Sorry for the lack of posting (thus the following long post), but we arrived safely to Anchorage and my new home! However, the internet wasn’t installed at my house till Wednesday, so I’m playing catch up now.

DAY 10… 3,953 miles!
Mom and I made it from Glennallen to Anchorage on June 1, but we made a stop along the way to take a look at the Matanuska Glacier. Of course, there were a couple of other stops along the way… quilt shops. Mom identified three on the way to Anchorage, so of course, we stopped. She earned it after all that crazy driving on windy mountain roads, in rain and snow, pulling a trailer! And the smile on her face when we got there… well, she was happy!

Once we finished quilt shop hopping, we drove on into Anchorage and pulled in at the Alaska Missions offices housed in the University Baptist Church. We completed 3,953 miles from White Deer, TX to Anchorage, AK, crossing two countries and many mountain passes and rivers to get there. But we made it, praise Jesus!

Later that evening, I signed the lease on my new duplex with my roommate Sarah. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me to have a place to live by June 1! My friend Linzay did a fabulous job in finding us this place to live. It’s a great location, lots of room, and just plain cute. Abby-Li even has a backyard! Day 10 ended with me worshiping in prayer on an air mattress cuddling with my dog in ALASKA! What a way God made for me. I can’t praise Him enough!

​We also made time to see some more sights before Mom flew home. We watched the bore tide come in at Turnagain Arm one evening from Beluga Point. Another day, we visited the Native Alaskan Heritage Center to learn more about the various native cultures in Alaska. We also drove down to Seward and made a stop to hike up to Exit Glacier. Gorgeous! I told Mom as we were standing by it that the song “Awesome God” kept going through my head. “There is thunder in His footsteps and lightening in His fists.” You can really stand in awe of the shear power of God when you see things that massive created by His hand and His weather events. It was truly amazing!

Then we drove out to Resurrection Bay and walked along the beach. Abby-Li met waves for the first time and was thoroughly confused by them. We saw a sea otter and some more eagles. And the scenery was again just plain beautiful. The whole drive down to the Kenai Peninsula is gorgeous. I wonder if I’ll ever get used to the beauty of this place.

Mom flew home Wednesday evening. I thought I would have some serious tears to cry after I dropped Mom off at the airport. I know a lot of people were praying for that moment. As I pulled away, I prayed out loud, “Okay God, it’s just You and me again. I know am not alone.”

I turned on the radio, and Moriah Peters’ song “You Carry Me” was playing. The following phrase was the first thing I heard after my prayer:

I don’t need to know what’s next
You’ll be with me every step
Through it all, through it all
I can see You carry me

I just laughed and sang along as I drove back to my new home. I’ve spent the last couple of days organizing and unpacking a few more things to make this place feel more like home. But every time I go to a store with brands or foods I’m not used to, people with accents much different than mine, get weird looks for saying “y’all,” or drive down an unfamiliar street, I’m reminded that I am a sojourner on this earth. While I’m working to make this my “home” for now, I’m more comforted by the fact that this is NOT my home. Home is with Christ, and He dwells with me.

So that’s the long update. The journey of 3,953 miles is over, but the real journey of life in Christ simply continues. I pray that those of you who follow my journey will live as sojourners in Christ along with me, wherever you may be!