 A dream was birthed out of profound grief and a need to get away … to rest … that dream? To spend a few days with my extended family in Alberta, Canada. Due to the ravaging effects of COVID-19, my dream vacation in 2020 was canceled. However, the desire to go to Canada never left me … it only grew.
As we waited for borders to open, the LORD knit my heart to the hearts of Laura and a host of sisters-in-Christ across Canada. ZOOM, FaceTime, & other video chat platforms became lifelines … lifelines to building community, faith, and hope … and even a lifeline to begin the long journey to healing. Fast forward two years … 2022 ... as I boarded the first flight on June 28, I was nervous and excited … and I was covered with the prayers of friends and family. Looking back on the number of delays and the level of panic that gripped my heart, I see the hand of my loving Heavenly Father as He placed the right strangers in my path to help in my time of need. He also orchestrated the right text messages at the right time. These messages between my family and friends helped keep me focused so I could make the needed decisions. Although my final flight of the day proved to be the most challenging, it was NOTHING compared to the joy that flooded my soul when I rounded the corner to see the lady who has willingly walked through so much with me these last 2.5 years. She might be old enough to be my mom, but she’s my mentor, teacher, “Partner in Fun,” a confidante, a counselor … She’s the closest person I’ve ever had to a best friend. My body was so tired, but my heart was so full! I had no idea what awaited in this new country, but I was at peace. To look across the river valley from Laura and Kevin’s balcony captivated my soul! The clean air was a much needed and welcome relief to my sketchy lungs. The simplest things caught my attention … beautiful flowers, towering buildings, the friendliness of total strangers, the clean water of the North Saskatchewan River, the art … I was amazed at the beauty. I was also amazed at the cultural diversity of Canada ... was even more amazed at the way various cultures were honored and respected. Canada is definitely NOT a melting pot of cultures where people are forced to conform to a certain ideology/faith. It’s more like a stew … where each culture is easily identified. Canada, like every other nation, has her issues. She’s starting to make some changes in the right direction, but I got a taste of something for which my spirit has longed for a long time … to do life in a multi-cultural region. On a deeply personal level, the Lord met me in Canada in ways I never expected. Kevin (Laura’s husband) is one of my favorite (or as Canadians spell it … FAVOURITE) preachers to listen to online … there were times when we’d be on the balcony or in the living room talking about the church or faith or even life stuff that brought a peace and healing I never expected. I never thought it possible. Not having a father around growing up and with my father now deceased, those conversations were pure gifts from God. To have an imperfect, yet godly man – who in many ways is a father figure – care about what was on my heart was priceless! For him to offer godly counsel in areas of my life where it was needed, I’m forever thankful and forever blessed. One of the many conversations that took place was on the topic of fear. Mine was a life known by my fears, rational and irrational. Somehow, the topic came up and Laura said that I didn’t have to be known by my fears. They didn’t have to be my identity … In my mind, I thought: “Ha! Um, okay!” … What blew my mind was her next statement. “…because you’re a child of the King, and He has you.” That simple statement of explanation opened a door that had been locked for years. While I’m sure others have said similar things in times past, I was able to hear it with a heart open to change and new adventures. Following that conversation, things I’d never consider doing before were willingly embraced and TOTALLY enjoyed! On July 3rd, I was taken aback by what I experienced at church. I was shocked, mesmerized by and speechless at the cultural diversity of Ellerslie Baptist. I’d never seen anything like it, much less experienced it before!!! There was something soul gripping and revolutionary for me to worship Jesus with people from nations around the WORLD! All I could think was: “WOW! This is what Heaven will be like with people from every tribe, tongue, and nation gathered around the throne of God!” Honestly, there’s been an inner longing for this again since I’ve been home. There’s almost a holy dissatisfaction, if you will … I miss the diversity. I long for the day when I can serve the LORD alongside believers from diverse cultures on a regular, if not on a daily, basis. After church, Laura and I headed out for our GREAT ADVENTURE. We headed towards Banff. On our way, we met up with Krystal … a precious friend and sister-in-Christ … who lives in Calgary. My soul connected even more with Canada when we met with Krystal. Our friendship began over ZOOM, and it has only grown. Bonus points for my friendship with her is that I share a birthday with her daughter! Early the next morning, we made our way to Banff. The closer we got, the more excited I became. I probably sounded like a broken record with my saying: “Wow!” or “Look!” or “Kevin’s missing out!” The mountains. The air. The beauty! As we made our way to Banff, the weather was sketchy. Inside, I kept asking God to part the clouds, even for a few moments. Laura said something about the weather and how we might not be able to see the tops of the mountains … I told her that God could part the clouds and give us no rain … but if He didn’t, it’d still be beautiful. As she drove, the clouds lifted some. I was thankful to have my camera to be able to capture the beauty. Truth be known, the pictures just do not do it justice! Another desire I had from the day I decided to go to Canada in 2020 was to see a bear. A grizzly bear. A black bear. I didn’t care. I wanted to see a bear! The Lord allowed us to see a beautiful grizzly bear … which I was able to get pictures of him. The Lord also allowed us to see a young black bear. I didn’t get his picture, but I got to see both a grizzly and a black bear! I was elated!! and oh so very thankful that the Father cared about something this simple. As we got on the first shuttle to Lake Louise, it started to rain. Without realizing it or analyzing the utter childishness of it, I began silently praying. Asking God to make the rain stop … by the time we got to Lake Louise, the rain stopped. I was absolutely captivated by the splendid, breathtaking beauty! The lake was a clear, beautiful turquoise blue. Oh! My soul, it was captivating! I began to be overwhelmed by the reality that peace was possible … rest was possible. As we boarded the next shuttle to Moraine Lake, the rain began again. I found myself telling God that if He could stop the rain once, then He could stop it again … by the time we got to Moraine Lake, the rain stopped. When we got to the actual lake, my heart skipped a beat. I have pictures and a diamond painting and postcards of this particular lake in my home! Every picture, every painting pales in comparison to the glory of seeing it in person! Everything I had seen CAME ALIVE! As we walked around the lake and took pictures, I decided to get in the lake. The water was so cold … but it was refreshing! It was so clean, too! If we could have stayed, I would not have objected. The beauty. The cleanness. The purity. The peace and rest. The people. I didn’t want to leave! But … alas! Life with its responsibilities awaited us both … so … we headed back. It rained most of the way – if not the entire way – back to Edmonton! My heart found a beautiful peace and rest in Canada. I saw opportunities to serve alongside my family and friends. There was a pure joy that I’d never felt before. I connected with the Lord in ways I didn’t know possible. I long for more of THIS!!! Although I am back home in Mississippi, my heart longs for Canada. The Lord’s plan for me – at least, for now – is to be in Mississippi. So, ‘til He moves me, I’ll seek to serve Him here … and I’ll be a proud MS Canadian.
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