Hi all,
This blog is going to be a little different because I won’t be describing my time at Joshua in the building. Instead, I’ll be sharing about my break spent at home! So here it goes…
Overall break was a pretty positive experience. I got to spend time with friends and family and I celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ in many ways. I stayed with my grandparents at the beginning of break. That was such a lovely time. I love my grandparents so much and they clearly show me that they love me more than I know. I got to enjoy their home cooking and spend quality time with them. One of the things I had planned for break was a personal interview with my grandparents. I asked them just a few questions about their life and videoed it. I wanted to do this so that my family has something to look back on when my grandparents are no longer well or no longer around. I don’t know if you have already done something like this, but I would highly recommend you do it!
After staying with my grandparents, I spent the majority of the last part of the break dog-sitting for my dad and then later dog-sitting for my sister on top of that! I had mixed feelings about that part. For one, it was awesome getting to have a few friends over some of the time and to see what it would be like living on my own, but to be honest I really struggled with loneliness. I was alone for a lot of this holiday season without any music to listen to or tv to watch, and driving back and forth between houses was generally a silent 15 minute trip. After grieving my loneliness though, I did end up reaching out to God as my source of comfort. I prayed and worked on memorizing Philppians during the car rides and I dived deeper into my quiet time with God when I was at either house. I realized a lesson that I was learning was on how to be independent of people, but wholly dependent on God.
Now, I know that my break was not very conventional. I was dog-sitting by myself for my family members who went out of town. I also know that everyone’s break was unique too. Some had issues with their families and others had amazing connecting moments with their families. Some had victories and others experienced defeat. But now we are all back in the building, back with our brothers and sisters in Christ, ready to take on the next five months of the program. We are looking forward to the exciting trips we get to take, the things we will learn, and the ways God will use us, by His great mercy.
We would appreciate your prayers for faithfulness, endurance, honesty, purity, and integrity. Pray that we will love each other well and grow daily in our relationships with God. Pray for both the Joshua staff and the students. Pray for the campers who will come up week after week, that they would encounter Jesus and leave changed.
We love you all!
-Cambria Gerrits
