Hello family, friends and supporters!
I am back from training camp and am slowly processing everything that happened in my 10 short days in Georgia. I wish there was a way for me to accurately describe what these 10 days meant to me, but I don’t think I’ll ever have the right words. Going in with no expectations, I no idea what was in store for me (and my 53 new brothers and sisters). My life is forever changed in ways I could never have imagined. Here are a few stories:
On October 19th, I met the group of people I will be doing life with come January. We connected instantly (faster than I had with any other group of people). By the second day, we were family. They opened their hearts to me and waited patiently as I opened my heart to them. They didn’t judge me when I struggled with being vulnerable. We prayed over one another. We worshiped harder than I have in my entire life. There were a few tears shed, but there was more laughter and more friendly giggles. There were stories from our pasts. There were stories that maybe had never been shared with anyone in the entire world. There was a bond created that will never be broken. These people are some of the most loving, caring, hilarious, dancing Godly fools I have ever met in my life. I cannot wait to see them again in January!
(Side Note: It’s only been a few days, but I miss my squad something fierce right now. We talk all day every day, but it’s just not the same! I miss sleeping in our own little tent city and waking up to the sound of Megan blowing a whistle and doing CoopYoga and sitting around a campfire and just being around these awesome people in general. I can’t wait to start our journey together in January!)
For the first few nights, we would all come together and worship. One set of lyrics has been on my heart since the first time we sang them. They are as follows:
“I’m no longer a slave to fear; I am a child of God”
These words rang so true to me because for so long I have let my fears control me. Fear of judgment. Fear of rejection. Fear of letting people in and getting hurt. I’ve (finally) come to the conclusion that these fears no longer have control over me. I will no longer be a slave to these things that once ruled my life. They have no place here; I am finally free of the fears that once controlled me.
Over the course of our time in Georgia, we were stretched in all types of ways. We were put in situations we hadn’t been in before (lookin’ at you bucket showers). We dove deeper into our personal struggles and stories. We became each other’s safe havens. I didn’t know how bad I needed something like this until I finally had it. I’ve never felt so alive and free.
If I had only two words to sum up training camp, they would be: EVERYTHING CHANGED. I feel different, and I know the rest of Q squad would say the same. There’s something about spending every waking moment (and some sleeping moments; shout out to field scenarios) with the same people for 10 days that will change you. Maybe it was jumping out of our comfort zones together. Maybe it was singing and dancing and worshiping like fools. Maybe it was eating all meals community style. Maybe it was bucket showers and port-a-potties. Maybe it was the simple fact that 54 strangers became a family in less than 10 days. Whatever it was, it was a good change. I’m even more excited now than I was before camp (though I didn’t think it was possible).
Pic Cred: Faith Fowler (This is one of my favorite photos from camp. Thank you Faith for capturing it; you are a master with a camera!)
For now, it’s back to work, back to fundraising and back to preparing to launch in January. The next two months are going to fly by, and I can’t wait to be reunited with my squad in January! If you want to chat more about training camp, let me know! I would love to answer any questions you might have!
Quick tip for future racers (because if you’re like me, you’re reading every training camp blog you can find):
WEAR A WATCH
(you can thank me later)
Love,
JO
PS: Gainesville, Georgia you will always have a piece of my heart. Always.
