The beginning of something more starts now. Training camp was 10 days of experiencing what community with people for 11 months will look like. It was in”tents”, dirty, sweaty, joyful, and filled with God’s presence. Some of those may sounds negative but they are the exact opposite.
I will be living my life in a tent of the next year so this was good preparation for what is to come. It will also be full of many twist and turns so the unexpected will happen. I will be tested and have to have an unfailing faith that there is a plan for everything that is happening.
There were times at training camp where I got so dirty and it was noticeable. Just as in my past there have been things that were “dirty” that I would try to hide but they would show through my wall between what was reality. During training camp I realized that Jesus has not only given me freedom from hell but a way to become my true self in him. This was one of the things that I re-realized at training camp.
Georgia is hot, even just standing still in the shade we would sweat. We, all the men, went on a 18-20 mile backpacking trip. This trip was hard but I learned a lot. I was shown that even when the task at hand is crazy and hard we can seek the presence of The Lord and he will exalt us. We also went further than any man’s hike in one day ever. My squad also was one of the fastest and more mentally tough ones there. This also showed me that through the hard and sweaty times we can experience growth even if it seems like the end is far away.
The people I met were amazing. I am an extrovert and I get my energy from being with people. From trying to match Facebook pictures to faces at the airport, to nailing down where people were from and there age/stage of life it was crazy. I also got to know people’s hearts. I care way more about this than any person’s favorite food or color. This helps bring me even more joy.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” Matthew 18:20. We had this and so much more. There were four other squads with 30-50 people from all across the USA. My own team has someone from Australia, and Swaziland. With these people I was able to grow. The person of The Holy Spirit is something many people don’t understand. I am not saying I totally do but I have been able to see more of him this week. I realized I don’t have to continually seek for God, he is already here inside me. I don’t have to worry about falling away and being far away. His love spreads from the east to the west. He is in my soul, mind, heart, and body. I follow him in his way everlasting. Not just to heaven but to live a life worthy of The Gospel.
I hope reading my blogs has been an encouragement for you Writing them has been and will be for me. God is using me to love and speak to people in many nations. I hope that one day you can do the same. Until that day comes you can support me. Pray for my time across the world, pray that I will continue to grow in God’s presence, and pray if you can support me financially.
I need 4,000 more to leave in September. I am 21 years old and am one of the youngest on the race. Most of y’all reading this are in college. Wouldn’t it be awesome if a millennial could enact world change through the light of Jesus? Millennials, my generation is absolved into doing things for them self. I want to empower you to help change what our generation is doing and make change real. If you are more seasoned in life then you can see that the world need helps and something has to change. Love is the answer; I have seen through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that it can change lives forever. Be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
PS, Below is a picture of the whole squad that I will be with in each country, but at times we will be in different cities. The second picture is of the team I am on and I will be with them every single day.
Grace and peace to you.
