I have been at CGA now for almost a month now! The first week was a camping/ hiking trip in the wilderness to hear from the Lord. Then for the second week we all had teachings together about spiritual gifts and teachings from Paul Angone, author of 101 Secrets For Your Twenties. Then last week we started apprenticeship and labs/classes. I am working with the World Race/ Passport department. I will be assisting squad mentors and help to come up with trainings for future team leaders. I will also be part of the training teams at training camp starting this weekend!! I am excited to see what God is going to do in the next few months! It is going to be amazing to serve at training camp and remember what it was like when I was there. I have changed so much since then! I am so excited to be able to help future World Racers to grow in their relationship with Christ and get ready for the trip of a life time. But, going back to the first week of CGA and the camping trip. My team that I was with hiked around 11 miles by the time the trip was over. It was hard and at times I didn’t know if I was going to make it but I did it! The first day we hiked 4 and a half miles to our first campsite and then on the 2nd day we hiked about 6 miles to the next campsite. We did have pretty awesome campsites! Day 3 was what we called a Solo day. Each of us separated into different spots around the campsite to spend the day alone with the Lord. As an introvert I knew I would probably enjoy this day but I figured I might get a little bored at times. I spent part of the day resting and reading and the rest just listening to the Lord out in nature. As I sat with him I remember thinking, “Ok Lord I want to hear from you, I’m expecting you to speak to me today, what do you have to say to me?” As I listened I felt like he was saying to me, “You’re Mine.” Short and sweet but so much truth. Since it was the first week of CGA I was walking into a new season and meeting new people. When I first get around a new group of people my insecurities start to sneak in and I wonder what they think about me, will the accept me, I want them to like me. Especially in the circumstances that we were in, no showers, no makeup, nothing. But God gently reminded me in that moment that ultimately I am his and his alone. I don’t have to work what others think about me. His opinion is the only one that matters so I can just be myself! I am his daughter and nothing can ever change that. He has been speaking that to my heart for a long time now and it was so nice to be reminded of it that day. I was also reminded of the freedom in Christ that I found on the race and to make sure that I am still walking in that. I can remember being set free and how amazing it felt to know the freedom of Christ! May I walk in that daily! I am free in him, free to be me, free to be who he has made me to be. We are all called to freedom in Christ as it says in Galatians 5:13,”For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” So may this be as a reminder to you, YOU ARE HIS!! May you rest in that and receive freedom from it!
