Launch was basically a training camp packed into two days. We got there Wednesday night and went straight to our hostels that night. The next day started with worship and talks that centered around the Spirit, feedback, the World Race culture, and letting go of expectations. This was not as intense as training camp, but it was definitely needed on my part.
I had forgotten/lost sight of who I really am since I came home from training camp and I was reminded of that during launch. Even though I helped lead a kids camp that was centered around our identity in Christ, I still had lost sight of that. Something else that has helped facilitate change in me is believing what others speak over/prophecy about me. Its so easy to see things in other people, but so hard to see good in myself. And I’m not only believing these things, I’m putting them into action. I’m becoming more confident and more so the man that God created me to be.
I’m gonna preface this next section and say that I’m still trying to figure out and seek the Lord’s guidance as to the event that happened that I’m about to tell you about. Thursday night, the talk was on the manifestation of the Spirit through prayer language, which they referred to as tongues. I wanna be completely open to what God would do through me and I’m completely open as to however the Spirit wants to manifest itself in me. Anyways, at the end of the service, we gathered around some people who were under the weather so we could lay on hands and pray for them. While in that circle, I had the oddest compulsion to pray in tongues/pray in the Spirit and I was like, “Whoa now, I don’t do that.” As soon as I thought that, I remembered what was just said in the message. Mike said to just go for it, if you don’t pray in tongues, no big deal. We won’t know what could happen unless we trust Him and take that step of faith to just go for it. As soon as I remembered that, I opened my mouth. When I did, something just came out that I didn’t know what it was and it kinda freaked me out a bit…. I did it very quietly because I didn’t want someone to overhear me and think something negative, although I don’t think that would happen. When this happened, I was just instantly at peace and my soul found such a rest as I’ve never experienced before. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure out what happened. I just wanna be real with God and I don’t wanna do something that is not real. I’ve been around so much fake tongues, and that isn’t what I want to be. I just wanna be open and real with Him.
So launch ended with something that I couldn’t have thought of anything else better. We had a semi-commissioning service Saturday night and it was so good! After that we went to a nearby park where one of my squad-mates was baptized, She was saved at training camp and was following through with baptism. Such a good way to end launch.
Well, after spilling all that, know that God is doing amazing things in me and in my team and that my entire team is devoted to the furtherance of the Gospel and the Kingdom!
