This family is on a journey. Isn’t every family? Well, this story is about more of a specific journey. Although, there are many journeys found wrapped up in this one, and I’m sure this one’s ending will be blurred with the beginning of other journeys and with many contained therein. How does one share about one specific journey when so many others are wrapped up inside and stretching out forth from the one? I’m not sure, but here goes an attempt, nonetheless.
The year was 2017. It was summer in Alaska. In case one did not know, summer in Alaska is like heaven on earth… as long as it is not raining. Which it does a lot. But that’s neither here nor there. The point being that summer in Alaska is when one would find oneself the most content anyone could be assuming all other variables were steady.

This glorious time is when we began to feel a strong calling out of Alaska.
But then…nothing. Over the next year we prayed about location, we prayed about timing, we prayed for confirmation. We prayed and prayed. Beyond using some logic and critical thinking to work out a budget and savings goals to help prepare for this impending transition we had no further direction. We felt like we were moving, but we weren’t.
It was then a friend shared about their similar experience. Gold told them, she said, that they would be leaving Alaska years before they actually left. She said that she lived in a state of expecting the move to progress at any time and that living that way for years was exhausting. Her advice? Live where God has you. Bloom where you are planted. There is a reason He has us where He has us and if we are so busy looking forward, we will miss His plan for us here.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” -Ecclesiastes 3:1
So, we did. We lived where we were. For the first time in the 25 years of living in Alaska we really committed to Living Alaska.
That was five years ago. Without knowing the future, I feel inclined to say that those five years will go down in history as being the most favorite five years of my life. With the advice of my friend in mind we began to “Live Alaska.” And we promptly fell in love with Alaska. We were all in and it was amazing.
So, it came as a bit of a shock when in the Fall of 2021 the possibility of needing to relocate popped back up. We were happy. We were content. We loved our life here. But as fall came and went and the Holiday season was reigning in all its glory, God made it clear that it was time. From buyers showing up for our house without us even listing it, to a million little reasons and a million little variables all falling into place. God began opening doors, placing us in the fast lane for whatever is next!

One of our favorite ways to get out in Alaska in the winter is going on Night Hikes. Here we are at the top of The Butte in Palmer. With lamps to light our path, as the Lord is doing for us day, by day.
But what is next? That remains unknown. Psalms 119:105 says, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” He reveals our next step, He reveals our path as far as He is willing. One step or two, maybe more at a time. It is up to Him. We know our next step. But we don’t know where this journey is leading.
“This is crazy”. I know many of you are saying that. We say it to ourselves all the time. This is crazy. But that statement is always followed up by, “but, I have complete peace. I am confident that this is what God wants for us.” It’s crazy that we have complete peace about doing something that is crazy. But we do. We have complete peace and confidence that this is God’s plan for us. We have complete peace and confidence in God. We trust Him. If we are seeking Him first (Mathew 6:33) we know He will not let anything that is not part of His plan happen. When stepping out into the unknown doesn’t scare you, you are either crazy, which we very well may be, or you know something…which know we do. We know God. His plan is the best plan. It’s not the easiest. It will be hard. Excruciating possibly. But His way is always the best way.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” -Jeremiah 29:11
Five years ago, when we first felt God’s calling out of Alaska, and when we first worked out the budget and financial planning for what would be ideal for leaving this great land do you know when that was? It was the very period of time that God is working out for us to be leaving. We left that budget, that plan in the dust, turned our focus onto Living Alaska. We were not ignorant that this was sometime in our future, but we were convinced it wouldn’t happen for years to come still. So that plan…that seemed inconsequential to us. When I think about how five years ago, the time we talked about leaving Alaska is the very same time that we are actually leaving, and all the many amazing journeys we have had between then and now I am in absolute awe at the glory and magnificence of our Lord and Savior, the Creator of this world and the universe and our very selves. He is capable of bringing about His plan. Period. No matter what.
We could have sat there and obsessed over it. Which, if you know me, you know is something I’m prone to doing (hi, I’m Meghan, I’m addicted to planning and being prepared for every possible scenario no matter how unlikely). But God gave us the glorious gift of resting in Him during our last five years in Alaska. What a beautiful gift! It is because of this that we are confident in His plan for our future, even if we have no clue what that is at this moment. He knows, and He’s way better at planning than I could ever be!
“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” -Deuteronomy 31:8
So, this family is on a journey. Or rather, many intertwining journeys. We don’t know where we are going. But we know Whose we are, and we are resting in complete trust, faith, and hope in the One who holds it all. I cannot wait to see what He has planned! And no matter what it is, we are going to live it, just like we Lived Alaska!