You know I seriously did try but there just isn’t one word to sum it all up.
When people ask me how it went I just look at them and with all my heart say, “It was soooo good!” But that simply does not communicate all that I want it too, so I instantly go into stories of what we did, who I met, and what the Lord has been teaching me. But even a few minutes of stories don’t seem to sum it all up. Nevertheless, though communicating what I experienced alongside my squad spiritually, physically, and mentally in a few hundred words is a bit intimidating I’m going to give it my best shot.
- Quick context: My squad is 28 individuals all across the US, with 1 lovely Aussie and 1 New Zealander. Training camp was for 10 days at Adventures in Missions base in GA. It was all tents, bucket showers, and very packed mostly sunny days.
I could begin by telling you the story of frantically packing for both a wedding and the Race with the help of my sweet community the night before getting to stand beside my best friend and share in a wedding that still brings me to tears as I think about all the Lord has done. The joy of that day is something I will always treasure, and the picture of ditching the bridesmaid’s dress and throwing on my Chacos and backpack to catch a red-eye to Atlanta is too comical to forget.
I could tell you about my anticipation and excitement as fellow racers trickled in through the Atlanta baggage claim, and I got to meet my squad-mates for the first time! Racers are very easy to spot, which I am so thankful for, because the conversations, introductions, and life stories we shared while waiting for the shuttle were just so encouraging.
I could tell you that I learned very quickly to pack my toothbrush in my daypack at camp for sleep scenarios were a certainty. I have stories from nights when “the bags got lost at the airport,” “your host only has one room for your squad,” “your flight was delayed and you must spend the night in the airport,” and “you must pack everything to make you ferry crossing in time.” They were so practical and yet never necessarily comfortable, but my squad took on each one in stride.
I could tell you all about how simply powerful our worship time was as each session personal walls were brought down, and we began to come before the Lord just as we were, without any masks. This time was perhaps my favorite part! My squad is one of 5 launching this August, and I will never forget looking around the packed room and seeing the power and freedom of so many believers completely surrendered to the Father just worshipping Him. It was raw and it was real and so full of life.
I could talk to you forever about the community and comradery that I experienced with my squad as we shared meals together. Each day was a different theme, so we had Indian, African, Asian, ect. inspired meals, and I was blown away at the intentionality of the conversation throughout the whole camp. Regardless of whether I was talking with my squad, previous alumni racers, or other teams, they wanted to know the real me and never failed to offer encouragement in the Lord, generally over a bowl of rice.
I could tell you about our training and how it truly started by focusing on our personal relationships with Christ and moved into deeper discipleship and cultural training and so much more. I’m still digging into topics we discussed such as “what is the Kingdom of God,” “what/who is Jesus the way to,” and “what does it mean to say life is ministry and ministry is life?”
I could hardly begin to tell you about the team challenges, our fitness hike, and all of the conversation and relationship that took place in those 10 days. I remember thinking it was almost unreal the day we left that I had only just met these people, because we had been drawn so close in relationship, mission, and fellowship in that time. I walked away that day, to get on the bus, known, accepted, and uniquely appreciated, and I know everyone else on my squad did as well. The community and support within my team and my squad as a whole is so Christ. He makes it different and He makes us authentically united in spite of all of our different backgrounds, stories, and personalities.
I can tell you with sober, humbled excitement that I cannot wait to be a part of what the Lord will do in and through this squad for the next year and for the rest of our lives. My identity will never be in the Race but rather always in Christ, and AIM echoed this idea by stressing again and again this is only a year of our lives. They want to teach and equip us to seek the Lord and follow Him no matter where we are, whether it is abroad or in our own backyards.
It’s all about Him and about His Kingdom and His glory!
I would love prayer for my team! They are seriously so amazing and will be my family indefinitely for these months on the Race. Please feel free to follow their stories as well. Starting from the left: Daniel, me, Amber, Hadassah, Allison, and Tyler.
I would also so appreciate prayer for my heart as well. The Lord has been revealing and healing many lies about my identity and purpose that I accepted, and is walking me through each day of this rather hard season of goodbyes and preparation before launch.
Finally, I have a financial need of about $3,000 by this July 20th in order to meet my next checkpoint of raising $10,000. God has been so good in providing for this trip, and I cannot stress how much your encouragement and support means to me! I am just incredibly blessed and humbled by it and all the glory goes to the Lord for it.
Thanks so much again for sharing in this journey—start to finish! Sorry this one was a long one.
Blessings,
Breanna
