Alright ladies and gentlemen here it finally is- the Training Camp blog [cue scary music]. Please excuse the two week delay the Lord was holding my creative juices hostage. However, not to fear, they are back! Okay, now let the serious-ness commence.
A question I get very often is “why?” Why are you doing this? Why would you want to leave? Why would you want to live out of a backpack for a year? Why do you want to go to different countries…etc, etc, etc.
I think (hope) the answer to all of these “why’s” can be answered with this blog. I want ya’ll to know that Training Camp stirred something inside of me that can only be described as one word: discontentment. Which is more clearly defined as “a longing for something better than the present situation.” After experiencing and seeing with my own eyes the power of our God at Training Camp I am completely and utterly longing for something better than my present situation. It made me realize that there is the whole other HUGE part of God that I am missing out on every single day because I hold God in a box, and I am tired of it.
Let me explain. I can think of no better example than this one: One night we were all sitting eating dinner and it is mentioned that one of the girls on my Squad popped her hip out of place and may have to have surgery. Well, the two girls next to me immediate responses are “why aren’t we praying for her right now?” And of course mine was “yum this dinner is good (fat girl diaries) I'll finish it and then head over there to see what’s up. It’s not like I can do anything she needs a doctor” Hello immediate conviction. They were right; why weren’t we, and why wasn’t that my initial reaction?
Well, if we’re being honest here we’re pretty much taught in America that if we’re hungry, we buy food; if we’re tired, we buy energy drinks; if we’re sick, we go to the doctor. What we’re not readily taught is that if you want something, pray for it [Matthew 7:7]; if you’re tired, rely on the Lord’s strength [Habakkuk 3:19]; if you are sick, pray for healing [Psalm 30:2]. When we read the Bible we see stories of Jesus healing the lame, giving the blind sight, giving freedom to those in bondage, but we are taught that those are just stories and they aren’t relevant today. But then we read verses like Hebrews 13:8 that tell us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. #BOOM. If He accomplished those things then, then He is definitely still able to accomplish them today. The women on my Squad get that. They fully believe in and worship the God of the Bible, not this Americanized version our society throws at us. Praise the Lord Training Camp gave me a taste of this and now I have this unquenchable desire to fully experience everything He has for me. I want to experience the God of the Bible. I want to see miracles performed in His name. I want to witness healings. I want to see freedom. I want to see His glory expand throughout the nations. I mean, don’t you? How beautiful would it be if we were all to break that mold? I mean just completely go against what our culture tells us and believe in the promises of God. I want to challenge you to break Him out of whatever box you have Him in and fully believe in the God of the Bible. It will change your life. I mean who knows, maybe you'll find yourself on an 11-month mission trip 🙂
So, after all this I think the most appropriate answer to the “why” questions should be “why not?”
