Thursday, August 28, 2014

And Another One Bites the Dust.

I cannot believe it is August 28th! September is almost here, and school has been in session for a few weeks now. Boy, the time has flown by! Here at Victory we have had the wonderful opportunity to serve campers and summer staff and it has been an incredible blessing. I even had an opportunity to spend time with family this past spring/summer!





When May rolled around we went into crunch mode with finalizing things for summer camp and getting our summer staff slots filled up. When orientation hit we were greeted by SNOW! Yes, it snowed during orientation week, in JUNE! Only in Alaska. :)




I had the wonderful opportunity to run the registration team this past summer again, and it was a blessing. Week 6 of summer camp came and they needed me to fill in as Ranch director for a week. I accepted this excitedly! It was the busiest, most challenging, and most fun weeks I had this summer! I got to spend time with the campers and get to know the staff more on a one on one basis.











When Summer Camp came to close, I felt so blessed that God had given me one more summer to really love on staff and get to serve them. These young adults quit their jobs, leave their homes, and put their vacation aside in order to spend the summer serving God at this camp. Being a part of summer staff is draining emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But when we're at our end is when God can really use us. AND HE DOES! What a blessing it is to have that comfort in Him. I am honored to have the opportunity to watch him work.







As soon as our summer camp program ended, conference season fired up! We had guests and work teams on the grounds every day the entire month of August. It's such a blessing to be so busy! Even though the staff are tired and ready for a break, God continues to give us the ability to persevere. And next week we will be able to rest.




Looking ahead into the fall and winter, things are looking different for me! Our Guest Services Director has left Victory and I am now working with another human trying to connect with groups and continue planning retreats. It has been a learning process but it has been wonderful! I am excited to see what God will do here this coming year and how he will use the missionaries here at Victory to further His kingdom. We are all striving to give all of the glory and honor to Christ in all we do here at Victory. It has been a blessing to serve here and I look forward to continuing on this path.




I thank everyone for their continued prayers and support! God bless. :)




Wednesday, April 2, 2014

God loves you more in a moment than anyone could in a lifetime. (My Testimony)

