On Wednesday, May 14th I found myself sitting a pizza parlor on my way down to Georgia. Training camp was to start that weekend and I’d decided to break up the long drive with some rock climbing. I’d forgotten my journal but I wanted something to pass the time while I waited for friends, so I grabbed a piece of paper towel and began to write. This is what was transcribed:
May 14, 2014
So I’m in Kentucky right now about to start one of the most epic weeks of my life – World Race training camp! It starts Saturday in Georgia and I’m SO excited. I’m a little nervous, but mostly excited. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be called to do this! It’s a crazy adventure that I am made for and my squad is amazing! Every single one of them! And just when I start to doubt, or become overwhelmed or just feel “over it” I see pictures of them on Facebook or see a post someone wrote on our group wall, and I fall in love with them all over again! I never expected to care so much for people I haven’t even met! It’s like they’re a part of me now, and I’m a part of them. We’re a force sent by God to light up his world. Each of us is called for a purpose and I’m so excited to see how we all mesh together, with our different personalities and quirks and life experiences. It’s going to be absolutely incredible. I’ve heard training camp is hard, but I think if we stick together like we’ve already done, we’re going to come out so strong! This journey is going to be insane. It will change hearts and lives and I’m so excited to see how God will move.
I decided to include that piece of writing because even though it was written beforehand, it is probably the closest I will ever get to describing training camp. It was a hard week! We were cold, and hungry and exhausted. We spent the first two days soaking wet and covered in mud. The food portions were less than filling and showers were few and far between, but the experience itself – the worship that happened, the healing that took place and the bonds that were formed, are not things I can put into words. I grew so much in those seven days. There was an intimacy with God that I hadn’t felt in a really long time. I was finally able to open my heart and trust Him again. And my squad? They are more phenomenal than I ever imagined they would be. They are strong. They are faithful, and they love unconditionally. There are no cliques, there’s no drama, and there’s no judgement. Just real, vulnerable people who are growing into the men and women God created them to be. They are my family. I love them with all my heart and when I tell people about our relationship, it shocks even myself to know that I just met them a short time ago.
So there you have it. I’ve spent nearly two weeks trying to write this entry, hoping the words would come to me. They haven’t. And I’ve started to realize that’s ok! Because true happiness; true freedom, is not something that can ever fully be described. All I can say is that I honestly feel like I got my first, sweet taste of heaven last month, and if that’s a precursor to the rest of the race, my world is about to be shaken.
Launch officially starts June 30th. On July 3rd, D-Squad will be departing the country for our first destination: The Dominican Republic!
I am still in need of $1,700 dollars in order to take this journey. I know God will provide and my hope is that he will provide through you. If you feel called to give, please click on the “support me” link on the left hand side. Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers and encouragement.
