Hi All!
I just back to Colorado from Training camp and the best word I can use to explain it is, WAHOOOO. Or something like that. It’s really too vast to be explained in one word. At least in my opinion. Maybe if I was better at words, but I can’t seem to pin point it to one thing. God worked in SO many different ways, and all of them being ways I never imagined. It exceeded my every expectation. Isn’t God funny with how he works? When I had the least, I was immersed in the most abundant of loves. I can’t even begin to describe how awfully dirty everything was, and how badly I smelled. I now know the limits of how long I can go without a shower after working out , and how long my leg hair can grow in 10 days. I’m confident in my ability to adapt which is something I didn’t have before I left. As one of my teammates put it,
“Drop me off in that ditch and I’ll survive.”
Maybe a little more on the dramatic side, but she’s not wrong. My confidence in my ability to adapt is stronger and I think that’s really important for what the future holds. But you wanna know the best thing I learned? The very best thing?
Come with open hands.
It was something they talked about on day one and I’m so glad that they did. They asked us to not use our phones over the next ten days and to really make an effort to be present, and engage in what the Lord was doing. I can say for me, I’m so glad I listened. I wouldn’t of been looking up to see the beauty God placed all around me, in all his wonderful people.
I think for me, approaching things with my hands open didn’t mean I wanted to be catered to or expected cupcakes with ribbons on top ( although that would have been amazing), it meant being open to all that God was doing. It meant being still. I try to fill my life with so many things so it feels like I’m being “productive,” so it’s hard for me to truly BE STILL. This required me to turn my eyes to Jesus and truly WAIT on Him. I hadn’t realized that this was something I’ve never done until this time I had at camp. It was undivided attention between the Father and I. I realized that I hadn’t even truly sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him. He taught me how to truly see everyone as image bearers of Him, and through all of this, I began to realize that it was only the beginning of the wonder he would show me.
Training camp is too much to put into one blog so I’ll be sharing what else God showed me in posts to come. I love you all so much.
Best,
Alisha Allen
