Alaska

Despite the pain associated with going on this trip that I expressed in my last post, I loved Alaska. I knew I would; I knew that I was dreading it without cause and that it would turn out to be a good trip. But it was far better than I ever could have expected.

First of all, Alaska is the most beautiful place on earth. The views never got old. The mountains were never any less breathtaking. I was never any less fascinated that the sun shone at all hours.

The view from my window the night I arrived. Taken at 1:00 AM.

Various views of Alaska

 I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to see such beautiful aspects of God's creation. That He opened my eyes to the fact that He is bigger, more powerful, and more beautiful than I knew.

We spent our days ministering to children in a local park. We brought them lunch, played games with them, taught them about Jesus, made crafts with them, loved on them, and let them love on us. I will never forget the time I spent with those kids.

I loved almost everything about Alaska, but that doesn't mean it was easy to be there. It was hard to come back from the park at the end of the day and know that I couldn't call my mom. I longed to tell her about everything I had seen, the people I had met, the work we had been doing, and what I was learning. I knew she would have loved to hear about the trip. I knew she would have texted me every day that I was there. I felt her absence more strongly while I was there. I missed her more than ever.

It was hard to remember all that I would have to face when I went back home. Bills, decisions, etc. It was hard to know that when I left Alaska, real life would go on.
There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't feel as emotionally tired as I felt physically. But there also wasn't a day that went by that God didn't give me what I needed for that day. There wasn't a day that went by that He didn't remind me of the importance of my mission. That no matter what I'm going through, my mission is the same. It's always just as important, whether I feel like I can do it or not. And that I can't do it on my own. That I can only give from what He has given to me, and that He will sustain me to accomplish the mission that He has given me.
I can't wait to go back.