This post has been a long time coming (considering training camp was last month), so forgive me y’all! Wifi has been rough and I’ve been traveling, BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT GOD DID AT TC!
So, just so y’all understand what training camp really is, or at least what it looks like, you go to Gainesville, Georgia in all of its humid, hot, red-dirt stained glory for 10 days, sleep in tents/hammocks, get weird scenarios (that were actually so fun and challenging) where they take your stuff, get fake diseases, etc., meet the best people EVER (your squad/team and I really do mean EVER), and get closer to Jesus than you ever have in your entire life.
I drove to training camp and quite honestly, I was more nervous than I have ever been… I didn’t know what to expect, I hadn’t really been super involved in groupme chats because technology is definitely not my strong suit (y’all I had to be taught how to update my phone like 3 months ago…. yes I know you get a notification and it practically does it for you…don’t judge) and I wanted to get to know people not through a screen, but I hadn’t really gotten to know really anyone from my squad so I was nervous to meet all of these people, and I had been hearing all of the stories about getting stuff “taken” away and the biggest of all, the 3 mile fitness hike (we all made it under 50 minutes!!!!)…. THAT made me nervous all in itself, even without all the other stuff running around in my brain.
Arriving at training camp, it was such a fun and welcoming environment! We prayed before stepping out of the car and the second I did, I felt instantly worry-free and ready to tackle this thing! The Lord literally swept it all away and it got me so excited for what was to come! Little did I know, He would wipe away and laugh at my “comfort levels”.
I got stretched out of my comfort zone in so many ways than just one and God just totally retaught me that I am not called to be comfortable and that there is so much beauty in the uncomfortable because its messy, raw, and vulnerable like you wouldn’t believe. You find more of Him in that! I was pushed! I got to meet people and create relationships with them and most of all, it wrecked me… He wrecked me. One night before our final worship gathering and session of that day, I prayed that God would speak into my heart and wreck me, “break me down”, I said to Him. Worship hit me… after shouting and dancing and worshipping HARD to our Father, leaders came and prayed over us… someone prayed over me and spoke to me what God was telling them about my life, my heart, my faith, and God wrecked my heart that night. God was so evident there in everything we did and all the people I met. He changed my life there. He grew me in ways I didn’t know were there. He taught me more about His character than I could have every imagined. He solidified so many of the promises and love He gives to us and spoke to me in ways I had never heard Him before. He brought out characteristics in me that had been hiding for years, but He made me, more me in HIM… all in just 10 days. How great is our God? I mean come on…
The relationships I got to make have seriously changed my world! I haven’t even left the country yet to know I have found true sisters in Christ. True soul sisters, future bridesmaids (cheesy I know), but these people (EVERYONE) will forever have my heart, my squads heart in mind. We are not just a squad, a team, or any of that anymore. We are family!
SO to sum up TC:
life altering. faith growing. evidence of our Gods love, mercy, and grace.literally just AMAZING… 10 days.
10 days. Thats all it took to affirm me even more that this is where God is calling me to be.
Love you guys!! Currently, I’m sitting at a little over $10,000 fundraised with my final goal of $13,805 to be fully funded. I KNOW I can get there, we can do this! I have full faith that God would not call me to this and not provide the means. With that being said, if you feel like you are supposed to give, at the top right corner of this page, there is a “Support Me” button! Click on that! 🙂 No amount is too small, everything helps!! If you aren’t giving/can’t give, seriously that is OKAY!! Please be praying for my squad, and my team as we embark on this Kingdom Journey for God!! We will take all of the prayer we can get even if you did give so partner with us on that!
Thank you for all of your love and support during this amazing journey!
Mckayla
