Before I get into more of what I learned at camp I wanted to take the time to introduce you all to my squad! We are the Freedom Fighters!
Also, here is my team Ahava! I get to live with and do ministry with these ladies full time!
Part II of the Top 10 things I learned at camp
(8-10 are my faves!)
6. It is surprising how fast you can develop a new normal.
There were so many things about camp that were so far outside my norm that I didn’t think they were things I could ever get used to. When the week first started, I saw/smelled the porta-poties and couldn’t imagine that being my ONLY source to relieve myself for more than a week. I was tempted to try to hold my bladder for the entire 10 days. And the first night in my tent, I literally laid there thinking “I am sleeping outside; there is nothing between me and the wilderness but this thin layer of mesh like material.” And lets not even talk about how horrible my first bucket shower was! I thought it would be the longest 10 days of my life.
But, when I tell you my norm changed SO FAST!! It’s like when you’re faced with no other option you find a way to make what you have work. I figured out a strategy to find the least used porta-poties on campus. It usually required me to walk a lot further than everyone else but it was worth it. And by day 3, I was running to go sleep in that thin piece of mesh just to be alone! Accepting what I had been given and being focused on maximizing it, shifted my perspective. If I dared to apply that strategy to different areas of my life I could force myself to save more, be more productive, be more organized, and a ton of other things.
*DISCLAIMER*
I am fully aware of the potential drawbacks of a shift in my normal. There is a very real possibility that living the way I will for the next year will drastically lower my standards in some areas. I have already told my friends when I return home at the end of the race, if they see me pick something up off the floor and attempt to eat it they have full permission to slap it out of my hand and remind me I am back in America and that I can just get another one.
7. The strangest things can minister in the best ways.
It is so powerful when you are obedient and simply trust what God speaks. One of my squad mates said he was praying and asking God for a way to unite our squad. He was reminded of this chant/dance thing from when he was a camp councilor years ago. He said at first he was thinking “that was for little kids there is no way I’m sharing that with my squad mates.” But he was faithful in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit anyway and he shared the chant/dance with the team. It’s called Latouche and we LOVED it!! Every time we needed to rally together we did the Latouche. We even started our dance in the dance off at squad wars with Latouche. Rashad asked God for a means by which to unite us. God was faithful to answer. Because Rashad was obedient to act on what God had given him, unity is exactly what he got. I KNOW we will be Latouching on travel days, during all squad month, at debriefs, at reunions, and beyond. Something that seemed so silly ended up being so powerful!
8. The Old Testament isn’t scary.
This one was HUGE for me. So I didn’t “grow up” in church the way some other people did. I attended Sunday school one time (hated it and never went back), I have never been to VBS, and I didn’t grow up being read Bible stories. So the only point of reference I had for the events of the Old Testimate were my futile attempts to read through them in adulthood. And to say it didn’t go well was an understatement. Have you every tried to read Deuteronomy!?! My GOD! I was TERRIFIED!! And for the rest of the OT I could not figure out how to reconcile the loving God the came to Earth and died for me, sought me out in the midst of my sin, and accepted me flaws and all with the God of the OT. The OT God was wiping out all of creation with a flood, and killing whole armies by closing the Red Sea, and turning people into pillars of salt. I didn’t understand how they could be the same God but so different. The OT confused me so I just didn’t read it.
During camp we did something called “Walk Thru the Bible” where we talked though the entire Old Testimate. Now, I understand that what we did was a broad overview. But that overview enabled me to see the whole picture. I was able to see how it was all basically a prequel to the New Testimate. It was all a build up and a cliff hanger. It was all a set up for the coming Messiah.
I think some other people may have been a little bored during the Walk Thru the Bible sessions at camp but I LOVED THEM. I can see the whole picture. Now, I can go in and study out the details in context. Before, I was skipping all around playing Russian Roulette with different books and hoping for the best. Which failed epically. Now that I understand the big picture I am SO EXCITED to spend time on the race diving into the OT.
I can now understand the things God did and allowed to happen so that one day He could come and redeem us. We as people, brought sin into the world and with it came a long series of unfortunate events. But, God being the loving, merciful, father that he is was faithful to give a means by which to be reconciled back to Him. MIND BLOWN!
9. Don’t be afraid to seek God in new ways.
While at camp, we were exposed to different spiritual pathways to use when spending time with God. An example of a spiritual pathway is the student pathway. Using this pathway would mean you are connecting with God by studying His word. You are all about learning the original Hebrew and Greek, cross-referencing scriptures, and diving deep in the word. I listed this pathway first because it is the one that I naturally go to.
This should explain how much I connect to the student pathway. My study bible is huge! It has so many tons of features like commentary, essays, Hebrew and Greek translations, maps, charts, graphs, topical studies, and so much more. I had already made the decision that I was bringing it with me on the race. During 11 months when I have to carry everything that I own on my back and every single ounce counts I am willing to forgo brining whatever else because I NEED my 20 lbs. (not really) study bible. In general, I am a very analytical person so it only makes sense that I want to study out a single verse in 500 different ways to get a true understanding of what God meant.
So the student pathway was our assigned pathway day one and I was loving it! I was thinking “oh yeah! I got this connecting with God thing down!” *casually brushes off shoulders.* Welllllll that all came screeching halt when the spiritual pathway for day 2 was the Naturalist Pathway. This pathway consists of connecting with God in nature. It’s about finding Him outside of buildings in things like rivers, trees, and oceans. *insert side eye emoji* I read that description and was like…excuse me?!? To say I was skeptical doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of how I was feeling. But at the beginning of camp I committed to having a “yes” in my spirit. So, I tried it, despite how I felt about it.
So at 7 am I pulled a chair to edge of the pavilion facing the woods. I said a prayer basically explaining to God that this didn’t make any sense to me but more than I trusted how I felt I trusted the process and what He had for me. Then I opened my eyes and started staring at the trees hoping for something divine to happen. Not gonna lie, I sat there for more than a few minutes feeling like an idiot. Then… it happened. HE SPOKE. He drew parallels between the complexity of the network of foliage and the intricacy of creation. Then He explained how every leaf matters and so do I. And how He values every tree even the fallen ones. How we all have a part to play and how every season we are in or step we take, and encounter we have in our lives all work together to create the grand master piece that He has created. I WAS SHOOK!!!!!!!!!!!
It was astonishing first off that there was meaningful dialog to be had with God about trees. But also, how refreshing it was. How awesome it was to experience Him in a new and different way. I am so glad that I didn’t reject this pathway as silly and continue to do what I already knew. By the end of the 10 days of camp God was speaking to me in all kinds of new ways. One of which is a painting that I made that I am keeping in my journal to remind me of what He spoke to me about on that day.
10. This is just the beginning!
I had REALLY BIG expectations for training camp and God met them. A list of all the things I learned would honestly take like 20 blog posts. But my biggest over all take away is that as amazing as camp was it’s only the beginning. I had a yes in my spirit at camp and God honored that. So as I start the race if I continue to have a yes in my spirit He will continue to be faithful to show up! My expectations are high and they should be!
