Imagine hiking through a forest to find a waterfall. Once you reach it, you stick a sponge at the bottom and watch it try to soak in as much water it can. You see it experiencing the full-fledged force of the waterfall’s impact, but the sponge is clearly incapable of soaking in every drop.
To be completely over-the-top and dramatic, I am the sponge, and training camp is the waterfall. While I can’t possibly write about all of the mighty and bonkers things that the Lord did in and around me these past two weeks, I hope to tell my story in a matter that does it justice. The absolute best thing that happened to me at training camp, was that God showed me his character. I’ve always known the Lord, but simple knowledge doesn’t get you very far. I experienced him here.
Jehovah-Rophe : my God heals
Restoration has been one of the overarching themes of my experience at training camp. This past year, God had been pruning my life of things that held me back from him. He removed my friends, plans, free-time, relationships, comfort, and more. Basically, he was clearing a God-sized space for him to land. This past month he pruned my heart. Breaking all the chains I just couldn’t release, tearing out all the footholds and strongholds that I didn’t even notice anymore. He allowed me to finally set myself free and forgive myself and others for things I let weigh me down for far too long. He reminded me that my past doesn’t disqualify me from the plans he has for me. He reminded me that what I considered failures are just more testimonies of the goodness and faithfulness of God! He reminded me that I was BORN TO BE LOVED BY HIM, and nothing would ever change that. For the first time, I could breathe. For the first time, I could allow myself to be seen and loved just as I am. My reflection looks different now, I finally see myself how my God sees me. Powerful, kind, sparkly, a force to be reckoned with. He continuously pursued me and affirmed me. He is so intentional about how he loves us. He knows how I feel the most loved, and always found the perfect way to say “I love you, and I am so proud of you Em”. He knows me and loves me so well. He took a hardened heart and turned it to complete mush.
In him, I found Forgiveness. Freedom. Peace. My Healer. My Blessed Redeemer.
Jehovah-Jireh : my God will provide
Now that the Lord cleared up a landing space, you can bet your buttons he landed! He showered me with affirmations and gifts and promises. The best gift is, without a doubt, my squad. It’s wild to think that we were only together eleven-ish days. My soul seems to have known them much longer than that. I know my heart earnestly prayed for these people for as long as I can remember. God is so good, he is the best gift giver. He gave me about twenty six fellow believers from all over the country, burning with a passion and desire to pursue to Lord with everything they have to the ends of the earth. None of us the same. Each of us carrying different stories, different denominations, different victories and struggles, different hobbies and different life experiences. The one thing we have in common was our spirits. Such a rarity it is to find a kindred spirt, let alone twenty six-ish of them in one place. All set ablaze by a call to reach the unreached, to put the enemy in his place and make heaven crowded. Like a puzzle, we all fit so perfectly together to create the most beautiful image of the church, I know Jesus is rejoicing for this bride. We laughed, we cried, we laughed until we cried, we ate bugs, bugs ate us, we had a hundred dance parties and about a thousand group hugs. We went to war for each other, we prayed over each other, we worshipped, we healed, we encouraged and we pushed each other towards Jesus. No person greater than another, all equally loved and cherished so deeply. My spirit feels at home when I am with these believers. The Father provided me with a remarkable family. I don’t have to pretend, I don’t have to fix myself to be accepted here, I don’t have to be anything other than my genuine, authentic self. These folks are not of this world and I see the enemy trembling at our unity. We are warriors. We are sons and daughters of God. We are bold, and we love the Lord and others ferociously. We are turning the world upside down and bringing the Kingdom to places it’s never been before. Thank you, Abba, for providing everything I’ve ever wanted in a group of people.
He gave me Intimacy, Community, Belonging.
