From July 7 until July 17th I was at the World Race training camp. These were some of the best days of my life. I figured there will be some people wondering what I experienced and exactly what kind of “training” did I actually receive. To save everyone some time I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog sharing what I learned at training camp.
Day 1: Meeting internet friends is probably the most exciting yet intimidating thing in the world. When the only form of communication is a group chat and social media stalking, it’s safe to say going in I didn’t know anyone too well. Going to a place where I didn’t know a single person was new to me so I didn’t know how exactly to handle it. The first few days I was quiet and spent a lot of time observing everyone around me. It turns out you can learn quite a bit about someone by just watching them (that sounds super creepy but you know what I mean).
Day 2: Out with the old in with the new. This day was focused on ridding ourselves of the old gross stuff in our lives and embracing the new creation we are in Christ. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all have some baggage in our lives. With the grace and love of Christ we can wipe all of that away. We are His and that is all we ever need to be.
Day 3: The World Race is hands down more physically demanding than I initially thought and I’m going to embrace that. Over the course of the 10 days there were several physical challenges to prepare us for all the activity we’ll encounter on the Race. At first I wasn’t too thrilled about it because let’s be real, exercise and myself have never had a good relationship. However, I learned what it really means to push myself for the better this day. The challenge was to hike 3 miles in 50 minutes or less with our 40+ lbs pack on. Now, for someone who exercises regularly this probably sounds like a piece of cake. That’s not me. I’m the person that would rather eat that piece of cake than go for a run. Needless to say I placed myself in the slow group. About half way through I started feeling so discouraged. It was then I started telling myself “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) All of a sudden a burst of energy shot through me and I ended up finishing with 10 minutes to spare. It’s amazing what happens when you fill yourself with positive thoughts rather than negative ones. This has inspired me to take my health more seriously; this is the only body I’ll get so I may as well treat it with respect, am I right?
Day 4: “God, what do You have to say about this” Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.-Ephesians 4:31-5:2 I’ll let that speak for itself.
Day 5: Storytelling is important and I intend to do it. Recently someone told me something that really stuck with me, “When people intertwine their passions and with their job they tend to care about it a lot more” Now obviously the Race isn’t the same as a typical summer job BUT that doesn’t mean this statement doesn’t apply. Video and media has always been something I’ve been interested in. I believe video is an opportunity to share stories- the stories of those who don’t have the means or ability to share their own. God cannot use our stories unless we share them. With that being said, it was this day that I officially decided to vlog (vlog=video blogging for those who aren’t caught up on the millenial lingo) my World Race experience. Get ready to see my face on your Facebook feed.
Day 6: Community is important and so is diversity. We all have different talents and skill sets. Some of us are good at facilitating, some of us are good at cooking, others are good at hanging tarps (and then taking them down). No matter how diverse our physical abilities may be, we are all one in Christ. I love my squad so much because of the diversity we bring to the table. We all have different stories and come from different backgrounds; some would say that’s a hindrance but with Gap H that is the biggest strength we have. This is the night in which we became unified. Through stories, singing, and insanely good coconut chicken (thanks Kole) we came together as one. We are one. We are His.
Day 7: Sometimes all we need to do is listen for God’s voice, simple as that. There’s no denying that life can get crazy. The society in which we live is so focused on the fast paced life style. Yes, this can be an efficient way to live sometimes but it’s not that great when you’re trying to hear God. This night we spent time being quiet. We took things slow and listened to what God had to say. It was incredible some of the things we heard once we took the time to listen.
Day 8: In life you don’t always get what you want/expect and that’s okay. This was the day we were given our teams. My team members and I were sort of confused as to why we were put together. It seemed so random we called ourselves the hodge-podge group. None of us had spent that much time with each other so why were we chosen to spend [at least] a month of our lives together? After putting our concerns on the table and talking it out, we are all now so excited to do life together. I love my team and wouldn’t change it for the world. Anna, Tiffany, Lily, Michelina, and Shania I absolutely cannot wait to be in Costa Rica with you. No it may not be easy 100% of the time but we are going to learn and grow so much from this. Let the crazy adventures begin…
Day 9: Love the unlovable. There isn’t much explanation needed for this. This is our job as followers of Christ. Love God and love your neighbor. Even if you’re neighbor is classified as unlovable. That’s all I need/am going to say about that.
Day 10: Celebrate always. This day was so bittersweet. I was ready to be home in my own bed but so NOT ready to leave my newfound family. We spent this day celebrating. Celebrating each other, the Race, and just life in general. I encourage you all to go celebrate something, it’s fun.
Day 11: It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. Okay, this is one for my Squad.. I love and miss you all more than words can describe. I truly believe we were put together for a reason. Let’s take these 6 or so weeks to learn from our faithful God, say goodbye to friends and family, and buy all the things we didn’t to take to training camp. Never forget that we are His. He is ours. We love Him because He loves us. He loves us because He loves us. See you on September 8th Gap H Squad.
If you’d like to hear more about my training camp experience feel free to contact me. I’d love to grab a cup of coffee with you. Training camp was just the beginning. I can’t wait to discover all the things I’ll learn once I’m actually on the Race. I am so ready to begin this amazing journey God has set before me. Please be sure to keep me in your prayers as I raise this next $5,000. Any help you feel led to offer is truly appreciated.
Peace out Brussels Sprouts,
Maddy 🙂
