It’s been about a week and a half since training camp… it’s taken me this long to write a blog post on it because it was a LOT to process.
What I thought was going to be just 11 days to just prepare for my trip turned out to be s o m u c h m o r e.
What I thought was just a group of people who happened to sign up for The World Race at the same time as me became family.
What I thought was going to be some sessions turned into my heart softened, opened, and changed.
It was an incredible week and I could go on and on with stories… but for now here are 11 takeaways from 11 days of training camp:
1. Storyteller Workshop
So I actually arrived at training camp one day earlier than most, because I signed up for the Storyteller Workshop. As soon as I got the e-mail with the invitation to the workshop, I signed up as fassssttt as I could. It was right up my alley! That was really the first time that I realized how I could use my journalism skills for the race. I loved meeting the marketing team at World Race, and learning from their experience on how I can be a great storyteller while I’m out on the field next year.
Not only was it great to learn more about storytelling on the race, I loved meeting some racers early! I remember being nervous to meet everyone at the airport – but we all clicked immediately! There’s something about hauling both backpacks all through the airport that really bonds you together 😉
Aaaaand, speaking of storytelling… I get to be the STORYTELLER LEADER for my team woooo!! God is truly using my gifts for Him, I can’t wait!! (More on that later!)
2. It was INTENTS!
Okay, done with the dad jokes for now….
For the entire camp, we slept in our own tents. When I went to REI last spring, the worker convinced me I did not need a 2-person tent, and I should get a 1-person tent. He won me over with the less weight in my pack part, so I thought it would be great. Apparently no other REI worker told a racer this!! I was the only one with 1-person, and it was definitely a tight squeeze: my two packs and I. But actually it was really easy to pack everything up, and all I’m doing is sleeping in it so oh well! It’s going to be great, I’ve learned to embrace it.
And it is such a good feeling knowing how to set my tent up all by myself! I didn’t know how I was going to handle sleeping in a tent for 11 days, but I actually kind of loved it. And the Lord really just gave me so much peace and comfort. Usually I have a really hard time falling asleep at home, but I fell asleep immediately each night. And I was so comfy on my sleeping pad and travel pillow 🙂 TG for being low maintenance woo!
It was big enough to take selfies!! 😉
3. Dry shampoo & body wipes are my BFFs
I definitely rely on dry shampoo in my day-to-day life (S/O to whoever invented it… you da real MVP), but it reallyyyy came in handy during camp. AND body wipes yaasss! It was like taking an actual shower, I was so surprised! Both were especially important to me because our shower option was bucket showers. Yep – we filled a bucked up with ice cold water and used a measuring cup to pour it on ourselves. That wouldn’t be so terrible if it wasn’t so cold out!
So I kind of avoided those showers if I’m being completely honest (hey, I’m there for the Lord not the boys!!! ;)). Definitely bringing both on the race!
4. Makeup schmakeup
I wouldn’t say I rely on makeup… but I always like putting on some foundation at the minimum – mainly because of my acne. I brought foundation and powder to training camp buuttt it was a little difficult to keep up with it… we didn’t have mirrors because our bathrooms were porta potties. I would use my phone mirror but that was annoying to try to set up in my aforementioned 1-person tent.
So finally on about day 4 I said “screw it!” and stopped. I learned to embrace my natural face, even if there is acne. Actually my skin improved more because I wasn’t applying makeup on it! Now, I am finding myself here at home forgetting to apply eyeshadow and blush for work.
5. The Lord SPEAKS to us!!!
Okay, I could literally go on and on with examples for this from training camp! I can definitely be skeptical when people start a sentence with, “The Lord told me…” because I’ve seen several examples in my life where I know there is no way the Lord told them that (mainly because it was against what He says in His Word). I noticed myself doubting the speakers on the first night, and then found myself not wanting to think that way.
Well the Lord definitely listened to my thoughts. The next day, Karen Dillbeck led a session for us. But before she began, she said she had a copy of a book she wrote and wanted to give it away. I got really excited – I always like to win free stuff… and it was a book! She said she asked the Lord who she needs to give the book to and she looked at a post-it note and said He told her a female. Okay I made the first cut! Then she said a female wearing a red bandana. I realized I was wearing a red headband, so I thought, “Oh, so close!” But I looked around and noticed no one else was wearing neither a red headband or bandana. Everyone looked at me, and I raised my hand. Then she asked me where I was from… I told her Indiana… she said she also had written down the Midwest. So I won! I felt the Lord tell me, “See?? I do speak to people in interesting ways!” So now I won’t question that again! Okay Lord, I see You!!!
