Where do I even begin!? On my flight home yesterday when I finally started to process everything there were a couple things that really stuck out to me. So, I will try to hit on those and also talk about what we actually did.
But first, I want to say how amazing it is to be fully funded!!! WOW! thank you to all who made that happen; you’re amazing! It means so much to me that you have entered into this journey with me! So here goes…
“When you’re uncomfortable, tired, or on the verge of shutting down is when the soil is most fertile for you to grow.” That’s what I have in my notes from the 1st night. The night before I left I also received a phone call which made me fully funded (mind blown at Gods provision & timing!) and this person also told me “If it’s about me and my comfort I’ll never be happy or successful.” So one of the main messages I was getting going into this was proven very true. I was in a place of extreme discomfort almost the duration of the 10 days and did not have the things I normally have to run to for comfort like my phone, my best friend, or being alone in my room (b/c I’m very introverted). It was a short preview of the year to come.
What actually took place you may be wondering? Well, imagine 58 men and women (on our squad alone) in their 20’s who genuinely and passionately love the Lord coming together in one place to answer the call He has placed on their lives. This in itself was so incredible to me. We spent 10 days camping in tents and preparing in every way possible for next year. We had the privilege of hearing from speakers and leaders who are devoted to discipleship. We got to spend time allowing the Lord to search our hearts in areas like pain, shame, and identity as well as learning nuts and bolts things like how to handle life on the field and in specific ministries. One of the highlights for me was I have never experienced such passionate heartfelt worship amongst a group of people. I also loved how at any given time during camp people were speaking words of life into each other and encouraging one another.
We ate foods from different cultures like: crickets, fermented eggs, cow stomach, chicken feet, and we practiced eating cultural dishes with our hands. Note to future racers: BRING SNACKS AND GUM 😉
We also practiced different scenarios that may happen on the field such as: sleeping in an airport overnight, our luggage getting stolen and having to share everything with someone, and being up praying through all watches of the night. The fitness requirement was to hike 3 miles in under 50 minutes with our packs on. We got acquainted with bucket showers, camping, and community living. Note: this was my first time camping I my adult life!
Towards the end of the time they put us on smaller teams of 6-7 people. These are going to be the people I serve the closest with the first few months. We named ourselves joyful fortitude. Fortitude means courage in pain and adversity, bravery, moral fiber, strength of mind and character, backbone, spirit, steadfastness, etc. And we chose joyful because the joy of the Lord is our strength! I am so grateful that God has given me these amazing people to do life with!
Throughout these 10 days I learned about listening prayer, how to have expectation, how to apply for a visa to India (ahh it’s getting real), etc. but one of the main things I learned came from one of my teammates as she excitedly shared with me one evening about a revelation of the Scriptures she had and it cut me to the heart. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and If I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. -1 cor. 13:1-3.
It made me realize that I can do all these things “for God” but without love none of it matters. Its one of those simple but profound truths that I know logically but so often forget or fail to actually live out. So my hearts cry as I prepare to leave in these next 10 weeks is that God would fill me with His love. For Him, for my team, for the people I will meet, and for those that are harder to love as well. So, If you happen to think of me please also pray that I would have an impartation of the Fathers love in my heart in every moment.
That concludes my rambling thoughts on training camp and what’s been on my heart. Thank you all for reading! I look forward to updating you on all my final preparations before the race! Can’t wait to see what God has in store!
