This past week has been a bit of a roller coaster for me. Going to Hume SoCal two weeks ago, and then last week being a bit slower without a speaker, made coming into this week a bit of a struggle having to readjust back to normal life here at the building.
But if there’s one thing that God has been showing me is just how special this opportunity is living in this community, through the highs and the lows.
A group of seven of us were able to go down to Fresno over the weekend, spending some time together off the hill and out of the building. We did homework, went thrifting, and got to visit our churches (for those of us from Fresno). We also were able to drop in on two of our catalyst couples! All in all, it was a bit of a whirlwind, but a refreshing time away building relationships and creating new memories.
This week we had Brad Bell as our speaker, and he spoke on the book of Song of Solomon and how it relates to dating and relationships today. It was really impactful, and I found it encouraging and a good reminder that God has provided this time for us to focus on our growth as individuals, becoming the people God wants us to be, preparing for what will come after.
It’s been special to see how God continues to speak to us through all the different opportunities we have here (speakers, classes, readings, church, conversation, etc.), how they often align together, and they are timed just as we as a community need it.
Another blessing has just been our pause family nights. This week it fell on Halloween so we were able to go around with our pause families, joining the whole Hume Lake community in this event. It has been a blessing to be welcomed so warmly into the full-time community here.
While there was a lot of good this week, I know that some of us have been experiencing some lows mentally, physically, or spiritually. I am just so thankful that during this time, struggling with these things, we get to live in a loving, serving, and prayerful community.
God is faithful and I am so thankful that He has led me here to be a part of this community where I can learn to love well and to steward what God has given me at this time. I may not know what is next, but I know that He will continue to be faithful and direct me.
-Hope Smith (Current Student)
I spent my weekend down the hill visiting my mother in Fresno with a group of my Joshua siblings but on Monday I woke up sick. This meant I spent a lot of time in bed on Monday so I could recover. Once Tuesday came I hit the ground running. This week our speaker was Brad Bell and he spent his time with us going through the Song of Solomon. It was an eye-opening experience. Brad challenged many of our views on dating and what a relationship should look like. Each session and conversation was like a slap in the face from God. I am extremely grateful for what God taught me this week and I can’t wait to see what else he’s going to show me. Then Thursday was Halloween and I dressed up as Mario. I had a mustache when I arrived and up until this weekend when we played “What are the odds?” If you’re not familiar with the game one person makes a proposition such as “What are the odds you shave your mustache out of 10?” then a person counts down and if the two people say the same number then the person being dared to do something must do it. So, this Thursday I was a mustacheless Mario. Needless to say Halloween up here was still a blast. I’m so grateful for the family I’ve made up here as well as the memories.
-AJ (Current Student)
Hey Guys,
It’s Jeremy, and I am here to recap what has happened in the past week. Right now we are going through what a romantic relationship in God’s image may look like through the Song of Solomon. The speaker covering this is Brad Bell, and he executed it well. I learned a lot about not only how to have a healthy relationship, but also how I need to grow to build a foundation for a marriage. As this program progresses, I am not only learning a lot through our classes, but through just everyday living. This environment in the building encourages growth. The lack of distractions helps me be more connected with myself and with God. It is easy to get caught up in modern life, I learned this the hard way but remember John 6:27 “Do not work in the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.” Just a reminder for you all and also for me. Signing off for now,
-Jeremy Scott (Current Student)