First off, sorry for the Miley Cyrus reference (see above title). However, there truly is nothing like Training Camp to tear you down and building you back up.
Going into Training Camp (and honestly even signing up for the world race) I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I pictured the 10 days of training camp to be somewhat like my Christian summer camp experiences…lots of time spent doing fun activities like capture the flag with the occasional nightly worship service along with some info on what and where I’d be going for the next year of my life. Boy, was I wrong! The first five days were pretty much spent breaking me down emotionally, spiritually, and physically. By the end of the first day I was thinking to myself, “How am I going to be able to handle 9 more days of this, let alone an entire 11 months?” I was forced to press into all of the pain I had so diligently avoided and buried into the deepest part of my being, learned to forgive the wrongs I have so tightly held onto, and deal with the shame I had attached to my soul. I know, I’m making this sound super-appealing to you all right now. And then I said a prayer that changed my perspective forever, a prayer that had never occurred to me before,
“Thank You Lord for my Struggles.”
The craziest thing is that I actually meant it. All of the painful and hard things that have happened in my life or that I have put onto myself, not only have shaped me, but have also made me rely on God. By stripping away and dealing with all of those struggles, The Lord has opened my heart and given me the chance to let my true self be revealed. I have learned more about myself and life the Lord has planned out for me than ever before. He has put an eagerness on my heart as well as a sense of peace over my ever-running mind. He used my world race squad of 30 people to teach me what a true loving Christian community looks like. I now have no doubt in my mind that The World Race is the right path for me to take right now.
I know that I’m not done dealing with the struggles that life brings, but I am excited to see what comes out on the other side. I expect to grow this next year more than I ever have. If God can do all of this in 10 days, what will he do in me in the next 11 months of my kingdom journey?! I am broken and I am his. I am his disciple and I’m ready to follow him to the ends of the earth (or more specifically South America).
