I never knew I could learn so much in one week.
Over 7 days I saw radical transformations.
I met a group of people who have a deep faith and a great love for all of God’s people. This week was the beginning of an incredible journey, with a bunch of crazy people, who are completely in love with their heavenly Father!
Let me introduce you to my family, the Z-SQUAD!
Training Camp was full of new experiences! I did not know a single person that was going to be on my Squad, I had only seen them on Facebook. I thought I would be pretty nervous about the whole thing. I would be eating new food, meeting new people, living in a tent but God gave me peace and strength.
Over the 7 days of training camp and now, these days before launch God has been teaching me a lesson on strength. Though out all of the situations where I may have felt unsure or struggled, God gave me strength to persevere and grow in a way that I never knew was possible.
God gave me strength to overcome the tiredness and hunger. He replaced the tiredness with laughter and good conversation and hunger with a hunger for him.
God gave me strength to love and pray for people I had just met, with a new found Confidence and Grace.
God gave me the strength to stay positive in all situations. When half of our packs where “lost at the airport” and we had to work together to make it through,God showed me a new sense of humor and comradery with people I had met less than 24hrs prior.
God gave me the strength to be vulnerable.
This was a big one.
I saw God’s love in other people in a way that I have never seen before. He showed me the love of a family full of compassion, grace, prayer and encouragement.
God gave me immeasurable, indescribable love and encouragement.
And I’m pretty sure God gave me the greatest team ever! These are the girls I will be traveling with over the next 11 months! I love them all so much already!
One of my favorite Psalms and one that I revisit often is Psalm 121:1-3
“ I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Over the next days, months, years of your life I encourage you to let God be your strength. When you are in need of encouragement and grace, just ask.
God is the greatest of providers.
The most substantial of givers.
And the most caring of lovers.
Put your trust in Him and you will always be satisfied.
