We Covet Your Prayers as We Quickly Move Into the Back-to-School Season
We are rounding the final corner of summer and preparing for the wonderful rush of fall and the start of school. Before we jump into the fall madness, we would like to take the time to reflect on God’s goodness this summer.
We started our family’s summer with a trip to the Smoky Mountains. This was almost all of our first time at the Smokies, and it was a great trip! We hiked the national park, explored an underground lake and cave, visited the Skybridge, and played lots of family games. We ended our trip with a Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. The baseball game was another first for several of our kids, and they enjoyed a special ballpark offer of unlimited food and drinks, adding to the fun night.
We then hosted eight work groups, which is always a time of happy reunion. We were able to accomplish many tasks around the ranch as we continue to make additions to two of our homes to convert the homes to single bedrooms. The week following the work-group wrap-up, we headed to Colorado for NYR. Nationwide Youth Roundup is a five-day Christian camp for teens across the nation. This year’s theme was going “Beyond” for Christ, learning to let go of various things, and lean into God. One of our kids’ favorite takeaways was that we can be free from our past, but not free from what our past has done. We thought that lesson summed up what we’re all about at Shiloh. The size, the time, or the frequency of our hurts does not determine the depth and the effect of our pain. We all experience our own “Egypt” in life and must allow God to step in and deliver us into healing.
On top of our regular summer activities, Naomi played summer softball, while Zyarie and Zeke started practicing for fall cross country. Kierslynn worked at a local summer camp, doing cleaning, cooking, and lifeguarding. Clara also worked this summer for Tri-County as an assistant preschool teacher. She works mainly with toddlers and really enjoys it. Zyarie and Naomi both attended our local church camp this year, where the theme was “Unbreakable.” They learned that God uses fellow followers of Christ as a resource of strength and accountability for our growth. We hope that as our children grow, they grow spiritually into deeply rooted, well-watered adults.
We covet your prayers as we quickly move into the back-to-school season. Prayers for our kids’ safety, purity, and success as they strive towards their goals. Please also join us in prayer as our site grows with the addition of the Gregory family. We are confident that Adam and Marcie will do an amazing job.
Thank you for your support, encouragement, and dedication to our ministry. May the Lord bless and guide you.
In Him, Jeremy, Ashley & Cohn Crew