“Welcome Home”

When I arrived in Georgia late Monday night (more like Tuesday morning due to several delays in the flight), my friend Sara picked up me up from the airport. The first words out of her mouth were “Welcome Home.”

I had no idea just how true those words would be. 

In a way I can hardly begin to describe, Gainesville has already felt like home. I’ve only been here 2 days now, but my heart is deeply content. This first week was welcome week, and to celebrate the beginning of the CGA semester, our class went out to stay in a retreat center on Lake Lanier. This was a time filled with laughter, joking, and eating way too much ice cream—but also real connection, incredibly courageous vulnerability, and a dedication to show up and commit to one another these next 4 months, even when the cost is high.

Sitting with this group of 25 or so, I was filled with the strongest sense that this was to be my family. I still don’t know most of my class very well, but I already love them with a love that’s clearly more than just me. (Some photos of my class and home here are posted at the bottom of this blog).

Yesterday I saw the Lord’s hand in preparing a home for me before I even got here. I moved into my house for these next 4 months, where the 5 men in my CGA class are living together. That afternoon, we were out for lunch and decided to stop at a few places to pick up job applications (fundraising only covers program/tuition costs and housing, so we’ll all be working 25 hours a week in addition to the rest of the CGA program). At the last moment, we decided to just drop into the Culver’s by our house to see if they’re hiring.

Turns out, this Culver’s only opened its doors in Gainesville 3 weeks ago. For those of you who are thinking, “What is Culver’s?” it’s a fast casual restaurant from Wisconsin (think Chik-Fil-A of the north). We met the franchise owners and were able to share about what we’re doing at CGA and how we want to pour back into the community. They are both Christians, and immediately opened up to us about their journey of being called to move to Georgia from Wisconsin and open a franchise here. Amazingly, they’ve been praying for a group of hard-working Christians to be brought to their restaurant who want to pour into this community through hospitality and kindness, which is our exact goal in having a job here in Gainesville. Through out conversation, the Lord made it so clear that He was the one who’d brought us into this restaurant.

They were incredibly generous and hired the 5 of us on the spot. Through this the Lord showed me the most incredible truth—He was hard at work way before I moved here to prepare a home for me. He made it so that I would have a job literally from the first day I arrived. I’d been concerned about work because I don’t have a car this semester, and He also made a way so that wouldn’t be a problem—all 4 of my roommates are working with me. Our God is so good!

Thank you for your prayers—I am settling here, enjoying getting to know these men and women I’ll be growing with these next 4 months, and am preparing to dive deep into the semester on Monday. I am thrilled to be here, and love my new home.

~Joel

*Fundraising Update: My first deadline of $2,000 is TOMORROW, and I am only $225 away from reaching the goal! Thank you SO much to everyone who’s helped bring me this far! If you’re reading this, would you take a minute and pray about partnering with what God is doing here? I view my ministry and growth as a communal project, and I’d love if you’d be a part of my life and have a hand in bringing the Kingdom to Georgia! Click that Donate button at the top of the page to make a one-time or monthly donation now!

My CGA class! (I arrived a few days late due to a family reunion I was on, so I’m not in this one).

 The view from my back deck! I’m living in a lake house this fall, and I’m excited to spend lots of time out here. 🙂