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welling

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[T]he water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:14)

As we move into this last quest of the year, there is a buoyancy in the heroes.  Rather than limping toward the end of the school year, they seem to have an effervescence.  Perhaps it’s our weeklong Memorial Day break that’s refreshed them.  Perhaps our Outdoor Survival Quest has captured their imagination.

Perhaps our Balanced Year Schedule offers a sustainable pace.  Maybe they’ve come to own their education and they are set on finishing well.

Kevin Cusack, NOLS graduate and adventure trip leader, gave a hero talk on Wilderness survival and working with rope (pictured above).  His stories stuck with us all as he talked about the wisdom of identifying our assumptions and learning to adapt when things go wrong in the wilderness or in everyday life.  He deftly reinforced Journey’s belief that guides are there to offer you wisdom, to face up to challenges and to describe the map in front of you.

Even with our focus on finishing well, we find the fun welling up in our studios.  Thanks to Jonathan’s diligence, conscientious effort and service, he earned himself a costume ticket, good for one day in costume.  He brought me joy this morning as he bounded out of his dad’s truck outfitted in a self-inflating tomato-red jumpsuit and gave me the morning’s foot tap sporting his grin of mischief.

Just before break last week, our Entrepreneurship Quest culminated in an opportunity for heroes to show what they know at the Grand Rapids Children’s Business Fair.  Joining with young entrepreneurs from across the state of Michigan, offerings included garden fertilizer, snow cones and exotic ice cream.  One of my favorite stories of the fair came with Noah, in the blue shirt below.  Noah explored two different business proposals before settling on his third iteration.  When his dad asked him what he was passionate about, Noah did not hesitate. “I love coding.” With that identification, Noah went on to design and create his own Spaceship Laser game.  Charging fair-goers per play, Noah found his niche.  Fathers like Nate, in the green shirt below, vied for High Score. Nate enjoyed the experience so much that he introduced his young son Brooks to Spaceship Laser.  But the best part of Noah’s experience was when he got meet another Journey father, Cameron, who told Noah that he codes for a living.   And so the idea for a hero’s journey wells up.  May many be blessed.

The Grand Rapids Children’s Business Fair and our Journey Academy heroes had this opportunity to begin journeys because of sponsors.  We’ve been blessed by them and we pray for God’s blessing to well up and pour out on them as well.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to each and every sponsor.

May we all experience that spring of water on this day.

//Dr. T//

 

sow

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Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

(2 Corinthians 9:6)

 

Since first coming to lead Journey Academy some 15 months ago, one of the key distinctions I found was the passion that heroes, parents and staff all had for this endeavor.  We truly are on a journey of heroes together; and we are running with vim and vigor.  We have so many courageous entrepreneurs, artists and adventurers, young and old.  During Kingdom Time this week, we studied Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthian church.  Often connected with generosity, the text also reminds me of the passion I’ve found at Journey. This community sows passionately into each undertaking that presents itself.

Maker Play has been a place where our Early Learners have sown deeply.  With our collection of loose parts, our Maker Play space has morphed from construction projects, to imaginative play, to athletic testing, to animal study.  Ms. Sarah, our Early Learning Guide steps back and observes, gathering data for which to facilitate the reflective conversation at the end of the day.  The play becomes their text to study, assess and grow from into the future.  A new passion emerged Wednesday afternoon as the heroes built a stage and began their inaugural episode of Journey’s Got Talent.  Our newest hero Lucas performed his self-styled song about the T Rex (pictured above).  

 

Families sow deeply into Journey.  Winters found families setting up a Ski Club to zip down the Cannonsburg hills.  Building on this success, this spring parents passionate about biking decided to gather for an after-school bike ride into downtown Ada, ending with ice cream at the Ada General Store.  Heroes look forward to the ride, even to the point of Serene bringing her bike helmet to school so she wouldn’t be missing any necessary gear.  

 

Journey’s values of being learner-driven, curiosity-based, courage-filled and Christ-centered have gathered families who are passionate about innovation as well as entrepreneurial projects.  This session’s business fair finds heroes who are sowing into businesses that look to meet needs.  Simon’s draft of the elevator pitch for his business demonstrates his passion for helping others deal with stress. Heroes are learning to sow their seeds deeply and the blessings will soon be evident for all around.  

May we all plant deeply.

//Dr. T//

 

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