So I recently got back from Training Camp. Want me to summarize? One word: Cray-C!!
I arrived on Saturday evening, set up my tent, got everything settled down and ready to go and started interacting with my squad-mates. Attempting to learn 50+ names at the drop of a hat can be quite the challenge (thank goodness for all the practice I’ve gotten from working at camp!). We were given some sandwiches for dinner and then headed to our first big opening session. We were told to let go of all of our expectations for the week (and even if we thought we didn’t have any, somewhere deep inside we did). After that, we were split up into separate locations by squads to talk about some different things. My squad wandered into the dining hall and were met by the head of the WR. Here’s where life at training camp got crazy for the first time that week.
Here’s a little backstory to help everything make more sense. About two weeks before training camp, the WR staff announced that the program had just gotten too big. Too many people were going on the Race and the 4 squads just couldn’t handle that many people. When there are that many people on each squad, traveling gets harder, discipleship gets harder, ministry gets harder. It just isn’t as effective as it could be. So the staff made the decision to add a 5th squad to launch in January. They asked people to volunteer to switch and many did.
Now back to training camp. Bill walked into the room, explained that several people had already switched and that was fantastic. However, not enough people had switched from our specific squad and we were still running on numbers that were way too high. He needed more volunteers. Needless to say, the thought of switching squads (and therefore routes) seems totally insane. If you know me at all, I enjoy being in the know and having control over my life and what’s going on (I’m a hard-core J for all you Myers-Briggs out there!). As far as the Race is concerned, Racers don’t really get a whole lot of information (and for our benefit), but that can be super hard for me. And yet there, sitting in the dining hall, facing a moment I had a deep guttural feeling was going to come, God said “let it go”. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go.
For one second, I trusted God to lead me to where I needed to be, to trust that He would guide my steps, and that even if I didn’t know where I was going (I had literally glanced at the new route once and didn’t even know which countries were on it) He would be there with me every. single. moment. Let it go, Courtney, I’ve got this. I stood up, walked to the front of the room, and switched squads.
I am now officially on C Squad and will be traveling to:
Honduras
Guatemala
El Salvador
Albania
Bulgaria
Malawi
Zambia
Mozambique
Thailand
Cambodia
Malaysia
Each country will be a new and fresh reminder that I need to let it go and let God take control. The World Race is not about the countries I’m going to but about the work God has already planned for us! As I travel across the world, I will be reminded of His passionate love and plan for my life in each and every new country.
What is God asking you to let go of in this season of your life? Maybe it’s not 11 countries you are stoked to visit and minister to, but there’s something. You know it. I know it. He knows it.
Let it go!
P.S. Here’s the song that’s been playing in my head for months. My WR anthem? I think so.