Also, the Lord told her to tell me to start on page 92… I read the first chapter but plan to read more! 🙂
6. Worship was LIT
So.. I’m not going to lie. I might not have said that statement at the beginning of training camp. It was a lot freer and more open than I am used to. At first, I felt uncomfortable because I wasn’t worshiping the same way most were. Thankfully, during a debrief session (Note: several times during the week, they allowed time for us to ask the speakers and leaders questions on anything that happened at camp), they addressed this. They encouraged us to not worry about how other people worship, and to listen to how the Holy Spirit wants us to worship the Lord. I took that to heart, and the worship got so much better for me! I shut out other thoughts and just focused on HIM!
A lot of the songs we sang were Bethel Worship… wow, they have some beautiful worship songs! I haven’t been able to get them out of my head since I’ve come back… which is a great problem to have 🙂
Add these to your Spotify playlist!:
-Raise a Hallelujah
-No Longer Slaves
-Goodness of God
-Endless Alleluia
Goodness of God really spoke to my heart during camp, especially these lyrics:
“All my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good”
and:
“Your goodness is running after
it’s running after me
With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me”
I teared up when I stopped and really thought about those lyrics…. ALL of my life He has been faithful and good. This reminded me of something God showed me this summer. I realized that a lot of my life has been building up to me going on the race. When I decided to go to Indiana Wesleyan, I mainly enrolled because my mom worked for the university and I received free tuition. But that school led me to some amazing opportunities to excel in my journalism career. All of my experience helped me to get my job at HVAF – a nonprofit that serves homeless veterans. I didn’t think much of working at a nonprofit at first. But after working here, I’ve learned how to fundraise and talk to a vulnerable population so I can properly share their story with others. Both of those are going to help me GREATLY with the race.
So thinking about that, and other things the Lord has done for me, I just am in awe of how GOOD He is to me, even when I’m not good. During that time He gave me those opportunities and skills, I was not living for Him. But He knew I would come back to Him one day and go on a mission trip. Dang, am I glad He is in control of my life and not me. And he is RUNNING AFTER ME! 😀 (cue crying and heart emojis).
7. My SQUADDDDD
Ahh, I couldn’t believe how close I could get to so many people in such a short time! How beautiful it was to see so many people around my age who want to build the Kingdom with me. Here in Indy, it can get tiring living single. I don’t need a boyfriend or husband right now, but I can feel behind or left out because there are more couples than not here (this is NOT to get sympathy… just being honest!). But once I stepped into training camp, that stress is no more! I feel completely confident in my singleness, and am SO glad I am not alone in it.
My squad is literally amazing! (I’m sure every Racer says that… but it’s true!) We have so many talented, incredible people… artists, musicians, poets, athletes, and more!
We have 29 racers in total… and 5 of them are men HA. Kind of like Indiana Wesleyan 😉 at first, I wasn’t super open to the guys. Based off of my own experience and those around me, it can be hard for me to fully trust men and want to become bffs with them (that is probably for another blog another day…). But these guys are truly MEN OF GOD. They served us whenever they had the chance, and treated us with the UTMOST RESPECT. I am so excited to join them on the race next year!
One day, we separated the males and females so we could have more vulnerable conversations. My biggest takeaway was when one of the speakers said she asked the men what is one thing they want her to tell us women… they said they hope we don’t view them the same as guys who have hurt us in the past. WOW. Okay, God!! Thank You for speaking to me again! After that, I let my guard down a little bit more and became a lot closer with the guys… and I am so glad! They all have hearts of gold.. and are so kind, passionate, creative, and on FIRE for the Lord!
Alright, I could go on and on about my squad… but I’m sure I will talk about them a lot more throughout this next year, so I’ll leave it at that. 🙂
8. I’m not perfect, nor will I ever be… and that’s OKAY
Something that the enemy knows can hinder my relationship with Christ is my past. During college, I was not living for Him (again, probably another blog post for another day). I rededicated my life to the Lord in February 2018, and my life looks MUCH different than in college. But although I am living for the Lord, my past still haunts me, and makes me feel like I am not good enough to be a “good Christian.”
Sometimes this year, I have had thoughts that I’m not a “good enough Christian” to go on the race. On the first night of camp, the leaders encouraged us to lay down whatever was hindering us from being all in.
The Lord told me that I was still letting my past get to me. I went to our squad “dad” (we have a couple that are our squad coaches.. we call them our squad mom and dad! We only got to be with them for the first few days of training camp but wow they are awesome!) and broke down and told him I felt that I wasn’t good enough because of my past. He hugged me, and held me as he prayed for me. He told me just in the few hours he had known me, he knew I was SO ready. And no matter how long it took, he and his wife (Karen) will help me to completely lay this down. Okay, cue even more tears!! It meant so much to hear that – that I didn’t have this pressure to quickly lay it down before I go on the race!