                First let me start by saying, this is not a story about me. This is a story of how God took a broken soul, and gave them meaning. He grabbed my life and redirected it towards Him. This is a story of how God works. And I just happened to have been along for this crazy ride called life...
"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!" -1st Chronicles 16:8
                I was raised in a conservative Christian home, we went to church twice on Sunday's, Sunday school, youth groups, bible studies,  my family was always involved in the church... But that didn't make me a Christian. When I was going into 6th grade I was emotionally and sexually abused by a family friend. After the abuse I felt very unclean and worthless. I had few friends when I was in 6th grade, I was very awkward and shy. I didn't know who I was anymore. I was the girl who dreaded lunch or any free time at school because it meant I would be sitting all by myself or worse, I'd get bullied, which happened often. In 7th grade I decided that I was going to try and make friends, so I started sitting at a new lunch table. At the time I thought I was cool because I was hanging out with people for once! I had friends for the first time and that was a new concept for me. But it felt nice. So even though they weren't living like Christians at least I had friends to sit with and someone sticking up for me when the bullies started attacking.
                When I started high school I was living a double life. On one side I had my friends from church who tried keeping my accountable, and on the other side I had friends that I thought to be popular. I chose to dump my church friends for popularity. We started drinking and messing around with guys. But we thought it was okay because we weren't having sex and we weren't drinking every weekend. However it didn't take long for the drinking to become a weekly thing, the messing around to turn into having sex, and then drugs came into the mix. It became a daily routine for me. My goal was always a temporary high. That's what I craved! I didn't care if it was coming from a bottle, a guy, or a drug; at that point in my life I hated myself so much that I thought this was the only way out.
                When I was 16 I had a boyfriend who I thought he was absolutely the one for me! I felt like I was in love for the first time in my life. After 4.5 months of dating the partying caught up with us and he left me for drugs. I was pregnant when he left me, he didn't know it at the time. 2 weeks after we broke up I told him and he got angry. He thought I was just trying to get him to come back to me, he told me to get an abortion because he didn't want me or a baby to ruin his life. That was the last time I spoke to him. I went into a deep depression, I quit smoking, drinking, and doing drugs. As depressed and alone as I felt I knew that I had to take care of this baby. But after 8 weeks I had a miscarriage. To this day I mourn the loss of my baby, but I know that he/she is with God and one day I'll have the opportunity to hold my unborn child. That depression got so much worse after the loss of my child. I felt like there was no reason to live anymore... And that's where God stepped in.
                I decided that I wanted to leave for the summer and I knew the only place my parents would let me go is Victory. So I decided to apply, selfishly. But when I got here at age 17, God broke me down! He used my selfishness for His glory, and I felt more love in the first few days than I had ever felt in my entire life. What was this love?! People genuinely loved me and cared for me. They wanted what was best for me. I couldn't understand it, but it became very clear to me that God's love has no boundaries. At 17 years old I truly started living for Christ, and it was more than just faith, it was a real relationship.
                I graduated high school the next year and came back up to Victory and had an amazing summer! God taught me so much about being a leader and sharing the gospel with everyone, not only your campers. After the summer of 2011 I decided that my time at Victory was over. I felt like I was done, I needed to get a job and start living in the "work world." When I told this to my best friend, Lieu, she told me to continue to pray about it. I wasn't thrilled, I felt like I was done and had made my decision. But because I said I would I prayed a short prayer and went on with my day. A few nights later I had a dream unlike any dream I have ever had! In my dream I was talking to God. I gave Him all of my excuses for not coming up to Victory, and He basically told me to be still and listen.. He told me that He was going to be doing some awesome things up at Victory this year and He needed me to be a part of them. I woke up the next morning, called Lieu, and told her I got slapped in the face be God, and it was amazing!
                Then it was laid upon my heart to move up to Victory and stay for a year for an internship. I filled out my application, so nervous but also super excited to see what God was going to do! But I woke up at 5:38 am on February 22, 2012 to a text from my best friends mom. My best friend was in the hospital, he tried to commit suicide. I was the last person to talk with him. He took a handful of pills literally a few minutes after we got done Skyping the night before. He had decided that because I was moving to Alaska, he was losing his best friend, and his life was meaningless. He blamed me for his attempt to end his life. In my heart I knew that it wasn't my fault, but in my head, the devil continued to blame me. After some counseling and medication for his depression, the real reason came out for his depression and it had nothing to do with me leaving.
                I was accepted to Victory and moved up to Alaska on May 26, 2012. That year was one of the most challenging years of my life yet. I was tested in ways I never thought possible. On Easter Sunday I was in a snow machine accident, I was sent to the hospital via ambulance where I was diagnosed with a bruised tailbone, concussion, compressed spine, and I sprained the muscles in my lower back. I was put on bed rest for about a month. The accident challenged me in so many ways. No longer could I walk everywhere I wanted and I was in constant pain. But the hardest thing about the accident was becoming limited. But I came to trust God more! Clearly there is a rhyme and reason for why He let this happen. Instead of running around like I’d like to be able to do, I was forced to sit and reflect more on what God wants for my life.
                God was with me in the good and He never left me in the bad. I started thinking about my life in this ministry. It quickly became clear to me that I wasn't meant to spend just one year at victory and be done. I started thinking a lot about the life God wanted for me. Would I ever be okay not being in this ministry? I began to wonder how much longer I was going to be on this earth for. Maybe I only have five years, maybe I have 55 more years to go. But I know that I am called to Victory Ministries of Alaska. I need to spend every day The Lord wakes me up, serving Him in this ministry.  
          The world tries to tell people like me that I have too much baggage, that no one could love a person with such a wretched past. Do you want to know what I have to say about that? I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m sorry you can’t look past the struggles of my past to see the person God shaped me to be. My Lord never left me, He allowed me to go through these struggles so that I could grow closer to Him. He has a plan, and I’m blessed to be part of it.

                My life verse is Philippians 2:14&15 which states;
 “Do everything without arguing and complaining, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
          Where ever God leads you, wherever God leads me, we need to shine our lights for all to see. Like in Matthew 20, we must Be Different. God didn't put us on this earth to just go through the motions of everyday life. We’re called to serve Him.

          Where has God brought you? As believers we need to share our experiences with others so they can hear the truth! They can see where you've been and how Christ delivered you through it. It is our job to share with everyone our experiences! God uses us in different ways. We need to tell others of God's love, grace, and forgiveness. So that others can see Christ in us.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Blessed at 81.4%!

