TEST = TESTIMONY & GRATITUDE

Good morning from Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada! This trip has been so many things to me - therapeutic, healing, fun, trying. I've honestly never felt closer to God, or myself. If you know me then you know my faith is EVERYTHING. I trust God in all things, because he has been with me through ALL things. That doesn't mean I don't get nervous or anxious or that sadness or fear don't come upon me, it just means I give it to God all the time.

When Alex and I reached Yvonne and Kelly's in Manitoba, our a/c unit that runs on electric or generator quit working. We knew it wouldn't be a big deal until we got back to the Lower 48, so we gave it to God and let it go.

2 days before reaching Gary and Charlene's, while on the phone with Steve (after a few harrowing/awe inspiring days on the Alcan) Steve says he ordered an air conditioner to be delivered to Fairbanks Home Depot. I'm speechless! Iykyk - that doesn't happen often! 🤣 Then, he drops the bomb - he flies in Friday night to do the repairs! To me, this is the best, sweetest thing this man could've done. We could've lived without the a/c, but sharing ALASKA with him? Priceless!!

Monday, with new a/c installed, and not the HD one - it hadn't arrived yet, but the one he and Gary had to search for, we head out on our unexpected adventure. Wednesday we had tickets for a 7-9 hour cruise. We had to be at the office by 10:30. We had all day Tuesday to take our time and drive (Valdez is 304 miles from Anchorage). Monday we are making our way to Anchorage (stopping in Denali National Park), and it's 5 hrs from North Pole. Now, back story, Alex and I planned 2 nights at G & C's, but that turned into 5, so we were adapting, and happily.

After a great day exploring, we found a Cabela's in Anchorage that welcomes campers (and there were probably a hundred!)! Remember, Alex and I had brought everything for 2 people, including dishes, food, bedding, but for some crazy reason I had an extra blanket and pillow - and don't think for 1 second Alex didn't give me a hard time about them! Now we know why God snuck those in!!!

Tuesday we got ready to go, Steve found a Starbucks in the same parking lot and grabbed coffee while I was sleeping, and we were off. We drove to a town called Palmer, filled gas tank, Steve changed the air filter, and here we go! 9 miles later, on a hill, the engine stops. There is only a half shoulder, we are half in the road on a 2 lane road, on a HILL. The engine won't start, it turns over, but won't start. 2 vehicles stop to see if we're okay (Alaska is special), Steve is trying to figure out what's going on, we are precariously stopped, 18 wheelers coming up and down, I'm praying - fiercely, solidly praying.

A man in a truck comes and offers to pull us with his chains (again, Alaska hits differently) to a safe spot up over the hill. While Steve attaches the chains, the man directs traffic around us, then off we go for the scariest 2 minutes (maybe less) of my life! Praying unceasingly! He plants us in a safe pull over spot, and we begin calling for a tow. At this point Steve is pretty sure it's the fuel pump, which is located behind the gas tank, or directly under the floor board. While I'm holding to find a tow, Steve is calling every mechanic in 2 towns. Soonest someone can look is 1 week to a month out.

Now, it's Tuesday, the clock is ticking, we have non-refundable tickets for a cruise I've wanted to do forever, in 23 hours, and we are 257 miles away. We finally get a tow ordered (1.5 hrs later) because we need a flat bed, Steve is researching and thinks he can fix it with the right tools, and by cutting a hole in the floor board. After 4 hrs total, the tow comes, Alex and I stay in the van because he can't fit 3 people up front, and did I mention it's 3:30pm? Praying and totally giving it to God - and I have faith in my husband's skills!

Steve takes an Uber to Home Depot and O'Reilly (they were already holding a fuel pump for us), comes back and he and Alex fix Natasha! Alex learned a lot that day - problem solving, praying and letting go...because I let go, while they fixed I had to stay out of the way. We were parked at an auto body shop that couldn't help, they were cutting a hole in the floor, so I laid down on the bed, took a nap, and watched some Netflix - completely confident that my God had this under control! And did HE!!!

At 6:30, the engine started, we made 1 more stop, then hit the road by 7:30. As soon as Steve pulled out, he noticed a brake issue - the right brake line was pinched from the tow and we only had 1 brake. Steve drove Natasha until we were 90 miles from Valdez, and at 11pm we stopped ate dinner and slept. Wednesday morning, we arrived at the office for the cruise at 9:45am, drove Natasha to a mechanic that would fix the brake line, and took a taxi to the dock.

There is no challenge, no joyful moment, no THING that my God does not have His hands on. If you google the road from Palmer, AK to Valdez, AK - my husband drove that with only the left side brake working. After working 3 hrs on Natasha. After sitting on the side of the road for 4 hrs.

That cruise on the LuLu Belle? AMAZING. God's magnificence EVERYWHERE! That time with the 3 of us - UNFORGETTABLE!

Just in case you didnt read between the lines, i would NOT have been able to repair the fuel pump by myself in the amout of time it took Steve. And i would have NEVER driven that road 257 miles with 1 brake out. Also, this could've happened anywhere - we were in many remote places, no service, no people, no tow trucks, many days! God designed this perfectly, by protecting us until Steve was with us. I turn my tests into testimonies EVERY time, because my God can do the impossible EVERY time. I am grateful, happy, and blessed to be on this journey!

Stay faithful my friends, more posts coming, but we've got a lot of miles to cover to get Alex home to start school Monday! (3,322)

Forever 🤪 CrazyLady