Dear 2020,
I believe the year 2020 will always bring vidid memories to all who lived it – an age they’ll be able to remember. A year where plans were turned upside down. Emotions often very high. New norms were set. Times began to change.
Will you be able to look back on 2020 and be grateful for it? Or will you look back and just focus on the negativity of everything listed above? What will you share with future generations about reacting to unexpected change?
I am going to chose to take a heart of gratitude and thankfulness that each month uniquely brought me. I invite you to do the same as we close the book on 2020 and go into 2021.
In January, I started 2020 out with fireworks booming in Guatemala with X Squad. I loved the ministry I was working with and my team was growing closer and closer every week. Along with that, we had our midpoint debrief at the Lake in Guatemala. It was a refreshing and relaxing way to begin the new year.
February came along, and I was so pumped for PVT (parent vision trip) to come a long at the end of the month. It was something I looked forward to my whole Race and was excited to invite my parents into the life I’d been living the past five months. My dad wrote a blog about his time there.
After that, March quickly approached, and we began the month traveling to Ecuador for supposedly the last three months of my Race. I had a great birthday with my team on the 7th – enjoying snacks, movies, and calls back home. I was so grateful that’s what we did, because a few days after that, we were informed we were being sent home due to Covid. I was home 72 hours later (there’s a blog about that one!). With sweet, unplanned-for-time, I enjoyed the early arrival home after hard goodbyes to Squad X.
In April, I got my wisdom teeth out and had an IV for the first time- a big fear I conquered! I was thankful they could take them out then instead of having to wait till Covid was over (which has proven to be quite a while). I also said Yes to alumni Team Leading for Squad C after a lot of wrestling with the Lord (here’s the blog).
May went by in a whirlwind. I said goodbye to a teammate who lived with me for a while, enjoying Mother’s Day with my mom and siblings and fundraising for TLing in the fall. I was blown away by God’s faithfulness in providing people to fully fund me within a week and a half of announcing my fundraiser.
June brought one of my favorite summer nanny jobs yet. I got to hang out with three amazing kids where we were constantly going to parks, playing outside, working on reading and math, and laughing most of our time together. Since my original PSL was canceled, I got to have even more unexpected time with my family which I treasure whenever I can get it.
Once July came, I was in a routine of going to work everyday and then meeting Taitlyn at the gym to either teach a class or workout together. This routine was one of my favorites I’ve had, because I got to be with my sister and stay healthy all in one. I also think back and enjoy the memory of Ankeny’s annual firework show in the High School parking lot with family and frozen yogurt.
August came faster than we all expected. I began preparing to pack my bags yet again. We had found out Squad C, along with the other Gap Year squads, would be living on campus instead of overseas for the fall semester. It seemed dreadful at first, but as the year went on, I realized it was yet another one of God’s blessings in disguise. At end of the month, I packed my bags in the car and took off with Tanner for a short time in Nashville with a few other friends before landing at AIM campus for leader training.
Before I knew it, September was here and so were the Racers!! They were some of the most hungry for God racers I had every seen, making the best of an unexpected situation. The whole month was filled with being stuck on campus, living out of tents, being rained on, but most importantly, being poured into with all of the amazing sessions we were having by various teachers.
At the start of October, Squad C headed out to Louisiana for disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse. An experience I treasure for many reasons: learning new skills, seeing the Squad go out for the first time, relationships with new friends, and many more.
In November, a lot happened to say the least. I went through the process of finding out what was next and committing to team leading for Gap 23 (there’s a blog for that too!). With Gap C, we introduced raised up leaders and team changes bringing deeper growth in the squad. All of this led into spending Thanksgiving in Knoxville, TN with the best family and the best people. And due to a Covid outbreak, I was blessed to spend almost three weeks there.
To end it off with December, I finished off the time with Gap C virtually in TN and had a blast back in Gainesville for leader debrief. I then drove home and got two and a half precious weeks with my family and friends. All of this resulting in a restful and gratitude filled way to end 2020.
I am so thankful for everyone I got to interact with in 2020 and all the fruit that was grown through this year. Thank you so much and I pray 2021 brings deeper growth with God in exactly the way you need.
All my love,
Paige Canova
P.S. I wrote a blog about what the Lord spoke about 2020 for me if you want to check that one out too!
