Have you ever had one of those days when your schedule is dragging you around like a whipped poodle on a chain? Have you ever had one of those years? Progress has given us unprecedented conveniencespagers, cell phones, PDAs, and debit cards are supposed to bear the brunt of our stress. Yet somehow the more we invent technology to help us slow down, the faster we run.

    Overworked, sleep deprived, and stressed out, battle-weary Christians stumble through life trying desperately to hold on to faith as the pace of life in the 21st century threatens to throw them mercilessly from the treadmill. So how do we lessen the load, take a breath, and reconnect with the still, small voice of our Savior?

    About 20 years ago, Dr. Charles Stanley partnered with Templeton Tours to create a life-giving experience for Christians. Every year since, In Touch Ministries has hosted a cruise to Alaska's pristine Inside Passage. This is no ordinary luxury vacationthe kind you see advertised in glossy travel magazines. It is more of a spiritual retreat from the regimen of our fast-paced, technology-driven world. Think summer camp for grownups. 

    "The cruise is a wonderful opportunity to meet and build relationships with people I wouldn't otherwise get to know," says Dr. Stanley. "We become a floating family of believers who enjoy worshiping God while cruising through America's last wilderness Alaska."

    Last spring, Dr. Stanley asked me to join the In Touch crew on the annual cruise in order to write about it. "I want people to understand why we do this," he said, "that this isn't just a frivolous vacation. People need rest. We need to get away far away from all the stress and problems we face daily. We need to get alone with God and hear His voice." He also commented on the importance of simply having fun and enjoying God's creation. Alaska is an ideal place to revel in those blessings.

    While I was excited about the trip, I'll admit to a certain degree of skepticism. My first impression of the excursion was one of touristslots of themcrowding into gift shops and cafeterias on board a large ship.

    As embarkation day approached, however, my enthusiasm grew and I sensed that God was truly blessing me with something special. July 12 arrived at last.

Day 1:

    After a flight to the West Coast, my husband Tim and I boarded the ms Amsterdam in Seattle, Washington. That evening we settled into the Queen's Lounge to hear a message by Dr. Stanley. He spoke about how differently the world and God measure poverty and wealth. "What would it take for you to feel rich?" he asked. Drawing from Ephesians 1, he reminded us that we possess the riches of God's grace, which far exceed our monetary acquisitions. I went to dinner thinking about how our culture will interpret our spiritual life for us if we let it and how Christians must make a concerted effort to keep priorities straight.  

    That evening we met our dining partners, Brad and Melloe Nash. Every night thereafter, the four of us shared exquisite meals and news of our day's activities. Our conversations always centered around what we care about most: family and faith. After just a few days, we became good friends.

Day 2:

    We spent the first day of our voyage cruising the Inside Passage. A traditional Sunday service was followed by brunch plus a variety of Bible studies and performances: Dr. Jerry Vines taught, the Reggie Saddler Family, Mike Speck Trio, Amy Lambert, and Greater Vision performed, and Geraldine & Ricky and Ken Davis lightened the atmosphere with their comedy routines.

    I spent a great deal of the afternoon taking in glorious scenery from the ship's luxurious observatory and massive decks . . . and I spotted two whales.

Day 3:

    Monday morning we arrived in Ketchikan, home to some of the world's most breathtaking views. Tim and I climbed Deer Mountain. We hadn't hiked together in more than two years, and the experience was sublime. We stood silently at the summit, surveying a landscape blanketed by endless forest and dotted with numerous crystalline lakes.

    That afternoon we took a flightseeing tour of Misty Fjords, more than two million acres of majestic wilderness. It was overwhelming to meander through jagged mountain peaks and to gaze down at myriad water fallsone a thousand-feet longplunging straight into the sea beneath us.

Day 4:

    The next day we got up at 5:00 a.m.a practice Tim developed in order to read his Bible alone on deckto take in the most spectacular scenery of our journey: the granite-lined fjords of Tracy Arm.

    Our captain steered the ship through hundreds of icebergs near the face of Twin Sawyer Glacier, where we paused to appreciate the grandeur of God's creation. To our right and left, mammoth rock faces encrusted with snow soared from the icy waters. In front of us, the aqua blue glacier dwarfed our ship. While a mother and baby seal perched on one of the larger icebergs nearby, mountain goats ascended trails along the steep ridges. The cold ocean wind chilled me to the core, but I couldn't tear myself away. I stood on deck entranced for nearly four hours.

    Dr. Stanley read from the book of Genesis, and John Starnes sang "How Great Thou Art," putting the whole experience in proper perspective. "We get focused in on our little problemsthe one percent unexplainable, instead of the undeniable, like Tracy Arm," my friend Melloe said. "Our faith is squelched because our focus is in the wrong place."

    Later that day, we docked in Juneau, a wonderful old mining town resplendent with natural beauty. There we observed the immense Juneau Icefield from a helicopter and actually forged across Mendenhall Glacier on foot with Dave and Marcy Van Syoc, another Christian couple from our cruise. Rappelling glacier walls and trekking over crevasses with a professional mountaineering guide was for me the pinnacle of our trip. Inside the glacier are pristine waterfalls, caves, and lakes that you never could see from a distance. Nature has always reminded me of God's infinite powerseeing it so close was genuinely faith-inspiring. "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?" (Psalm 121:1)

Day 5:

    Wednesday we pulled into Sitka. Formerly a Russian outpost, it is now home to an important collection of Russian Orthodox art and church treasures housed in the famous Saint Michael's Cathedral. We spent the afternoon kayaking around the islands and watching huge salmon literally leap out of the water.

    That night we listened to Andy Stanley speak on defining moments in our lives. "You have a choice to make," he said. "Stand in the light or retreat into the darkness. If you abide in Christ, you will see things you never saw before." Afterward, we discussed the lesson with our new trekking friendswe were all seeing things we had never previously seen.

Day 6:

    Thursday we began heading south. I spent most of the day on deck, where I met Jim Mercier, a professional fisherman, who pointed out various fish, whales, and porpoises. "I loved Dr. Stanley's sermon that said I might not be the one delivering the Word, but I can establish the environment," he said. "My wife and I just built a log cabin on 20 acres of land. We hope to use it to work with inner city kids, teaching them to find God in their natural environment." 

Day 7:

    Our last stop on the trip was the Capital City of Victoria, British Columbia. This picturesque city situated on the southern end of Vancouver Island has an intimate charm with a distinctly English flavor. Many passengers visited the Empress Hotel on Wharf Street or the Butchart Gardens, but Tim had arranged for us a canoe trip down the San Juan River. The afternoon was sunny and calm, and we were the only ones thereexcept for a black bear, several bald eagles, and a family of otters.

    We rose at sunrise the following morning and stood atop the ship, thanking the Lord for our magnificent journey as we sailed back into Puget Sound.

    As I reflect on my time in Alaska, two things stand out. First, I came away with new friends. You cannot put a price tag on sharing an extraordinary adventure with fellow believers. The camaraderie is truly divine. I met broken-hearted people taking the opportunity to reorient themselves, people seeking God's direction for their lives, and people celebrating anniversaries, marriages, or birthdays. One afternoon I had lunch with five widows all met for the first time on the cruise.

    Second, with no cell phone, laptop, or PDA, I truly was able to get away and focus on things eternal. Sometimes you have to travel far away from home to gain that perspective. I did. In an unexpected way, God made the 116th Psalm real in my life: "Return to your rest, O my soul. For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (v.7) If you are ever blessed with a chance to retreat from your busy life for a season, may I recommend Alaska?

Tonya Stoneman