| After seeing how God has faithfully been at work through the Joy House for the good of countless families and teens, I felt inspired to become more involved in this life-changing ministry. For the past ten months I’ve had the privilege of getting to know and interact with the girls by providing a variety recreational activities. During these last several months the girls have been introduced to new experiences, learned some new skills, been able to spend time together in different environments, and simply have fun.
To highlight some of this fun, staying active has included traveling to the local recreation center. Several of the girls have developed a love for volleyball and we also wisely recruited the help of Mr. Steve who happily introduced us to the ever-growing sport of pickleball. The girls have had a great time with these sports and quickly picked up on the game rules. A few of our other activities have included badmiton, kickball, cornhole, basketball, and aerobic type workouts.
A recent popular event was our field trip to Amicalola State Park for a picnic and hiking, followed by a stop at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm. The girls enjoyed exploring the farm, seeing the variety of pumpkins, and of course browsing the gift shop. Recently we went for a walk on campus as they love being outdoors, and their outing to the local public pool was a big hit on a very hot summer day!
The girls have also been able to do some baking and creative projects. They loved crafting bracelets with a scriptural emphasis for themselves as well as for Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. Christmas karaoke was also hugely popular and entertaining! On some of the cold and rainy days, we’ve been able to challenge each other in shooting pool, playing foosball, board games, and spend some time doing devotions.
My hope is that these new endeavors are building confidence and cultivating interests that will become useful stepping stones for the girl’s future good. There’s no doubt that we have all experienced difficulties in our lives, so it has mainly been my desire to be an encourager and a positive mentor during our time together.
If you have a desire to serve and an area of interest or skill, please consider how it can be used to become a volunteer at the Joy House. Even a small contribution of your time and ability will have an impact and be used for eternal purpose and value.
Lastly, the Joy House is gathering quotes and information on constructing a multi-use court on campus to provide more activities for the entire residential program. If you have any resources or expertise that may be beneficial to this, please consider how you can become an active participant in this growth and reaching out to the office with your contact information. | 
