Here I am,
halfway through training camp. I cannot believe how fast time is flying. When I
get back from training camp, it will only be about 2 months until I leave the
US.
Training
camp has definitely had its ups and downs. First off, I realized that coming
from Hawaii I would be cold. Well I did not realize that I would be THIS cold. It
has been in the high 30s at night and I only have one fuzzy/furry hoodie. I have
been wearing 3 layers of pants and about 4 layers of shirts – the exact same
ones the past 4 days. I haven’t really ever changed. They are dirty, smelly and
I have become okay with that because warmth is more important than the way I look
or feel. We only have cold showers in which we literally freeze b/c the weather
is so cold. Somehow showers do not seem important anymore. God has been slowly
stripping away every little bit of materialism from my life and I am embracing
and loving it, because ultimately HE is all
I need. I have not really washed my face or bathed in awhile. Luckily, with the
cold weather we don’t all smell too terrible. I am realizing many things we
take for granted each and every day. Somehow these all seem so incredibly
insignificant in the life that God has called me to. I do not have to have
makeup or be clean to do the work He has called me to do.
I realized
that any and all of the expectations I had and continue to have about this
upcoming year need to be broken. With expectations comes disappointment when
they are not met. There are times that I am going to expect things and when I get
to that place, things are going to be complete opposite of how I thought they
would be. I do not want the little things to hinder the work God has planned
for me. It is going to be the little things that bring us down and challenge us
this next year. I want nothing to stop me from the work God is going to do
through me.
I have
several days left of training camp and I am torn. I am loving this new family I
have, but I also miss my family in Hawaii that I have been away from this past
week. This has been eye opening b/c I have only been gone for a few days and I will
be gone for 11 months. I know I will miss my friends and my family but I also
have an overwhelming peace and comfort with the new family I have here and that
I will be traveling with. I know that each and every one of us has been called
specifically to go at this time in our lives. God has the perfect plan for each
of us and our team couldn’t be more excited to further His kingdom!!
