Training camp. (May 18-25) This stuff is REAL.
Real love. Real growth. Real pain. And through it, hearing the Real voice of the Lord.
Does this mean I wasn’t expecting training camp to be real life? Well, I think I expected to go and get prepared for the World Race mission field. To meet my squad, sleep outside, and listen to some tips about ministry. Sure, all of that happened, but looking back, that’s not what training camp was about.
The heart of Adventures in Missions is, well, the heart. Instead of hearing details and advice about what we would be doing, we heard what the Lord says about our hearts. Training camp was a time to get our hearts filled and united by the Spirit. Because lets get REAL, if you’re not following the Spirit of the Lord in ministry, what’s the point?
So here's a cool story: The Lord spoke to me through one of my friends at camp and said that although I often think I am overlooked, He has never overlooked me and He cares for me deeply. That was huge. I think I had grasped that the Father loved me, but that it was with a love that covers everyone. It has been a slow process learning that He cares for me individually, He wants to hear from me, and He wants to walk with me, even through the messy stuff.
This tenderness is where the empowerment comes from! Allowing the Lord to work out the lies and the pain in my past allowed me to feel a more powerful joy. I am so thankful to have experienced it, and so blessed by a lot of similar stories from my squad. I saw my friends be embraced by the Father, who lovingly transforms our lives, our entire lives, for His glory.
These are all the squads that will be launching in July (R squad is in blue). This was taken before squad wars, which we won! #justsayin
At the beginning of the week I was seriously doubting, thinking to myself, “Am I really trading my community in Atlanta for this one?” It’s true, ou[R] squad is weird. These are people from all over the U.S. (and Canada), aged 21-35, with different interests, personalities, church backgrounds, and inner fat children (shoutout to Gwen). But this weirdness is what the Kingdom looks like! After spending a week with these people and hearing their stories, I have no doubt that this community is gonna be good! Now, post-training camp, I’m counting down the days till I’m re-united with this family at July launch!
Night 3 – We’ll just let this picture speak for itself.
Team Sweet Somethings – I am so excited to do ministry with these guys!
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