On Saturday I got home from Training Camp, and I can honestly say that God worked tirelessly on my heart over the last week. We spent the whole week outside sleeping in tents, and we were challenged both mentally and physically. It was fun and exhausting, empowering and terrifying, full of laughter and full of tears. As a squad we broke down walls that we didn’t even know existed, then we built each other back up in the kind of fierce and overwhelming love that can only come from God himself.
Here is a little bit of what I learned along the way:
Trust God, Trust my Squadmates, Trust Myself
As someone who takes a lot of pride in my independence, I realized this week that my desire to be independent comes from a lack of faith and trust in other people. Here’s to a year of dependence – dependence on God for safety and comfort, dependence on friends for prayers and funding, and dependence on myself that I am good enough to carry on the work of Christ.
Rain makes God’s grass grow, and His children too!
During the first 2 days of training camp it rained constantly. Everything was wet and cold. As a squad, we were unprepared and exhausted, but when the sun finally broke through the clouds, we were also released of the walls and the baggage that had guarded our hearts for so long.
Ask for help
Yes, I learned how to ask for help. It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t like it; but I know that I cannot tackle the next year alone and God hasn’t asked me to.
Immeasurable
God’s love for us is unexplainable. He has counted the hair on our heads and knows the deepest depths of our souls. I realized that no matter what I do, God’s love for me never fades. He is limitless, and I have asked him to increase my faith in His infinite power.
Never Alone
Over the next year I will NEVER be alone. For safety reasons, we have to go everywhere in pairs. While this is probably comforting to my parents – this is terrifying to me. I am a people-person by nature, but I also LOVE my independence. During training camp, I learned that personal growth is facilitated through interpersonal relationships. Pray with me that with the help of my team and my squad I will start to become the woman God created me to be.
Intimacy
For so long, I focused on following the rules and living the commandments, and I forgot that our God is a personal God. He wants an intimate relationship with me. During training camp, I was reminded that God wants me to recognize him in all things; and not only ask Him for help and guidance, but also welcome Him into times of joy and celebration.
Not my plan
My mom always says, “God laughs the loudest when we tell Him our plans.” Well, if that is true, God sure has laughed at me quite a bit over the last few years. This 11 month journey will be full of times when my plans don’t align with His, and I have come to realize that His plans are much better anyway!
Give it all to God
Yes… EVERYTHING – my pain, my joy, my excitement, my confusion, my fear, and my hope. He takes away my discomfort and multiplies my delight. There is nothing that comes from this earth that cannot be used for His glory. So whether its an empty stomach after a long day, or a 24 hour bus ride to a new ministry location; I will let God work through me over the next year and give Him the glory and praise that is rightfully His!
I will be heading to Atlanta for launch on June 30th and leaving the country on July 3rd! If you would like to be a part of my World Race journey, please consider supporting me through prayer and financial support! You can donate by clicking the “Support Me!” tab on the left side of this page!
Thank You and may God bless you abundantly!
Photo courtesy of Jake Schroeder
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