Update on the weather: it has barely stopped snowing since Wednesday morning and it’s amazing. Wednesday morning, we found a small ceramic chef that came out of nowhere just sitting in the split hall and scaring lots of people. A good handful of students were already out and about because of 6 AMs and breakfast KP so at least the girls got a nice scare early in the morning. The day went on as a normal, busy Wednesday, with two classes in a row and the book discussion.
The book discussion was very different props to Kelsey, who decided to split us up into groups for each chapter. The book and chapters were the Celebration of Discipline and each chapter was a different Discipline. We started with the discipline of mediation, then prayer, then fasting and studying. Our groups had to make a performance of our chapters and ‘preform’ the skit to the class. It was very fun and lots of jokes. It was a really good time even though we went longer than we should have.
Wednesday evening was extremely heavy. The evening started out with a non-typical way to worship. Every single person went up to every single person and uttered these words, “if I have done anything to hurt or offend you in any way, please forgive me.” This brought the entire community so much closer. It felt as if the brokenness that we had was repaired and love was being poured out from everyone. After this emotional moment, we had a special guest speaker named Maria. She showed us what it truly meant to be transparent and vulnerable. She shared her testimony, which was probably one of the most powerful things I’ve ever heard, she shook the entire room, I don’t think there was a single dry eye that night. She challenged us to be just as vulnerable with each other and to get rid of any “rocks” we have in our “backpacks”. These “rocks” are burdens or struggles we face that we carry around and they grow into giant stones. We got together in small groups and had to bring our darkness to the light. We had to be transparent and take those “rocks” out so that we can be free from the weight we carried around daily.
We are all ecstatic to leave for the Dominican Republic this Saturday. As we are only a few days away we have a couple prayer request for our readers, that our hearts are ready and prepared, that our travels are safe and that the DR is prepared for us as well. Until next time… in a while hopefully, Jessica, Kapri, Drew and Malachi.
Snow 1.12.17 from Joshua Wilderness Institute on Vimeo.
Footage courtesy of Heath Loper