fellowship and Anchor Christian Academy are the two church anchors of his life: the places that taught him that caring for people, feeding neighbors, and showing up for one another is a way of loving God.
💛 Come as you are
If you live on the North Oregon Coast or are visiting Fort Stevens, you are warmly invited to worship with them. Check their website or Facebook page for current service times.
✝️ Nathanael’s Faith: Jesus, Our Anchor, and Our Hope
💛 Jesus’ love and the wonderful possibility of eternal flourishing
I want everyone who visits this page to know about Jesus and His love. In the Christian gospel, His love meets us with an invitation to repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and a new life of faith. John 3:16 connects God’s love with the gift of His Son and everlasting life for those who believe. Romans 5:8 points to Christ’s love reaching us while we are still sinners; Ephesians 2:8–10 describes salvation as grace received through faith, leading to a life of good works.
“Eternal flourishing” is my own phrase for this Christian hope: everlasting life with Jesus, resurrection, belonging in God’s presence, and the final healing described in Revelation 21–22, where death and sorrow no longer rule. It is more than a promise of comfort or success today. Christian faith can coexist with grief, illness, and hardship, while looking toward God’s ultimate restoration.
The invitation is open to everyone: turn toward Jesus, trust His death and resurrection, receive His grace, and learn to follow Him in love. Receiving Jesus into our hearts expresses that personal response of faith; a particular set of words does not purchase salvation. An honest prayer, a conversation with a pastor, reading the Gospel of John, and joining a caring Christian community can be meaningful first steps.
Riverside Fellowship in Hammond is the anchor church I love. Its own salvation teaching emphasizes grace, faith in Christ, and confessing Jesus as Lord while believing in His resurrection. Its Jesus Class invites people to repent, believe, understand their identity in Christ, and abide in Him. Please contact the church through its official website for prayer, pastoral guidance, or current gathering information. My phrase “eternal flourishing” and my personal stories are not statements written by the church.
💛 Curious about Jesus? Start here
Read John’s Gospel, ask for prayer, or connect with Riverside Fellowship. You can bring your questions honestly and take time to explore. Connect with Riverside Fellowship in Hammond · Read its beliefs and salvation teaching · Explore the Jesus Class.
🦅 Momma Eagle — Nina Delores Smith: a mother’s faith and a Jesus-loving reunion
My mom, Nina Delores Smith—our beloved Momma Eagle—is a devout follower of Jesus. During my visit home for our special Jesus-loving reunion, I returned to Riverside Fellowship for two Sundays. Returning to my anchor church while reconnecting with Mom was a treasured part of that homecoming. I share this as my own firsthand testimony, with gratitude for my mother, for Jesus, and for the possibility of renewed relationship. — Nathanael Elijah Smith
⚓ Riverside Fellowship, Hammond: receiving Jesus and growing in faith
Riverside Fellowship in Hammond, Oregon, is my anchor church. Its published teaching presents salvation as God’s gracious gift through Jesus: confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 2:8). It teaches that those who trust Christ have everlasting life, while those without faith in Him remain separated from God. Its Jesus Class emphasizes repentance, belief in Jesus, identity in Christ, and abiding in Him (John 15:4–5).
When I speak of “accepting Jesus into our hearts,” I mean personally turning to Him in repentance and faith, trusting His death and resurrection, receiving His forgiveness, and learning to follow Him. The invitation is to a living relationship with Jesus, supported by prayer, Scripture, worship, community, and love of neighbor.
Read Riverside’s own beliefs and salvation teaching · Explore Riverside’s Jesus Class · Visit Riverside Fellowship in Hammond
Read the full explanation: accepting Jesus, resurrection, the Rapture, Tribulation, Christ’s reign, and everlasting life → The guide distinguishes Pensacola Christian College’s published position from wider Christian interpretations and Riverside’s own salvation teaching. Read Momma Eagle’s faith and reunion feature →
Our faith reflections are shared as an invitation. People of every faith and none are welcome and deserve compassionate care.
🦋 Mrs. Kerr: a neighbor, a church companion, and a butterfly kind of day
Our neighbor, Mrs. Kerr, accompanied me to that church service, where we talked about Philemon, and we spent the day together. I treasure the gift of her company: going to church together, talking about faith, and sharing a day as neighbors and friends.
The butterfly is her absolute favorite animal that God created. I already feel as though I am being transformed into a butterfly myself. For me, that image expresses the hope, renewal, and possibility I felt during this homecoming. It is a personal metaphor for growth, held alongside my faith in Jesus and the love surrounding my reunion with Mom.
