The following is an essay from my new book Bonfire: A Guide to Encountering God in the Exodus (co-authored with my husband Justin Gerhardt, released in tandem with Season 4 of Holy Ghost Stories). More about the book after the essay… I was five when I first fell in love with a chore. It wasn’t the chore itself I loved (picking up fallen palm fronds scattered across the acres and acres of Weeki Wachee Christian Camp where my parents worked as caretakers). It was spending time with my dad (and the promise of a treat) that made me rush to the truck. The tedious work of collecting nature’s castoffs could take a whole day. The palm fronds scraped my hands. The sun turned me into Snow White’s dwarves—sleepy and grumpy. But then my dad would smile and say “Good job” and the whole world seemed brighter. After we’d loaded the palm fronds into the truck, we’d drive down to a field near the river and toss them into a towering pile. That night we’d come back with Mom and my brother and marshmallows, and we'd light it all on fire. Nothing made me happier than sticky hands and stories around a bonfire.
Looking forward to starting my study, just ordered the book!!!
Thanks for this
You two are amazing! Praying for you as you write and work!