In order for you to understand some of my thinking, I need to tell you about Alaska.
In July of 2013, my church sponsored a team to go on a mission trip to Alaska. There were 17 of us in all, including me, my husband, and our 2 kids. It was quite the undertaking and required nearly a year of planning! It was an amazing opportunity to involve kids in doing God's work. We worked with an organization called Alaska Mission for Christ. In the summer, they connect Alaskan churches with mission teams from the Lower 48 to head north and run a vacation Bible school. Many churches do not have the resources & manpower needed to put on their own VBS, so these mission teams provide a vital service. Depression, alcoholism, and suicide are all too common; the peace and hope of God's unconditional love is a much-needed message.
We had enough people for two mission teams. The larger team was stationed in Anchor Point, while a smaller team headed by fishing boat across Kachemak Bay to Seldovia. We put on the "Kingdom Rock" VBS and had around 27 kids come to hear God's word - more than we expected!
One of the things we emphasized to the kids every day was to be on the lookout for God sightings - anything that reminds you that God loves you and is with you. It's impossible to be in such a beautiful place and not see the work of the Creator everywhere you look. The mountains, the ocean, the beaches, the wildlife...it's just breathtaking. I don't have the words to do it justice (and I'm a pretty wordy girl). I filled my pockets with pebbles from the beaches to bring back to my friends to remind them that God's love is higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, and He holds you in the palm of His hand. We also have a bowl of rocks - including a chunk of beach coal - on our coffee table to remind us of the same thing.
Anyway, I thought my purpose in going to Alaska was to teach kids about God's love for them. That was true, but it wasn't until later that I found out there was more to the story. You see, while I was teaching them, God was also using that time to prepare me to lean on Him when I came home and received my diagnosis. In the months since that trip, I can see Him at work in my life: I have lost 25 pounds, I put better foods - and a smaller quantity - in my body, I have increased my endurance to be able to run a 5K without stopping, my skin has improved, especially on my hands & feet, I sleep better since I no longer have a Pepsi/caffeine addiction... I know there are other benefits that aren't coming to mind right now! Through this diagnosis, God has guided me to make the changes I've needed to make for a long time now, and He's been there for me to lean on every step of the way.
If you are reading this - if you are dealing with the same kinds of issues I am dealing with - I want you to know that there is always hope. Trust in the Lord; he will never fail you. To quote a favorite line from my pastor: "Jesus has been where you are, and he is where you are going." Amen and amen!
