So what exactly do you do at training camp?
Among the things they prepared us for during this week were living situations (tent, bus, cabins, outdoors, community), meals (cultural differences, food that looks at you while you eat it, portion sizes), and healthy lifestyle (yes, we are still expected to exercise when we are confined to our 10×10 living quarters).
They also aimed to prepare us spiritually and emotionally. We talked through openess during our trip, inviting the Holy Spirit, accepting spiritual gifts, discarding unnecessary pain and leaving at home hurtful baggage. We started to bond as a family with our squads and our teams, and we talked about shedding all expectations.
If you have read my previous blog, "No Expectations", you know that I had already put myself in the mindset of having no expectations before being confronted with the choice. But there was even more to let go of than I had considered. We discussed giving up our expectations and rights to what we think our route should be, who we think should be on our team, what we think should happen, our expecations of other people, of ourselves, of meals, of living quarters and more.
On the night we discussed this, we broke up into teams and did a torch walk, with different stops along the way to surrender each of these assumed rights and expecations. We walked in groups, all team members with a hand on a single torch. As we were walking, I realized it was idenical to how our walk with Christ should be.
The torch lit our path. I could see the next few steps in front of me, where I was supposed to go- but if I tried to look too much beyond my well lit path, past what the torch was revealing to me in those steps, I was blinded. It reminded me that we aren't supposed to see the whole picture. God knows wwhat is ahead, and He will guard my steps and shed light upon it when I get there. But right now, this is what I am supposed to see. This is what I am supposed to focus on. That is why it is lit.
Thank you Lord for lighting my path.
