The weekend before school started, Tony and I got the opportunity to go on a kayaking trip to Whittier, Alaska with our church (Kaleo) and the youth group. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
I'm from Texas, so the more I see of Alaska, the more I fall in love. They were 18 kids and 11 adults and the idea was that we spend time out in God's creation, talking together about our awesome God. Seriously the best youth group trip of all time.
Not all was the weather PERFECT (except the last day it rained but two sunny spotless days was fine by me), but we got to have Christian community together around mountains, oceans, and glaciers. We got to go berry picking and kayaking and some folks went shrimping. We took a water taxi out to 17 mile beach and set up camp on the beach (and yes, Alaska has beaches!!). We had bonfires at night and made s'mores. The whole thing was just incredible.
And the best thing? Worshiping together under the stars with mountains, glaciers, and the ocean that God created all around.
"In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land." Psalm 95:4-5
This Texan girl can't get enough of this crazy Alaska land. It's the best kept secret of all time. I am thinking Alaska has captured me with its beauty and will never let me leave.
Taking a bite out of glacier ice :)
Here is where Whittier is for all you who know nothing about Alaska (I didn't before moving up here). One cool thing about Whittier: you have to take a tunnel when you come from Anchorage and the tunnel goes through the mountains. If you are claustrophobic, you might consider flying :)
Check out this transportation guide that could give you more information about getting to Whittier as well:
We used Alaska Sea Kayakers in Whittier for our water taxi. They were very efficient and helpful but a lot of the youth group kiddos reported they were not very friendly (I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, so you never know if they were just having a bad day).
Boating to our beach
Setting up camp! :)
This was our view from the beach. Just amazing.
Campfires and Mountains. Two of my favorite things.
And we got to pick berries! They were everywhere.
Watching the kids kayak was breathtaking. The glaciers were wrapping all around.
The glacial ice was floating around!
We got to kayak right up to an area of beach where we could walk right up to the glacier, called Blackstone Glacier.
Two of the students shared how they came to know Christ as we all sat right next to the glacier. How cool is that?!
And we got to hold some shrimp!!
All in all, it was one of my most memorable travel experiences of all time. I am so thankful for a God whose creation I can see and enjoy with other believers. And I am so thankful that my plans are not always the best plans and that God brought me to Alaska. There is still so much to explore here!!
The adventure awaits.
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