Let’s set the scene: It’s mid-November, 2021, and I have been working hard with a coworker for the past month setting up our second year of Christmas Lights Drive-Thru. We have put in hours of planning, ordering gear, running extension cords, and re-running cords when problems arise. We’ve performed countless plug checks to make sure it was all working – think Clark Griswold! The countless hours and frozen fingers were all made worth it by the memory of the hundreds of people coming through the previous year and how much joy we saw on their faces!
I came in one day, though, and as I looked over the set up, I noticed some key pieces of equipment were missing: two power junction boxes and two very large extension cords. This was the main power supply for half the light show. So, after a quick call to my co-worker to make sure he didn’t move them for some strange reason, we went to the property cameras. After some time searching though footage, our stomachs dropped: On the screens we clearly saw someone grab the boxes and cords and run off into the woods. The realization that we were robbed washed over us as we called the police to report it.
After three days of working with the police and a lot of video review, we had an answer. The police had successfully tracked down the guy, but he had already sold the power boxes and stripped and sold the wire. This was not the answer we wanted. To be honest, in that moment, I felt a little let down, like the end result wasn’t satisfying to me. There was this underlying thought of, “Okay God, it’s done, but I don’t feel like you did anything here.”
Fast forward to this year - 2025. Again, we were in the middle of our lights set-up. One Sunday morning, as our team was coming in to get ready for services, they found a crinkled-up, handwritten note shoved in the door. It read, “Sorry for stealing the spider boxes and sorry for many sins, I ask God for forgiveness and thanks for being so kind.”
Four years ago, God started a journey of restoration, first and probably most obvious in the life of this young man, but also in my life and that of my coworker. Restoration is not always a fast process; it takes time, and it takes patience. When the boxes were taken, I’ll tell you, restoration was the last thing on my mind for this person. Now, though, I want nothing but to shake his hand and simply say, welcome to the family!
Where have you been waiting for God to work restoration for a while now? Where have you given up hope of him moving, or maybe not even considered inviting him into? Bring whatever it is to God in prayer today. Ask him to move and work, even if it’s for the long game.
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Let’s set the scene: It’s mid-November, 2021, and I have been working hard with a coworker for the past month setting up our second year of Christmas Lights Drive-Thru. We have put in hours of planning, ordering gear, running extension cords, and re-running cords when problems arise. We’ve performed countless plug checks to make sure it was all working – think Clark Griswold! The countless hours and frozen fingers were all made worth it by the memory of the hundreds of people coming through the previous year and how much joy we saw on their faces!
I came in one day, though, and as I looked over the set up, I noticed some key pieces of equipment were missing: two power junction boxes and two very large extension cords. This was the main power supply for half the light show. So, after a quick call to my co-worker to make sure he didn’t move them for some strange reason, we went to the property cameras. After some time searching though footage, our stomachs dropped: On the screens we clearly saw someone grab the boxes and cords and run off into the woods. The realization that we were robbed washed over us as we called the police to report it.
After three days of working with the police and a lot of video review, we had an answer. The police had successfully tracked down the guy, but he had already sold the power boxes and stripped and sold the wire. This was not the answer we wanted. To be honest, in that moment, I felt a little let down, like the end result wasn’t satisfying to me. There was this underlying thought of, “Okay God, it’s done, but I don’t feel like you did anything here.”
Fast forward to this year - 2025. Again, we were in the middle of our lights set-up. One Sunday morning, as our team was coming in to get ready for services, they found a crinkled-up, handwritten note shoved in the door. It read, “Sorry for stealing the spider boxes and sorry for many sins, I ask God for forgiveness and thanks for being so kind.”
Four years ago, God started a journey of restoration, first and probably most obvious in the life of this young man, but also in my life and that of my coworker. Restoration is not always a fast process; it takes time, and it takes patience. When the boxes were taken, I’ll tell you, restoration was the last thing on my mind for this person. Now, though, I want nothing but to shake his hand and simply say, welcome to the family!
Where have you been waiting for God to work restoration for a while now? Where have you given up hope of him moving, or maybe not even considered inviting him into? Bring whatever it is to God in prayer today. Ask him to move and work, even if it’s for the long game.
Written by
ACF Devo Team
Eagle River Campus
16620 Brooks Loop
Eagle River, AK 99577
NE Anchorage Campus
Regal Tikahtnu
1102 N Muldoon Rd B
Anchorage, AK 99504
