Every August my family spends a week at Ao-Wa-Kiya, a
Christian Camp in Shelby, MI. I have
written about it before. It’s a great
place, and I will always be grateful that we found this little piece of heaven
on earth. I am so glad they offer family camp every year.
In August of 2011, I was (yet again) seeking ways to broaden
my horizons for employment and began talking to one of the moms about The
Potter’s House Christian School. Little
did I know how life-changing this conversation would turn out to be!
I can still remember that first day at school. I went in to orientation wondering what to
expect. My biggest question was “What
does being a Christian school mean to them?”
Was it an add-on or was it front and center? Looking back over the past 3.5 years I can truly
say that Christ is at the foundation of all they do.
It’s funny when I think about it now, but I still remember
my tour that first day. I will never
forget meeting a cheerful Math/Science teacher named Emily and telling her “I
am here to help in any way I can, except in Math and Science.” I started working with her a few weeks later,
and to this day helping her with 5th grade math is a highlight of my
week.
I appreciate the fact that she loves the kids and the
subject she teaches. She actually makes
math tolerable (which is saying a lot because as a student I avoided math
whenever possible) and our running joke is that one day I may be smarter than a
5th grader!
Another joy of my time at Potter’s House is being a discipleship
leader. Encouraging spiritual growth in
young men is a passion of mine. It is
not without its challenges and last year was very rough, but it grew and
stretched me in ways that God had planned.
Because I had to reach out for help, I was able to deepen my
relationships with fellow volunteers and some of the marvelous staff I get to
work with!
I am so thankful for the gift of friendship and firmly
believe that many of these relationships will last far beyond our mutual time
at The Potter’s House. Truly “Every good
gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
I am so glad God saw fit to place me at The Potters House
and I hope to continue to work with them to impact kids for years to come!
Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen
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