Recently our student ministry went on a mission trip to Alaska. You might be reading this and rolling your eyes- "sounds more like a vacation if you ask me!" Well, no one asked you. Also, if someone doesn't go to help the men and women working hard for the Gospel in that state, many people there will continue to suffer some dark times. There are lots of Alaskans who lead incredible lives of joy, but there is a portion of the population genuinely lost and hurt. Brenda Crim with Alaska Missions has been working hard for over a decade earning trust with Alaskan residents by meeting needs and breaking down walls. Whatever you may think about Christ and his followers, she has been working to do extravagant and also seemingly insignificant things to let the people there know they are loved and cared for. Our church went to partner with her for a week, and while we were there, she shared a challenge that was meaningful to me.
"If God could perform a miracle in your life, what would it be?" Brenda challenged us to ask that question to anyone and everyone, and pray for big things to happen. Of course, when she first posed the question, I immediately thought of how I would answer. I can't say I've landed on only one miracle I'd love to see in my life, but it has challenged me to be specific in what I ask of God. Prayer has always been a strange concept for me- if God is all knowing and can hear my thoughts, why do I need to pray? If He's going to do whatever He wants because He's in charge, why bother asking for something? I can't say that I've landed for sure on perfect answers to these questions, but I do know that in any relationship, the warmth of the connection hinges on the quality and quantity of communication. Additionally, expressing that you need something from a loved one is powerful. It communicates dependence, which carries a relationship to higher level. With all that said, I have needs for myself and my family for which I'm asking God. If God could do any miracle in your life, what would it be? Have you asked Him for it? Have you asked others to ask Him for it on your behalf?- J
