This is a repost from my squad mate, Hugh Roberts.. He does such a good job of translating my heart about training camp! Thanks Hugh! (hughroberts.theworldrace.org)
My last blog about training camp failed to encompass what God actually did during training camp. This past week was jammed full of challenges, mind blowing experiences, and most importantly freedom.
I am uncomfortable being comfortable.
I met some great people at Training Camp. I was introduced officially to my squad and then we were broken down into teams. I will tell you more about my team later in the blog. God really spoke to me this week at Training Camp, and I know that he is going to use everyone in D Squad to do some life changing and world changing things. I am SO pumped.
Before camp I knew of the Holy Spirit, but I didn’t know his power. I experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit this week and it really rocked my world. Why have I been living without this power throughout my entire Christian walk? I feel like I have been missing out by living comfortably and living in the Spirit has been overwhelming. Speaking in tongues is NOT a lost gift; prophecy is NOT only for people from the bible and healing is NOT just for doctors! I saw each of these gifts first hand (A team on my squad was able to heal a man of cataracts so he could read the bible.), they might be uncomfortable for some, but they are real and God is using them. All of this is in the Bible, why are we not allowing God to use these gifts through his body of believers?
God spoke and things were created. WOW! God spoke. I realized this week that I am speaking life into people and I need to choose my words wisely. I need to be speaking encouragement and freedom into people’s lives.
I was also able to hear the Lord speak to me. Prophetically, Personally, Relevantly, Realistic Pictures, and Life-Changing words. Ask God to speak to you and he will.
Soul-Ties. Now this is a new concept, but one that is scriptural. I was able to cut off some unhealthy soul ties that I had created during my lifetime. Letting go is required in order to live with freedom!
Training camp was DEEP!
I am tired of living a shallow Christian walk.
I challenge you to seek God with all your heart.
Now onto my team… We spent a week camping in tents, community tents, homemade tarp tents, a school bus and a "luxury" cabin. These are all the different scenarios we might encounter on The World Race. Sleeping in a school bus isn't as easy as it used to be.
We were also provided with cultural foods and dinner-time practices from all of the world. Africa, India, East Asia, Eastern Europe and Central America. In case you can't see the picture below, yes that is a lil fishing minnow floating in the rice soup.
Psalm 32:2 says, "Yes, what joy for those who's records the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty."
During the prayer walk at the beginning of camp (the first picture of the blog) we were asked questions such as "are you willing to give up your adventure?" "are you willing to give up your teammates?" "are you willing to give up your expectations?" If we were willing to give up ourselves to let God use us, we were asked to put our fingerprint on the white above. What a great picture that was painted. I am excited for the picture God is going to paint in my life in the coming year.
