Training Camp happened. For those of you who dont know, two
months before we leave all World Racers spend a week together in the middle of
nowhere Georgia preparing for their upcoming journey. Its called training
camp.
But lets not get ahead of ourselves.
Back in May I had the first major life change: college
graduation and leaving St. Louis/all my friends/my church/my apartment/my
job/my roommates. It was bittersweet to say the least. Next, I moved up to
Wisconsin to work at a summer camp. Why Wisconsin? I guess I felt like I needed
some more change.
THEN, while at camp I received an email asking that some
people switch routes because certain routes had wayyy more people than others.
Change countries? Change the people I’d be travelling with? Sure! So I am now a
proud member of X Squad and we will be travelling to these countries.
THEN, I went to training camp. My goodness, training camp
was like the epicenter of change. I was re-energized and motivated to go on the
race, I felt loved and accepted by the 37 members of my squad, and I learned so
much about myself and God and the race and everyone around me and it was really
kind of overwhelming! Witnessing God work in myself and others that week was
simply incredible.
Perhaps most importantly, I got to meet my team. These are
the ladies that I will be living and working with throughout the race:
From left to right: myself, Ana, Rachael, Ana-Lisa, Hayley, and Lesley. To learn more about them, check out their blogs on the left side of my page! When asked to choose a name, we decided on Ratsah, meaning
delights in Hebrew. It comes from Isaiah 42:
Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord; I have called you in
righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are
blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I think I may be a little too attached to change lately.
Which isnt a bad thing considering the whole 11 countries in 11 months deal,
but the World Race will be so much more than literal, physical change. God will
be doing the changing in our hearts so that the prophecies of Isaiah 42 can
come true. Before we see change in others we will have to let God change
ourselves.
