Nome, Alaska

So I am not really sure what to write about.  My trip to Nome was so awesome and yet so radically diffrent from last year I am still processing a little bit.  A lot happened, I did some awesome and amazing things, and I learned a whole heeping lot about myself.

If I could describe this trip in one word it would be relationships.  I got to spend a lot of time hanging out with people, talking to them, beinging challeneged, and hopefully an encouragment to them.  So I am going to share a few stories of some of the people I got to serve next to. 

Caroline and I at the finish line

I met Caroline last year in Nome, she is one awesome young lady.  When I saw her for the first time this year, I grabbed her shoulders and just looked at her, it took her a few seconds, but then she screamed "Sarah, I didn't know you were coming."  That one moment with her would have been worth my whole trip.  But that wasn't the end, on the day of the finish we spend a couple of hours, just the two of us.  We watched Baker win, played on the Bering Sea, at candy, and my favorite, skipped down Front Street.  I love this girl, and to be able to see her some over the summer is going to be such a huge blessing.

Cheryl and I at the Concession Stand

Cheryl is Carolines mom, and its easy to see why Caroline is as awesome as she is.  Cheryl has been such a reminder of how with God's help we can do anything.  Cheryl and Candy (who I don't have a picture with :( 

work in the Concession Stand everyday from Sunday to Saturday, often 14 or more hours each day.  Cheryl is one lady I am proud to know and maybe one day I can be half as awesome as she is. 

James, Nathan, and I

James and Nathan are two boys from Nome that I had the privilage of spending some time with.  One of my favorite memories with them is walking from the minnie back to the church.  It took us a good 30 minutes to make a walk that should take about seven.  But we had to stop to play in the snow bank, take pictures under the arch, slide down the hill in the parking lot, and basically laugh and play our way back to the church.  These boys are awesome and I can't wait for the day when they are changing the world.

Lisa and Kirsten

I don't know what to say about these two women.  I grew up with both of them, but until recently didn't relize how totally super awesom and amazing they are.  Both of them have such a huge heart for God and those around them it amazes me.  One of the greatest parts about this trip was seeing them fall in love with the people of Nome and go out of their way to serve them.  It blessed me in ways they probably don't even know.  I love these two girls, and can't wait to see where God sends them next.  But I am putting my money on Alaska for both of them. 

Linzey and I

How do you tell the world about someone who has come beside you, encouraged you, laughed at/with you, and made you relize how great a God we serve?  I don't know but that is just a little of what Linzey has done for me.  I had the amazing opportunity to hang out with this girl nearly everyday.  And everyday was better than the one before.  I met her last year and loved her then, but now I can't imagine my life without her there.  She helped me to see some things I need to work on, helped me in some of the struggles I had while in Nome.  And overall was a sounding board for me when everything else was weighing down on me.  Linzey was a huge blessing to me while we where in Nome.  But the most awesome thing (besides the fact she is Linz) is that I can still call her, and even see her if I need to, because God has placed us near each other in our daily lives. 

Daniel, Me, and Caroline at the finish

The whole week was a ton of fun, I don't have pictures of everyone I got to know and work with, but the few above give you a little glimps into the awesome week I had.  I am so blessed with the friends and family I have, and this week in Nome just made that circle bigger.

All of these pictures represent special people in my life, and many memories.  I hope you enjoyed them.

My Hero

I know you guys are anticipating a post about my time in Nome and I promise that will come, maybe even today.  But right now I want to take time to tell you about my hero.

This last weekend, right after my Math test Friday drove back to Perryton for the weekend so I could share about my trip to Nome.  I loved my time at home, however brief it was and Sunday after lunch I was back in the car to head back here. I was rockin and  rollin until I got to Childress, and when I got there, my car just decided to quit.  I pulled over, thinking I would let it cool, then continue on.  After many different attempts to start it, get help starting it, and finally giving up.  The decision was made for Dad to bring me the Toyota, and take the Honda back to Perryton.

Why this post is supposed to be about my hero, is because, I discovered, while verbally journaling on the way home, and the fact that he drove over three hours to rescue me, how awesome my Dad is.  He was supposed to be reporting to church about his trip to Nashville.  The trip he took with the rest of our family, instead he is in the pickup coming to save me.  I know he always would have done it, but it was really big for me at that moment. 

