To be honest, it’s been two weeks since I got home and I’m still struggling to put training camp into words. I went in unsure, with mixed expectations and a little bit of skepticism. I did enough blog stalking before going to be pretty confident that training camp was going to be intense (It only seems appropriate to note that it was also ‘in tents.’) I stressed over what to bring and what I was forgetting. I was concerned with how dirty and hungry and cold and hot and tired I would inevitably be. I thought about how much I loved my bed and how little I knew about camping. Mostly, I was scared to death of being uncomfortable.
Well..SPOILER ALERT! Training camp is anything but comfortable. There are cold bucket showers and plenty of nights with little to no sleep. There are little ants that can get into your tent, and food that doesn’t necessarily look like what you’re used to. Add a few downpours, lots of mosquitoes, a tree falling in the woods, and 938% humidity (maybe exaggerating there) and, well, you’ve got a lot of chances to be dirty and hungry and cold and hot and tired.
Isn’t our culture a little bit obsessed with being comfortable? I think we idolize comfort along with convenience. Between our heated seats and our iPhones and our drive-thrus and our Netflix apps, there’s a definite value placed on being able to live in comfort. We become comfortable in our schools, in our jobs, in our churches, and in our interactions. I love being comfortable just as much (okay, probably more) than the next girl. I love being with the people who know me best. I like my cozy robe, I get a little grumpy when I can’t sleep well, and I can truly appreciate a nice cup of coffee.
Something changed at training camp, though. Somewhere along the way, between the travel scenarios, changing sleeping conditions, unfamiliar food, and pouring rain, came real relationships. And incredible community. And genuine worship. And learning about who God is. And getting more than a glimpse of the way He moves among vulnerability and among a little thing called discomfort. And somewhere along the way, I realized that growth rarely happens when you’re comfortable.
So here I am, two weeks since training camp and two weeks from launch. More specifically, here I am in my cozy bed as the rain is pouring outside. I spent last night being surprised with a going away/birthday party by the best friends and family in the whole world, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to be loved so well by them. I’m comfortable, but it’s different than it was before. I’ve come to terms with the fact that being comfortable is far from the best thing you can be. As Seth Barnes refers to it in Kingdom Journeys, the Gift of Restlessness has made a home in my heart, taking up the space where that fear of discomfort used to be.
There are two weeks until I leave everything I’ve ever known and fly to South Africa. Two weeks until I start 11 months of serving God in the most real way I’ve ever experienced. 11 months of changing and unpredictable conditions. 11 months of a beautiful level of vulnerability. 11 months of community with a team that will challenge me every single day. 11 months of being uncomfortable. And I can truly say that there’s nothing I’m more excited for.
That being said, I still have money left to raise to reach my launch deadline and I’m asking for support! Will you consider partnering with me? Everything adds up and helps me get closer to being funded! I truly appreciate your prayers and any support you feel able to give.
P.S. Check out these 6!! This is my team: KINDRED. I’ll be serving and living with Kyle, Kaitlyn, Gretchen, Danny, Sarah, and Jarred starting in Durban, South Africa in July!
