The Road to Shasta (Day 1)

22 October 2010 (11:00 a.m.)

I think I had set my alarm for 7:30, but I slept in until 9:30. The Lord has still kept me from sinning against my body, but purity comes with the cost of lost sleep some nights. It had been one of those nights where my skin crawled, but I didn't want to risk grieving the Spirit or inhibiting the Lord's provision by setting a barrier between us, so I lay awake into the wee hours contemplating how afraid I was to actually leave. He assured me that He is faithful to those who obey, and I think I fell asleep somewhere around the 2:30 to 3:00 range.

I woke up and showered. It felt like the last moment of peace before I decisive battle, or as much as I imagine such an experience would feel like. My roommate Erik shared a protein shake with me because I needed a quick breakfast on account of how late in the day I was leaving.

I started to pack a few things: toothbrush, ginch, clothes suitable to different climates (because I would pass through several), and my Greek textbooks. I said goodbye to a few people. Laura had graciously prepared a packed lunch for me so I wouldn't need to stop to eat.

Erik prayed over me and Isobel (my Corolla) and I started the engine. My gas gauge was broaching on E, so I stopped at the Pilgrim Centre to refuel. I stared out at the same horizon I had looked at in April and listened to see if God would give me any insight as to whether it was the last time I was seeing it. Some people had commented in the days leading up to this one that I might not even make it to Mount Shasta. I wasn't so concerned about that. God had called me there and confirmed it through many agents. So I had faith in the first leg of the journey. But He wasn't giving me any insight into the second--if there was to be one. I pulled onto the highway and headed west. To this point I still had no travel insurance (and wasn't to get any), no cash, and no route planned. But there I was, off to a place that would be shown me. It occurred to me that, aside from my doubts and fears and hesitations, this was actually pretty cool!

Driving through the prairies was very calming and therapeutic. God had been working in me in that I started to value his children more than knowledge, and I had already been spending much more time with the church this year as compared to last. Discipleship was so much more enriching than the pursuit of knowledge, and it was starting to feel like schoolwork was an afterthought--and, if I can be so bold, something of a bane to work through. It felt strangely dead this semester. I wasn't interested in minutiae or trivia anymore. I wanted to minister. And I was a little giddy about the fact that it was too late to turn back and bring schoolwork with me to the United States. (I don't count Greek as work, for the record.)

I reached Medicine Hat around 2:00 and made what I felt was a wrong turn left onto Dunmore Road but found out that it had been a time saver when it took me right around the city, bypassing all the congested traffic, to the west side of the town. I gassed up near the southern limit of the city and continued on my merry way toward Lord knew where.

By the time I reached the town of Coaldale, AB I was getting nervous about not having any gas or food money for the other side of the border. I came to this particular intersection and the light turned red, and I thought it was a blessing because it gave me a moment to think of what to do next. Within seconds of deciding to find a bank, I turned my head to the left and saw a Scotiabank branch and took it as a confirmation that maybe I should get over my Abraham complex and just get some cash. I withdrew as much as I thought I'd need for the first few days and approached the teller to have it exchanged for US currency. The Lord has a way of granting favour to His servants, and they told me that they don't usually have enough by Thursday but today was an exception. I don't think they even charged me a fee for exchanging it, which was pretty awesome. What was especially helpful was the advice they gave me about a shortcut to the border crossing at Coutts, which I chose to follow. It felt like a divine appointment inasmuch as I hadn't planned to take that road but a stranger was telling me to do so. Such encounters would become so commonplace on my trip that it would be easy to neglect how the Lord was in the midst of these things.

After getting the money I darted across the street to the 7-eleven, where I purchased a few maps and some energy drinks (which I had given up, but I didn't want to fall asleep driving...).

It occurred to me about 30 minutes from Coutts that I couldn't bring a lot of the stuff Laura packed across the border on account of the laws about fruits and vegetables. So I started packing away as much food as I could because I didn't want to waste any, but I ended up having to dispose of some of it. As I pored through the things she prepared, I glorified God in speech and worship and asked Him to give her a special blessing for her effort. Maybe I shouldn't mention this out of respect for her generosity, but I want God to get the credit for having used such a genuine and obedient daughter of his to help me out in a time when I didn't have the presence of mind to think of meals.

I was able to cross the border even though the customs agent seemed a little perplexed at my responses to his questions. He also pointed out that I had neglected to sign my passport, which rendered it invalid. In any case, I was into the U.S. and started heading south on the 15. The signs suggested Great Falls was a few hours away, and I figured I still had enough daylight to get there. The skies were clear, the rolling hills were familiar for a time but gradually gave way to the beginnings of a certain mountain range. I went up these pretty steep inclines that went for several kilometres and then down similar slopes. It was just so surreal to see some of cliffs in the distance. The scenery started to seem less Canadian and it became evident that I was not home anymore. But what was home, anyway? I had come to think that God was the only hope I'd ever have, and this adventure was substantiating that premise.

Night fell and I continued on my course to Great Falls. By the time I reached the home stretch and passed over the last incline between me and the city it was legit nighttime. It was quite dramatic to see this expanse of street lights and billboards just open up in front of me, kind of like Leviathan was emerging from the frigid depths. I got incredibly lost in the city. I was so exhausted and had no clue where I was going. I wound up in the middle of this ghetto and started to bark at the Lord about how I didn't know where I was but He did and could He please find me a place to stay. After meandering for about 20 minutes I wound up pulling into the first motel I saw. It just so happened it was on the very street I needed to be on to get out of the city the following morning. I had a bit to eat and read for a few minutes but then just gave up on trying to study Greek. I thanked the Lord for who He was and all He'd done on my behalf that day. I fell asleep very much in love with Him that night.

Mileage: 830 km