By Jean Boonstra
Judah, his sister and their mother just moved to Discovery Mountain, but now Judah has started to feel anxious and wonder if it was all a terrible idea . . .
Judah looked out the car window as his mom drove him toward Discovery Mountain after running an errand. The trees they passed looked like a blur. He let out a sigh and said, “Mom, I shouldn’t have talked you into leaving all your family and friends behind to move here just because I love it.”
Judah’s mom furrowed her brow and gave her son a concerned look. “Now, Judah . . .”
“I’m sorry, Mom,” said Judah, “I don’t know what I was thinking. Let’s go back home.”
His mom sat up straight, gripped the steering wheel and said, “Now Judah just a minute! I made the final decision to move here. Me, the mom, the adult, remember?”
“Yes,” Judah sighed, “but I begged you. Now I’m begging you to change your mind.”
“Judah, I want to move here!” his mom exclaimed. “It’ll be good for all of us.”
“But you’ll miss all your family, like Auntie,” Judah started to protest.
His mom turned her head toward him, and said with affection, “Oh Judah, you and your sister are my family.”
“But Mom, what if we don’t like it here? It’s not like I remembered,” Judah said, softly.
“Well, no it isn’t summer camp. This is real life now. We’re not going to turn back. You love it here and wherever you go, I’ll go. Wherever you want to live, I will live,” said his mom, as she started to tear up. “Discovery Mountain will become our town, and most importantly, I want to learn more about the God who changed your life at summer camp. I want Him to be my God too.”
Judah felt like he was choking back his emotion and said, “Aww, Mom, you sound so sure!”
“I’m very sure!” his mom said.
Judah smiled. “Mom, you’re just like Ruth. Thanks for being so loyal to me.”
“Ruth?” asked his mom.
Judah replied, “Yeah, it’s a story in the Bible.”
“Oh, well, I don’t know too many of those!” said his mom. “Since we still have this long drive ahead of us, would you mind telling me more about this story? Ruth, is it?”
“Yeah, it’s a good one,” Judah said, with excitement in his voice. “It all started with a famine in Bethlehem in Judah. And because there was no food, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons went to live in Moab . . .”
This is just the beginning of the Harris family’s adventure in Discovery Mountain! Hear more of the story in Season 7, "You Belong."