I had this crazy idea that I had to be perfect before I flew to Indonesia in January. But guess what? I WILL NEVER BE PERFECT…. AND THAT’S OKAY! I will continue to sin, but I am becoming more and more like Jesus every day when I commit to Him. I will still be working on myself during the race, and for the rest of my life until I am face-to-face with Him. But every day, every year, every decade… I will become stronger in my faith and living more and more in line with Him! I love the phrase, “I am not where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be!” (Something like that.. it was in a Joyce Meyer book I read haha). So bring it on, Satan, I will not let you get me downnn!
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9. Cultures
For several sessions throughout the week, one of the World Race staffers taught us about different cultures. First, we went deep into “mission training” as we learned what God’s purpose for us is: Universal Reconciliation for Universal Worship. We went through examples in the Bible on how this is God’s purpose: Creation (Genesis 1:26, 1:28), Old Covenant (Genesis 15:8-21), New Covenant (Jeremiah 31-31-34), and more. We applied this to how God wants us to tell others about the Gospel so they can join in Universal Reconciliation and we can all worship Him together.
One verse and concept really stood out to me: The Highway in Isaiah 62:10:
“Pass through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.”
This means to think about what is holding someone back from following Christ, and then to help them remove those hindrances so they can have a relationship with the Lord. For example, if I let my past keep me from having a relationship with Christ, then a missionary would focus on showing me verses about God’s love, and how we are sinners, and how He forgives no matter what, etc. I thought this was so practical to take on the race with me next year!
There were three cultures we learned about specifically were: Shame/Honor, Fear/Power, and Guilt/Innocence. Not only did we learn what each mean, but how we can preach the Gospel specifically to them. I loved this because I know the Bible can be hard to grasp, so I’m glad we have learned to teach it in a way that is best for all different people. I understand everyone is different and doesn’t fit into one box, and the leaders said that as well. I will also have to ask God to give me the words and trust Him to speak through me.
10. Life is ministry, ministry is life
This a popular saying amongst World Racers… but it’s so true! If we say we are Christians, then this is how we ought to live our lives each and every day. Karen (the one who gave me her book!) spoke on this and she she asks God, “Lord, who do you have on my heart today?” and she listens and obeys what He tells her.
We were able to put this into practice that day, as our leaders let us go off site with our team into the town! My team (different than a squad… our squad got split into 5 teams of 5-7… I plan to make a blog post dedicated to my team soon!) went downtown and first grabbed a cup of FRESH coffee. Another part to “roughin’ it” at training camp was having zero coffee. We decided to take time to share our testimonies and I am so glad we did that. It helped me have a lot more respect for each teammate, and I’m glad to know their story.
My teeaaammm! More on them next week 🙂
I really wanted to work on ministering to people, so I saw a few of my friends go into a vinyl shop so I thought that would be a good start. When I went in, I saw a lady working at the counter and decided to start a conversation with her. I asked how she was and how we were so glad to be out in town… and then explained to her that we are at a camp nearby training for an 11-month mission trip. Then I tried to keep the conversation going so we could build a rapport and then I could feel comfortable asking if I could pray for her. I asked her about her favorite music and such, and she would give short answers and not ask anything about me. I sensed she was not open to talking to me a lot, so I respected that and ended the conversation.
At first, I was disappointed that I didn’t pray for her. But then I realized the Lord showed me that it was good I wasn’t pushy about it, and how I kept aware of how she was feeling. And, hopefully now she has a positive view on missionaries and The World Race since I was friendly with her and didn’t force my beliefs on her. I know I need to be bold about my faith, but I have to know when the right time and place is as well.
Other teammates and squadmates had awesome stories of praying and ministering to others. It was a great day!
11. This is where I am supposed to be!
Okay, so training camp wasn’t always glamorous (umm it was never glamorous) or easy… or fun. Like the day when we went through a scenario of having half of our squad’s luggage “missing”… and mine was missing and I had to share a tent with a squadmate as we had to set her tent up in the freezing rain. Or when I had to use the smelly porta potty for the millionth time.
But through the annoyances, the pain, the tears… there were smiles, joy, and PEACE. I remember each night laying in my tiny tent, thanking God for allowing me to go on this journey with Him. You know, He doesn’t HAVE to do cool things for us. I could stay in Greenwood forever and never be called to go anywhere, and that would be okay. But He didn’t do that. He has called me to go to ELEVEN beautiful countries, and meet amazing people, and share stories from all over the world with the world… and with my fellow incredible teammates. What an amazing life that is?! I don’t know where He will call me next… maybe a different country, or maybe here in America. Either way, I am READY for wherever He wants me!!!! And I am ready for WORLD RACE 2020 LET’S GOOOO!!!