My History at Victory:
                My first trip up to Victory was in the summer of 2009. I went up through His Hands on a work team lead by my Mom. I fell in love with the beauty of Alaska! Everywhere I looked, every mountain, every valley, every stream, and every glacier, I saw God. I was not living for Christ at this point in my life, but I knew then that there was a God, although I wasn’t ready to die for him yet. However through the next year I went through a lot of heart break, I lost my sense of self-worth. I needed a way out! So (selfishly) I went to Victory Bible Camps and Conference Center for the summer of 2010. Isn’t it amazing what God can do through our selfishness? During that summer I dedicated my life to serving Him. He found me at my lowest, and clothed me in the riches of love! The love only He can provide.
                I returned the following summer and served God selflessly, with my eyes fixed on Him throughout the entire process. After my second summer at Victory I thought I was done… Boy, was I ever wrong! My best friend told me to pray about it before I came to any final conclusion. After a long time of prayer, God spoke to me in a dream. He told me not to be afraid, that I needed to stop talking and start listening. He was going to do some wonderful things up at Victory and He needed me to be part of them. I woke up that morning feeling so excited for life! And as one who on an ordinary morning, would not be thrilled with being up early, to be elated? Clearly only God would do that to my heart.
                After much time I knew God called me to be more than just a summertime missionary at Victory. I knew He was calling me to more! So I applied for an internship program, and was accepted. I moved up to Alaska on May 26, 2012. The next 15 months where filled with exploring God in a whole new way! I got to serve Him in a way I never thought possible. I learned new talents He gave me, as an administrative assistant. And after praying about it for a few months, God made it clear that I was to serve Him at Victory full time. In May of 2013, I was accepted as full time staff at Victory.


What do you do at Victory?
                My job title is administrative assistant for Guest Services and Program. During the Guest Services season I send out the contracts, organize the files, answer questions the group has, get the paperwork ready before the group comes and I will help file it when it’s completed. But my favorite thing to do is host groups. Hosting a group is being the face of Victory Ministries for them. I make sure everything is ready for them beforehand, I welcome them when they arrive, answer any questions, help them set up, and I check them out when they have finished. It’s very busy, but the people you will meet are always a new and different experience!
                During the summer I am the assistant program director. Once again, I handle the paperwork. There are certain forms that each camper must have so they can stay with us for a week. I make sure we have all of the proper paperwork, organize it, if there are any errors I contact parents to correct them. I also help out with the transportation of the campers, bus schedules, where the kids will be picked up and dropped off, etc.
                But one of the best roles is being a barista for the camp espresso shop! It means waking up early and making coffee for the guests that may need an extra boost that morning. It is a ministry opportunity in and of itself. It gives me some time to ask questions, get to know the people I’m serving individually, hear some amazing testimonies, and even share the gospel with strangers, some of whom aren’t from Alaska. It is without a doubt one of the best ways to start your mornings!

Would you like to be a partner in this ministry with me?
                My support goal is $2,000 a month; I am currently at $1,628… That’s 81.4%! I am still in need of $372 a month. If you would like to partner in this ministry with me, I would love to get to know you and explain how easy it is to join. Please contact me with any questions you may have about partnering. Thank you for reading my letter, please pray about joining this ministry as a partner. Donations can be made as a one-time gift or you can sign up to become a monthly supporter. Whether through prayer, financially, or even getting updates! I would love to spread the word of this ministry to all people. God is truly doing some wonderful things, and I am blessed enough to be part of it!

In Christ,
Abigail M. Alexander
Administrative Assistant for Guest Services and Program
Victory Bible Camps and Conference Center of Alaska

616.283.7805

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Join me on a mission of a lifetime!

A lot of folks have been asking about support and how everything is coming along so I decided to send out an update to spread awareness on the needs of my mission!

The Pizza Ranch Fundraiser was a success! So many people came out, the line wrapped around the restaurant, and to top it off, they ran out of food half way through so they had to go get more! It was such a riot and a ton of fun. A truly wonderful experience that I am blessed to have had. The total came to be $1,061.03!

I have a few families and churches interested in supporting me, but until it's finalized with camp I can't make any final plans about returning to camp. However, my goal is to get that all taken care of and be back serving at camp in January!

My support goal is $2,415 a month, I currently have raised 64.7% of that goal. I am in need of $852.50 a month. I am still in need of supporters who are willing to partner in this ministry with me long term.

If you would like to join this ministry with me please feel free to contact me! I would love to tell you about the wonderful things going on at Victory Bible Camps and Conference Center and how you can be part of it!




Monday, August 12, 2013

Praise God, Now & Always.


Today I was reading in James Chapter 5 about the Power of Prayer..

"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops."
-James 5:13-18 (NLT)

As long as I continue to pray, fervently, then the results will be marvelous! God answers all prayers, big or small! I cannot believe how much of my life I wasted relying on my own strength. When all I had to do was ask The Lord for it! It's hard when you don't get the answer you were seeking. God's plan is always greater than our own. But sometimes our eyes are fixed on the here and now, rather than looking at The Big Picture. 

