Overcoming change

     By Meg

     When you open your eyes in the morning and look out your window, what’s the first thing you see? For some it might be a city sidewalk. For others, it might be the neighbor’s house, or a bright green yard stretching to a cornfield. 

When I looked out my window in the morning, I saw mountains. 

You see, until I was 12, I lived in the small town of North Pole, Alaska. As you can probably imagine, mountains are all over the place in that northernmost state. When I was young I could never get enough of the mountains and spent most of my time enjoying their beauty in the cold, northern outdoors.

We never think about how closely attached we can become to our physical surroundings, and they’re often taken for granted. Our families and friends are always on our minds, but the outdoors? Not so much.

The summer before my seventh grade year, my parents decided to relocate to Athens, Illinois. Before this, I hadn’t truly realized how important Alaska was to me. But it was too late. Before I knew it, Alaska was out of sight. My friends were gone, my church was gone, and my mountains were gone.

When I first arrived at my house in Athens, I strongly disliked the view. No offense to Illinoisans, but the only thing I saw when I looked out my window was corn, and I considered that a downgrade from mountains. I found myself missing not only my Alaskan friends, but also my beloved home state. It’s amazing what tugs at your heart when you leave your home. Memories you’ve long forgotten reappear. You reach out for something steady, something in your life you can count on, but it seems like nothing can ease the hurt. 

I know how hard it is to transition from one place to another, and I'm here to tell you help is coming. God is directing your life, and He has it all planned out! He knows who you’re going to meet tomorrow, and who your next great friend is. He’s felt every fear you’re feeling, and been through every trial you’re facing. It’s hard to be the new girl, yes, but He’s placed people in your new home who will reach out to you and welcome you to this new place, as long as you are willing to be part of His plan. 

I pray that as I tell my story to you through this wonderful magazine, God can speak to you as He once spoke to me. You may not like the view right now, but God put you where you are for a reason. Believe me, He knows what He’s doing.  

Meg enjoying the view with family.