Mrs. Kerr, our Chief Flourishing Butterfly: thank you for accompanying me, sharing your day, and reminding me how much a caring neighbor can mean. My mom, Nina Delores Smith—Momma Eagle—and you are treasured parts of this story of faith, belonging, and becoming. — Nathanael Elijah Smith
📖 A personal reflection on Philemon
My day with Mrs. Luella Kerr brings me back to the letter we discussed at church: Philemon. Paul appeals in love for Onesimus, an enslaved man, to be received as a beloved brother (Philemon 8–16). I read that appeal as a call to recognize another person’s dignity, pursue reconciliation, and let faith change how we welcome one another. It does not require overlooking harm or abandoning healthy boundaries. This is my personal reflection, not a quotation from the sermon or an official statement from Riverside.
Mrs. Kerr’s companionship gave those themes a personal connection for me: a neighbor who became family, a shared day of faith and friendship, and the hope that transformation can begin in the way we receive one another.
🦋 Mrs. Luella Kerr — our neighbor who became family
A heartfelt personal honor: “Best Neighbor Nobel Prize” is Nathanael’s completely unofficial tribute, not an award from the Nobel organizations.
Read this exact tribute on Facebook → · Follow Nathanael on Instagram (@beyondpillsnp) →
Read Nathanael’s complete inscription honoring Mrs. Luella Kerr
🏆🌟❤️ THE BEST NEIGHBOR NOBEL PRIZE GOES TO MRS. LUELLA KERR! ❤️🌟🏆
Some heroes never stand on a stage.
Some never receive trophies.
Some never have their names written in history books.
Yet their lives quietly change the world.
Today, I want to honor one of those heroes.
❤️ Mrs. Luella Kerr. ❤️
There are neighbors…
And then there are people who become family.
Growing up, Mrs. Kerr wasn’t simply the wonderful woman who lived next door. She was part of the fabric of our lives. Through every season, she demonstrated what kindness, generosity, grace, and unconditional love truly look like.
In a world that often celebrates wealth, popularity, and power…
I want to celebrate something much greater.
💛 A compassionate heart.
💛 A welcoming smile.
💛 A listening ear.
💛 A faithful friend.
💛 A loving neighbor.
Jesus taught us:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Mark 12:31
Mrs. Kerr has lived those words.
Not through grand speeches…
But through countless everyday moments that have blessed everyone around her.
🦋 Whenever I think of Mrs. Kerr, I think of butterflies.
Butterflies remind us that beauty often comes through transformation.
They remind us that hope is always possible.
They remind us that even the gentlest lives can leave the biggest impact.
That is exactly what Mrs. Kerr has done.
She has touched hearts simply by being herself.
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I’ve had the privilege of caring for many patients from every walk of life. One lesson healthcare has reinforced for me is this:
People rarely remember every word we say.
But they always remember how we made them feel.
Mrs. Kerr makes people feel seen.
She makes people feel valued.
She makes people feel loved.
That is a gift beyond measure.
❤️ So today, I would like to present my completely unofficial—but very heartfelt—
🏆 BEST NEIGHBOR NOBEL PRIZE 🏆
to the one and only…
🌼🦋❤️ Mrs. Luella Kerr! ❤️🦋🌼
Thank you for reminding all of us that changing the world doesn’t always happen from a podium.
Sometimes…
It begins right next door.
May we all strive to love our neighbors a little more, encourage one another a little more, and leave every community a little brighter than we found it.
The world could always use more Mrs. Kerrs.
With love and endless gratitude. ❤️🙏
🦋🌼💛🏡🌲❤️✨🏆🙌💐🫶😊🌸🌻🍃🕊️🌈💎
#MrsLuellaKerr #BestNeighbor #LoveYourNeighbor #KindnessMatters #ChooseKindness #Community #NeighborLove #ButterflyLove #Butterfly #Gratitude #ThankYou #FaithInAction #ActsOfKindness #LoveOneAnother #SpreadLove #MakeADifference #EverydayHeroes #Inspiration #FamilyByChoice #HeartOfGold #Blessed #PacificNorthwest #SmallTownValues #CommunityStrong #Hope #Compassion #Joy #NeighborsBecomeFamily #LiveWithLove #BeTheDifference
🎥 Honoring Mrs. Luella Kerr — forever our Chief Flourishing Butterfly
As the founder of Flourishing Nursing™ and Kitchen Monk™, I want to honor Mrs. Luella Kerr as the most Jesus-loving Christian I have ever met in my whole life. That is my heartfelt personal testimony. Her love significantly inspired the work that has grown through these initiatives. She helped me understand that everyone is worthy of love and that transformation remains possible—an image butterflies demonstrate so beautifully throughout the world. She is forevermore our Chief Flourishing Butterfly.
Play Nathanael’s tribute to Mrs. Luella Kerr here. Use the player controls for sound, pause, and full screen.
The photograph of Nathanael with Mrs. Kerr was taken in July 2026, as the United States celebrated its 🎆 250th 🎇 birthday. The video was recorded the previous year, in 2025.