This past weekend I met a wonderful woman named Sarah, and she had a perspective that I couldn't help but take notice! When I told her about what we offered for her, things that we had done getting her set up, after EVERY THING she said two little words.... "Praise God!"  She didn't just say this once or twice, but she said this at least seven or eight times, every time we spoke! (Which was very often). I love to Praise God just as much as the next person.. But this was impressive! She had such a sincerity about this as well, you knew that it came from the heart! Her joy in thankfulness was infectious!

I think there is something we can all take away from the story of Sarah; her mindset. We should be Praising God consistantly! Our love for Him, and the joy we find, should all come from Him. Shouldn't we thank Him more often? I know that I should. It's so easy when something good happens to get excited, then quickly dismiss our joy and completely forget to thank the maker of joy. 

In just 22 days I will be back in Michigan. The thought is bittersweet! I am so blessed to be supported with 70% of my goal, $2,415 a month. God has been so good! I have been so blessed to have a few jobs set up for when I return to Michigan. They are for families that I am close with and understand that I needed something short term to help me out while I was in Michigan, WHAT A BLESSING!

Praise God.. I'll say it again.. PRAISE GOD! I pray that I will never forget to say a thank you to God for creating Joy. 

Friday, July 12, 2013

Re-Cap

I am blessed beyond measure.






We had a leadership camp out before orientation started for the summer staff. It was a blast! Three days and two nights spending time in the outdoors. We spent a lot of time sitting around the camp fire getting to know each other. When the trip was over, I was in awe of how incredibly wonderful our God is! He brought people from all walks of life to serve Him with one purpose for an entire summer. How cool is that?!
During our week two we didn't have a speaker for the week. We used our staff and we shared what God has done in our personal lives. I was blessed with the opportunity to share my testimony during week two of camp. God did some wondrous things that week, I am so blessed to be part of His amazing plan.
We took our staff to Seward, Alaska for a mini vacation during our dead week! Was able to spend the morning in this beautiful coffee shop drinking tea and talking about God with these ladies, plus Kelly who was taking this picture.






It rained most of the time we were in Seward, so we were soaked! But it was a blast even with the bad weather. 
Enjoyed lunch at the Portage Glacier! Also, I got to show off my new rain coat.
Fourth of July!
Espresso, my sanity through the summer... Three cups at a time. ;)

Busy as a bee! That's how summer camp goes. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but here was a re-cap of what has happened so far! We're currently on week four of our summer camp program! This summer has been one for the books! I have been privileged to serve God with some very strong leaders this summer. I don't mean to brag, but God really knew what He was doing when He put together our summer staff! I think back upon this past winter, we had absolutely no clue what God was going to do for the summer of 2013! We couldn't even begin to imagine who God was going to bring, it was a pleasant surprise! Something that I tried not to worry about all winter, God knew already. 

What is worry anyway, but the opposite of faith.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Everything rides on Hope now.

Well, a lot sure has changed in my life within the past few days! Just as I was finally getting back in the swing of things, going back to work after my accident, there was a another twist in the lives of my family. I got a call on Sunday afternoon that my Great Grandma was placed in hospice, she didn't have much longer to live. Although we all knew this day had to come eventually, the terror of not being able to see my Great Grandma one last time haunted me. With the help of some wonderful friends and family, I booked a flight and left later that evening.

The flights were absolutely horrible! To make a very long story short, I was supposed to get in at 11:40am on Monday morning and I didn't land in Grand Rapids until 6:00pm Monday evening. I was tired, sore, nauseous, and of course emotional.

When I was finally able to see my Great Grandma, she didn't remember me.. How do you handle a situation like that? When a lady you've known your entire life, a woman that has been there for you through everything, doesn't even know your own name?

"Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

-James 1:2-3

Although I was not thrilled with my current circumstances I know that GOD IS IN IT! He had this all planned out from before time was even created. I've been reading a lot about Job, what a beautiful testimony he has! Trial after trial, he stayed faithful in Christ. As long as I have my faith in my God, then I can handle anything thrown at me. 

"We have this hope, it anchors the soul. Firm and secure."

-Hebrews 6:19










I've been listening to Addison Road all morning, praying that God will give me the strength to continue to be strong in Him through all of the struggles of life! He is my guidance, my protector, my strength, my stability, my everything. I will trust in Him through all things! 



If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free