I have always loved my dad, been fairly close to him, and known how awesome he was.  But a year ago that was even more obvious as we traveled to Alaska together.  While there is a lot I could say about that, basically, when multiple people tell you in one week, often in the same day how blessed you are to have the dad you do.  You sit up and take notice.  And I did, so that week will always be one of my most treasured memories out of my entire life.  Then when Mom and Dad went to Alaska for their anniversary, they both shared with me how everywhere they looked, they knew I would love it there.  They also set me on a journey to spend a summer ministering in Alaska.

When I got the email telling me I was appointed to a summer long, trip to Alaska, I called my Mom, she didn't answer so I called Dad.  When I told him where I could go, I remember him saying something along the lines of "your going to love it, you will do awesome, that is great."  After he said that I told him, I hadn't even read the email yet, much less thought or prayed about it.  His response was basically telling me he had no doubt where I would be this summer. 

This weekend, as I was talking my thoughts out, I realized that my dad knew if I accepted this position I wouldn't be around to help him this summer.  He knew it would make his summer more difficult, and would make the summer more difficult on everyone.  But, what I realized was Dad could have when I called him, challenged me to think about being in Perryton, he could have told me I needed to be double, and triple certain this was where God had me.  But he didn't, he just said go. 

In that moment, he showed me his unending love for me.  While I never had a doubt I would be supported if I went to Alaska for the summer, this no hesitation, blessing was huge for me.  I told Dad this weekend what it meant to me.  He knows, but I want everyone else to know as well, if your in my family tell Dad thanks.  He deserves it.  If you see him, give him a hug for me.  Being 600 miles away makes that difficult for me.

I know this verse is referring to mothers, but I think it fits, "Her children arise and call her blessed;"
I love you Dad!

Nome Alaska

Yesterday, Kirsten had the opportunity to attend a tea with several of the other women here.  This was a huge break through for the mission effort up here.  The opportunity to share Christ through, bible in the buckets, dress packs, and conversation.  Kirsten's experience there was awesome, she has shared with us about how being given things that will help them, opened their hearts to the hope of Christ.

As Kirsten was experiencing the awesome breakthrough from the woman's tea, Lisa and I where working in the concessions stand.  For me it has been extremelly neat to see how I am continuting relationships I started last spring, and developing new ones.  There are three other girls from the College Station area and around our age.  It has been neat to see us bond, laugh, and share with others.  Even right at this instance as I am writing, four other awesome girls are sitting around me talking about our experiences so far. 

I am a little off kilter right now.  I am not sure where I am, and what I am feeling but I know I am seeing God work in amazing ways.  Lisa and Kirsten, are going to work on writing an update and I will try to get another one up right now. 

• Pray for us as we are getting further along on the trip and we are getting tired.  It is a challenge to put ninty people in a small church together and no one get testy.  
• For the people here, especially the women who where ministered to yesterday at the tea.
• That everyone here, native, Alaskan, or tourist would see the love of Christ in all of us here.

This weekend another Aggie and I had a great group of high school girls as our small group.  While I was looking over the lessons last week, I thought they where good and all but I wasn't really sure what to do on preparing.  When we got there I was supper blessed to not have to worry about encouragaing conversation.  These girls just had questions and comments from whatever scripture we read.  I know in some small groups the leader carries the whole conversation, for one I did not want it to be that way this weekend.  And it wasn't.  I was so encouraged and blessed it was amazing.  Yes I am functioning off of 12 hours of sleep from the last two nights and lots of caffine.  I could have had more sleep, but I would have missed getting to know some of the things I know about these girls in Waller. I would have missed the blessing of hearing them talk about their struggles, or sitting on the bed laughing and learning about their life.

Long story short, I had a great weekend, it has made my life a little more difficult for the next couple of days but I wouldn't change it for anything.  So I guess I have a couple prayer requests.

• Pray for the students of Waller that they would not just have this awesome weekend and then go back to their normal lives and not apply what they learned.
• Pray for the leadership of Waller Baptist Church that they would be able to continue to build off of what the students learned this weekend.
• Pray for me as I work the first part of this week to get all my homework done.  And packed for Alaska.
• Pray that God would prepare me for what He wants to do in me while I am in Nome. 
• Pray for the people of Nome and the surrounding villages, the visitors coming to watch the Iditarod, and the Iditarod volunteers, that we would be able to show Christ's love to them effectively.

I am supper excited about this trip and I can't wait to share what God does with you all.  I promise I will update at least once while I am gone.  And if you are lucky there might even be pictures.