We have come to realize that when God, in His mercy, has given light to a searching soul, and someone else is looking for the same light and understanding, He will bring these two people together, even if it means crossing the continent.

It was October 2010. My husband and I had just recently been offered a position as directors at a young ladies facility in the Amazon jungle region of Peru. The president of the organization had told us he would give us six to twelve months to make our decision. We began to pray for God to make His will very clear to us. We had a debt and felt that it would not be responsible for us to leave the US without getting the debt taken care of first. So this became our “white fleece.” We asked the Lord, that if it were His will for us to go, that He would take care of our debt. We knew that something miraculous would have to occur for this to happen. But we weren’t willing to go into the jungle without a clear revelation from the Lord.

Early one morning, just a few days after putting our petition before the Lord, my husband awoke with a heavy burden. He relayed that, for several days since praying about Peru and our debt, he had had a strong sense that we were to travel to Alaska. I could not understand why the Lord would lead us to Alaska when we had been praying about Peru but he kept saying, “I just don’t understand, but Alaska just keeps coming to my mind very heavily, I believe we need to put it before the Lord.”

The whole thing was very odd to me and I firmly stated that I was not going anywhere unless things were made ABUNDANTLY clear, such as: a place to live OUTSIDE of my parent’s home (they live in Alaska), a job offer BEFORE even leaving Idaho, and money to even get there in the first place! I was adamant that I was not leaving Idaho unless I saw these 3 things happen. I had grown up in Alaska and I needed a clear revelation from God if I was to go back.

As I kept sharing the mountain of obstacles I saw, I kept convincing myself more and more that my husband’s impressions could not be from the Lord. However, after all was said and done, I knew prayer was our only answer, and so to our knees we went, claiming the promise of Psalm 32:8: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

That morning, I had planned to drive into town to fill up our propane tank and so I got ready and left shortly after breakfast.

Town trips were the only time I could speak to my parents since we did not have any cell coverage on the mountain we lived on. So I gave my dad a ring as soon as I got down the mountain.

Upon hearing my voice, my dad very excitedly relayed to me that my mother’s supervisor at the hotel she worked at had asked her if her son-in-law would be interested in helping out with the hotel renovations; that the pay was good and that he would even give him and his family a suite to live in for the length of the remodel, which would be about a year!

I was stunned! This was the last thing I could have ever imagined. I drove home as fast as I could, and when I relayed the news to my husband, he simply said, “Sandy, God is providing for our debt, start packing, we’re driving up the Al-Can as soon as I finish the roof job I am on.” But little did we know that God was providing for far more than just our debt.

Well, God had answered two of the points in our prayer in just a few short hours – He had gotten my husband a job BEFORE we even arrived to Alaska and a place stay live OUTSIDE of my parents home, but there was one point that had not been answered – money to get there. That was pretty important.

When my husband finished the roof job we still did not have enough to make the trip up the Al-Can, so we definitely were not going anywhere. Back to our knees we went, telling the Lord that if it was His will then He would have to do a miracle because we were for sure not going anywhere unless this part of the prayer was answered. We were positive the phone call to my dad had not been a coincidence. How could it be?!

It was now November, and we were scheduled to attend some meetings in Eastern Washington with a group of friends about three hours from our home. We headed up with our vehicle packed to the brim, not knowing what else to do but to go forward on pure faith. But man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.

Upon arriving to the place where we would be staying for the meetings, we shared the events of the last week with everyone and announced that we were headed up the Al-Can after the meetings were over. However, we did not share our financial situation with anyone except the Lord. We wanted God to make things very clear His own way, but we also were very impressed that we were leaving soon, and so we were clinging onto God’s word to work in our behalf.

Early one morning, around the 2^nd day of meetings, I felt my faith was faltering as I contemplated what we had done – we had announced we were leaving and yet we had not the money to do it with. What would everyone think if we ended up going back to our home after such a glorious testimony we had given of God’s workings in our life just a few days before? I began to feel panicky and got on my knees, pouring my heart out to God. I asked Him to speak to me, to help me and just give me peace of mind.

As I stood up, there on the coffee table lay a book entitled, ‘Desire of Ages.’ I took it in my hands and opened it up. Right there in front of my eyes lay a most amazing statement: “The means in our possession may not seem to be sufficient for the work; but if we will move forward in faith, believing in the all-sufficient power of God, abundant resources will open before us. If the work be of God, He Himself will provide the means for its accomplishment.”

It was just what I needed to hear. My heart leapt with joy inexpressible. A wonderful peace filled my soul that day and I knew that God was with us, that He would provide if this really was His plan for us, and that I did not have to worry. After all, He opened up the Red Sea – NOTHING was too hard for Him! And if He did not provide the money, then PRAISE THE LORD, after all, I had no desire to go somewhere the Lord had not called us to go as Jonah did. But as I read the quote over and over again I had a deep sense that God would prove Himself faithful once more.

That night, as we were about to retire to bed, a dear lady friend of ours came to me and said “Sandy, I have been very impressed to give you and Isaac this,” and she handed me an envelope, hugged me and said good night. I opened up the envelope, and there lie $600, the amount we had roughly estimated we would need to complete the trip up the Al-Can. Right then and there I shared with her the events of that morning. I read to her the statement in the little book on the coffee table, and we rejoiced together as we saw God leading the both of us throughout that day.

You know, the Lord urges His people to “come BOLDLY to the throne of grace…” He is pleased when we make the very highest demands upon Him, He wants to show us His power so that all around may see it and may glorify His name. We really can expect large things to happen if we have faith in His promises.

Stay tuned for Part 2 (the rest of the story)!