As I pulled up to training camp, I was filled with excitement and expectations of what was to come. Then all of the sudden, I was stuck. Literally. My car became stuck and had to be pushed and pulled by some very generous staff. I began to wonder if this was some kind of am omen of how the rest of the week would go. By the end of our first session I realized that I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I made up my mind that I was going home. There was no way I was going on the World Race. Now that training camp is nearly over, I don’t want to leave. The camaraderie between my squadmates and teammates is unbelievable. We are a family already. God has also been moving in big ways. He has been changing my heart and my attitude since day one. I discovered what it meant to really be free this week. There were a lot of things that I had to let go of. God used worship, scripture, staff, and one very persistent new friend (who encouraged, corrected, and challenged me in a brutally honest way) to turn my focus away from the past I was allowing to control me, and to look ahead to the people I will serve and the lives that will be changed because I said yes to God.
So, to future racers, my advice would be expect nothing and be really open minded, because God will absolutely rock your safe little world this week. Oh, and you will pack a lot of things you think you need for this camp but trust me, it takes just a miniscule amount of personal things but a great deal of faith to serve Jesus.
