Final Thoughts

The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 121:7-8; NIV)

Since I was born, I have been surrounded by a loving family and the strong Christian faith.  I've read through my Bible nearly two times, I've been baptized and confirmed, and I am constantly talking to God through prayer.  I dedicated my life to Christ when I was 12.  And especially since then, I have been very focused on getting closer and closer to my Lord.  When problems arise, I call on him.  When joyful things happen, I praise and thank Him.  And when we left on our trip July 2, I asked for His protection.

For anyone who doesn't believe in Jesus, I'm here to tell you that this trip showed me more than ever that He DOES care, He DOES listen, and He is ALWAYS watching over you and me.  We drove a lot of miles...and I mean a LOT.  We saw so many gorgeous things -- monuments, museums, paintings, pictures, views, animals, so much!  And just think...God made all those.  Every time I saw a beautiful snow-covered mountain, I was amazed!  It didn't matter if I had already seen 20 mountains earlier in the day; I still took moments to gaze in wonder and lift up a prayer to God, saying, You are awesome, Father, and I just thank you for all your beautiful creation, especially these mountains I'm looking at right now! 

See, all 53 days (seven-and-a-half weeks) I was gone were such a learning opportunity -- to see, learn, experience, do, and take away memories of all the stuff we did was terrific.  And in those 53 days, I know I grew closer to God.  I loved the whole trip, but a few things especially stand out:  Camp, where I was able to be a witness to so many kids; Climbing Sleepy Dog Mountain -- every step with my own brother by my side; Having my mom join us in Calgary; and all the National Parks.  There's lots out west and up north to explore.  If you have the opportunity, seize it...to see more of God's creation, to marvel at His masterpieces, and to feel SO close to Him is so amazing.

Finally, I just want to personally thank each and every one of you for calling, supporting, praying for, and loving me.  I pray that God will bless each and every one of you.  I hope you've enjoyed reading about this incredible journey.  May God be with you in the coming months!

~Anna~