Original video on Facebook → · Connect with Nathanael on LinkedIn →
❤️🩹 A reunion, a long embrace, and the path that shaped my calling
Mrs. Kerr was my beautiful, sweet next-door neighbor throughout my childhood. She was always wonderful to me and my family, and I am so grateful I got to stop by and see her. We held each other tightly and cried together as I shared what had happened to me and the things I had come to understand about my family. In that embrace, I felt the comfort of someone whose kindness had been part of my life for so long.
Looking back, I sometimes wonder how different my life might have been if Dad had never made me leave home. I might never have discovered lifestyle medicine or followed the same path toward the healthier life I experience today, including what I describe as almost normal breathing. About seven of those years away required living far from home while I grew into the clinician and healer I am becoming.
I cannot know the life I might otherwise have lived. I can find meaning in the path that brought me here: the people who welcomed me, the learning that changed my practice, and the hope I now want to share. I once imagined a career focused on caring for people receiving dialysis. Discovering lifestyle medicine widened my commitment to prevention, whole-person care, and helping people protect their health as early as possible. Dialysis care remains essential, compassionate, and life-sustaining work.
My kidney-health reflection needs a precise distinction: some kidney disease can be prevented or its progression slowed, and some acute kidney injuries can recover. Advanced, longstanding chronic kidney disease usually cannot be reversed. Lifestyle care supports appropriate medical treatment; it does not guarantee recovery or replace prescribed dialysis. Learn about chronic kidney disease from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · Kidney recovery and estimated glomerular filtration rate: National Kidney Foundation.
Mrs. Kerr, thank you for loving me and my family, for welcoming me home, and for helping inspire a life devoted to care. Your butterfly reminds me that I can keep growing—and that every person deserves love, dignity, and the opportunity to flourish. — Nathanael Elijah Smith
🦋 Carry the kindness forward
Who has been a Mrs. Kerr in your life? Tell them what their kindness has meant to you. Then welcome a neighbor, share a meal, offer a listening ear, or accompany someone who needs a friend.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Mark 12:31
🦋 Mrs. Kerr’s kindness lives on in this work
Every time I welcome someone, listen without judgment, or help a person believe that change is possible, I carry something Mrs. Luella Kerr taught me into Kitchen Monk™ and Flourishing Nursing™. Thank you, Mrs. Kerr, for helping me understand that love of neighbor is something we practice. — Nathanael Elijah Smith
I can find meaning in what followed without believing I deserved the hurt. I honor the growth, care, and relationships that have helped me move forward.
The butterfly reminds me that transformation can begin now. Momma Eagle reminds me to keep hoping in the Lord. Jesus is the foundation of my hope for eternal flourishing. — Nathanael Elijah Smith
With Momma Eagle—Nina Delores Smith—may we renew our strength in the Lord and “mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31, King James Version): a poetic image of hope, not a promise of literal wings.
🎗️ And one more anchor · Santa Rosa
⚓ My Santa Rosa Anchor
🌳 The Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza at Fremont Park, not far from TrueNorth Health Center, where Nathanael celebrates flourishing nursing and the Nursing Ninja war on cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. 🌮 Plus his favorite flourishing restaurant, just steps away.
🕊️ My church home · Santa Rosa
⛪ My Santa Rosa Legacy Anchor
🙏 Santa Rosa Christian Church is Nathanael’s church home in Santa Rosa. The church describes itself as a Spirit-led community where lives are transformed by the good news of Jesus, and its story in Santa Rosa reaches back to 1854. That long, faithful legacy is why Nathanael calls it his Santa Rosa Legacy Anchor.
☕ Sundays at 10 a.m. at 1315 Pacific Avenue, Santa Rosa. Come early for coffee, bring the kids (childcare and Sunday school are offered), or join the livestream on YouTube. Please check the church’s website for current times.
Santa Rosa Christian Church is independent; it has not reviewed or endorsed Kitchen Monk™, and no payment is exchanged. Details are from the church’s public website, checked October 23, 2026.
🔴 Live on Sundays at 10 a.m.
📡 The church livestreams its Sunday service on YouTube. This button always opens the church’s current live stream, or its most recent one between Sundays.
🎬 Newest sermons first
📰 Latest from the church’s YouTube channel
🔄 This list refreshes automatically from YouTube’s official feed for Santa Rosa Christian Church.
A lamp needs a place to be lit.
A tree needs roots.
A ship needs an anchor.
Thank you, Hammond, for being mine.
A personal tribute from Flourishing Nurse Ninja Nathanael Elijah Smith, FNP-C, DipACLM. “Best Christian school in the world” is his heartfelt opinion, not a ranking. Anchor Christian Academy and Riverside Fellowship are independent; they have not reviewed or endorsed Kitchen Monk™, and no payment is exchanged. Details come from each organization’s public pages, checked September 28, 2026; please contact them directly for current programs, tuition, and service times. Kitchen Monk welcomes people of every faith and no faith.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” 
