I have been changed Emotionally, Physically and spiritually, teaching me more about myself and God.
I have learned:
1. How to evaluate where I am in my walk with God and how to build a relationship with him.
2. How to face the wounds of my past and turn to God.
3. That I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God who does not make mistakes.
4. That having problems does not make me a problem.
Lately, I have been training with and extra 40 pounds for 3-mile hikes that I’ll have to do in 50 minutes. I thought it would be easy but it’s not. Now it’s not hard just because of the physical labor but also the prosses of what God is taking me though that makes it hard. I started training with 25 pounds, then 30 pounds, and now I’m at 35 pounds. It’s not the weight that makes it’s hard, it’s the walking with the weight. I could go on and on about how hard it has been or how I don’t want to wake up in the A.M. to practice. But what I’m going to talk about is how God has been using me to get ready for training camp. I have learned that using my time wisely is important. When I go on these hikes, I pray and use that time to talk to God about my day and what He is doing in my life. God is a good father and I love thanking Him for everything He has done in my life. It’s like I’m training with God. When I go on hikes I not only hike in the same post, but I go to different places to hike that way I don’t get used to where a mile is. The other day I went in the woods and I forgot my bug spray. I kept going but as soon as I started walking I noticed it. I just had to keep telling myself, “This is the training before training.” I also have been putting my tent on the side of my pack and my mat on the other, which leaves no place for my water bottle, so I hold it in front of me and when I walk, it swings back forth, back and forth, and it hits my arm and leaves a bruise. It’s not that big of a deal and doesn’t hurt that much. But when I wake up every day and I still see that bruise I notice that it’s another day I need to go walking with my pack. It reminds me of how much I need to get out and practice or I’m not going to make it in that 50 minutes. There have always been times where I sleep in my tent outside in my backyard to get used to the havoc that is going to take place on my back. At first my Grandma said she wasn’t going to let me sleep outside because there are possums in my backyard and she is worried that they will eat me. I couldn’t help but laugh and say “Grandma, this is training before the training; I need to practice with those possums because who knows when snakes or worse will come up on me.” So after a ton of begging I finally got to sleep outside in my tent. I have learned to get up early to pick up my tent and put it away so the mowers can mow our lawn. Even practicing taking it down and putting it back together has been a big help.
Next is taking the cold showers. There are some times I just train myself to get used to that cold shower. I pray before I get in “God please give me the strength to get through this!” Sometimes God is just asking for me to be willing to take that cold shower before he well give me a warm one. It’s something I’m not used to because I love taking hot showers. But I’ve noticed that taking the cold ones makes me stronger. Not only taking cold showers but training myself to wash myself out of a bucket. Because who knows when I’m in these countries if I’m going to have a shower or having to wash myself out of a bucket.
Even though I haven’t gone to training camp yet, I believe God has put me through lot so far. It’s the training before training that God uses to make me stronger for the next thing He has for me. This is important to me and was all my choice, it is preparing me mentally, physically, and spiritually. God is always looking to train those who are willing. I’m excited to see what training camp is going to do in me. Please continue to pray for me as God counties to use me.
And as alaways stay dehydrated 😉
