The Post-Training Post

So many things have come and gone since I’ve written last. So many lessons learned, friendships forged, identities revealed, weights cast off, and battles fought – all in a month’s time. Needless to say, I am exhausted. I am not sure how I will get everything done while still working full time, but I maintain hope that there will be time to rest (at least rest in the Lord!) during my upcoming 11-month stint.

What exactly have I been doing, you ask? Well, here are the basic highlights of what I’ve attempted outside of the minimum 10 hours a day that is consumed by work/traffic…

1. Attended the AIM Women’s retreat + Training Camp (Oct 8-17)
2. Chopped off my hair
3. Moved (out of the Jackson house L & back into the ‘rents J)
4. W O R K
5. Visiting doctors, getting vaccines, meds, etc.
6. Hosting (parties, people.. and of course party peoples)
7. Normal WR stuff (i.e., applying for Indian visa, buying gear, re-buying gear that didn’t work [aka my water bottle – see previous post])
8. Normal life stuff (i.e., weddings, birthdays, catching and KEEPING up with friends/family, maintaining a long distance relationship [a bit strange to talk about in this forum, but nevertheless a big part of my life which requires substantial investment of my time and emotions])
9. Emotional healing – To prepare for what lies ahead, there are some things I need to leave behind. I’m already struggling to find space in my pack… I certainly don’t need to carry around any extra baggage with me!

I’m sure many are eager to hear how training camp (TC) was, so I’ll indulge in what I am able to articulate at the present. Two weeks later, I am still trying to find time to journal and process all that occurred at TC.

The Physical: TC was very challenge for me physically, primarily due to the lack of sleep. We were purposefully sleep-deprived, undergoing various WR simulations such as sleeping in an airport (A/C blasting, lights on, louder-than-actual jet noise over the A/V), sharing tiny tents with only ½ of our sleeping gear, and you guessed it: sleeping outside. We were cold and wet. It rained every day except for the last. Early mornings were for dissembling our tents/packing up (in the rain), and exercising. Thankfully, nearly 48 hours of tornado watches saved us from some of the superfluous exercising.  We were also not given as much to eat as we are accustomed to in America. Being Celiac (gluten free), I often had even less to eat than my peers (for example, one morning I was given ~4oz of dry Chex cereal for breakfast, and another 1 hard-boiled egg). #involuntaryweightloss

The Mental: The food-aspect was mentally challenging, too. Being hangry (an angry emotional response to physical hunger) is a very REAL thing for me, and I found myself constantly giving over my ‘hanger’ to the Lord so as to not harbor any bitterness over my disease or others who do not share in this particular suffering. Besides food, plans and schedules were not revealed to us, so we were not able to prepare (something I delight in and greatly appreciate), but were rather forced to take everything just as it came. This was a much needed lesson for me as I pray for supernatural flexibility for the WR and beyond. Lastly, although consistently an ENFJ on the Myers Briggs, I am convinced that I am actually a very outgoing Introvert. This means that even though I LOVE my squad-mates and teammates, diving into a squad of 54 people and being with them 24/7 felt draining since I had no alone time to recharge. Again, I need prayer for this for next year. As a team, we will eat, sleep, and do ministry together in the same room. Going anywhere in two’s is a strict requirement, so I will quite literally not have a solo moment for the full 11 months.

The Spiritual: The teaching was intense. Worship was awesome. Prayer was uplifting. Free time, however, was minimal. I’m talking less than an hour/day allotted to read the Word, journal, SHOWER (and by shower I of course mean a bucket of cold water), or do anything else you might need to get done. I found that this “free time” was usually consumed by the last item… A squad-mate was looking for something, bags needed to be covered, tarps were missing, etc. This was a rude, but important realization to occur at TC. At home, I am just as busy (or more so!), but I know my schedule and have a routine. On the WR, nothing will be set in stone. Ministry will be different month-to-month, or even week-to-week! Time zones will change, logistics will need to be figured out, and relationships will still need to be maintained. I need to MAKE time to be in the Word – for from it flows the spring of life and bread that sustains! (John 4:14; 6:35) AMEN!!!

As the Spanish would say, things are getting a little “heavy” (pronounced with a hard “j” sound like in Arabic), meaning “intense,” so I’ll take this opportunity to share some of the great things that came from TC!

HIGH-lights from TC:

• I survived. And I even know a few more things, like how to pitch a tent!
• I was asked to co-lead a camping expedition (cue laughter) with 2 other squad-mates. Praise God, He restrained the heavens that night despite some ominous showers, and all 54 squad-mates came back alive and dry! This is hard evidence that God has an acute sense of humor. 
• 
• I made some amazing friends/family
• God is good. Period.
• My passion for being the hands and feet of Christ, ministering to his precious children throughout the world, showing them LOVE, and sharing the message of Hope, has been even further fanned into flame.
• I learned some really cool things about myself.
• Last, but NOT least, I have been blessed with leading a team of amazing women this next year! Please pray for me to serve them well. Meet Anne, Jenn, Lauren, Kalah, Callie, and Kim!   We are Team Fierce. We pray that this name be a self-fulfilling prophecy, that we would fiercely fight good fight, and help others to do the same.  

Please pray for our team. We will be entering into dangerous territory, physically and spiritually. Please pray for us to LOVE one another WELL. Please pray for unbreakable bonds to be forged. Pray against schemes of the enemy who seeks to tear us down and apart. Please pray for our safety as an all women team entering into some places that are less welcoming to women. And lastly, please pray that I would lead well by serving my team and putting others before myself.

THANK YOU for partnering with me and His Kingdom. I could not do this without you.