Training camp! (Script below).
Video: Wesley Chandler
Script and voice over: Hannah Norris
Footage Contributor: Connor Gaul, Megan Gabriel, Maggie Roy, Jezie Pelayo, Breanna Elizabeth
Training camp.
10 days.
10 days of holy cow, this is a lot, airport sleepovers, Starbucks espresso shots, “I’m so tired” eye-bags, reckless abandon worship, “yes in your spirit” ceremonies, “is this really a cricket” lunches, dance parties, “I don’t want to leave”, total bliss.
These 10 days were filled with so many laughs, brokenness, prayer, supplication, deep conversations, and memories.
Each of these moments were memories that we built, together, to set ourselves up well as individuals, as teams, as a squad.
Training camp was merely a peek into what the next 11 months will look like.
Community, feedback, constructive criticism, encouragement, hurt, pain, shame, grief, forgiveness, reconciliation, and a whole lot of love.
Each positive moment was celebrated with a “we are meant to be here.”
Each negative moment was followed by a debrief: an intentional conversation about how we can better reflect the character of God.
The daily schedule of training camp was a combination of tearing down camp, spending an hour with the Lord, sitting with our squad mates in worship/sessions/trainings, playing out field scenarios where we learn to navigate difficult situations, building relationships with our squad, and setting up camp again.
We have the best leadership.
We have leaders who fight for us, invest in us, ask us tough questions, and at the end of the day are primarily concerned with seeing us grow and learn more about who Jesus is.
Training camp was really good, but training camp was also really hard.
Our leaders, and the Adventures in Missions staff, challenged us to dig deeper into the hurt and unforgiveness that still existed in our hearts.
They asked us to explore the shame and guilt we allowed to reign king over our hearts.
They encouraged us to ask the Lord direct questions and listen for his voice.
“Ask the Lord,” they said.
We asked the Lord. We heard the Lord. And we SAW Him moving in and around us.
We were challenged in our pride, our stubbornness, our comfort zones, and our naivety.
We were encouraged in our strengths, our unity, our humility, and our ability to be interrupted.
We ventured out into the Gainesville, Georgia community and shared the life and love that had been poured into us with neighbors.
We asked who needed prayer, and laid hands on people who needed healing.
Why? Because we were challenged (by the same incredible leadership) to stop putting God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in a box, and allow Him, 3 in 1, to work in ways we never imagined we would witness.
We launch in just under two weeks. (one week now!)
Two weeks.
We returned from training camp five weeks ago today.
These weeks, I think for all of us, have been incredibly difficult.
We have experienced loss, grief, temptation, fear, anxiety, — BUT GOD. The enemy is fighting us because he thinks he will stop us from launching and sharing the love of our Good, Good, Father.
The harder he fights us, the more he wants to hold us from our potential and calling. I see these battles as encouragement – testament that our teams and squad will do incredible work for the Kingdom, only by obeying and following Him.
Not our will, but Yours be done.
As we prepare to launch, we ask for prayer – for complete and total provision: financially, spiritually, and physically.
For safety, ease of mind, and peace.
For our families, who are excited and a little anxious for us.
For our leadership, who pour and pour into us without second thought.
And that Holy Spirit would be ever present in all we say, do, and think.
That the love of God would intrude hearts and overtake lives, and that people would just say “yes” to life with Jesus.
We are saying “yes” – as individuals, as teams, and as a squad.
We love y’all, and can’t say thank you enough for following, encouraging, and praying.
All the love,
N-squad
