I’m a firm believer that God can use anything to speak to us. There are so many examples of this throughout the Bible! Remember when He spoke to Moses out of a burning bush? (Exodus 3 & 4) Or the time He spoke to Balaam through a Donkey? (Numbers 22:21-39) Well during training camp God used something very unexpected speak to me, a Lanyard. Yes, a lanyard! No, the Lanyard didn’t miraculously start speaking to me or anything like that, it was actually quite the opposite. Let me tell you how it happened…
For those of you who don’t know, I was suppose to start my World Race journey in September of this year with my old squad, Z squad. I had spent almost a year getting to know them and getting really close to them during our Training Camp (July 2015). However, unexpectedly, I found myself not launching with them and instead scrolling through their pictures of their time in Uganda and Rwanda. It hurt so much to know I wasn’t with them and knowing that my journey on the World Race was being deferred. I wrestled with the idea of having to get to know a whole new squad and worse yet, having to do training camp all over again. I just didn’t know how I was going to fit in with a new squad so late in the game and didn’t know how I was going let go of my old squad when I had already become so attached to them. I remember I even had a dream where I was at training camp with my new squad and while everyone was wearing their orange squad shirts, I was still wearing my purple Z squad one. After telling my squad coach about it, she told me that I had had that dream because I was still grieving over Z squad.
Finally October 15, 2015 rolled around, the first day (of my second time) at training camp. I found myself nervous and hesitant. What if I don’t fit in with them? What if they don’t like me? What if this is all a mistake and God isn’t actually calling me to leave in January?
What happened next, I will never forget! During our women’s retreat (the men on our squad were off on a 18 mile hike) we had several workshops, or what the World Race calls them, “break out sessions.” We could choose from just two to go to and so the first one I chose was called “Disciplines of Intimacy” which was facilitated by my awesome squad mentor, Beka! The session was about ways on how to achieve intimacy with Jesus. Closer to the end of it, Beka asked each of us to close our eyes and picture a place with Jesus. As I closed mine I saw a huge open meadow with two random bean bags in the middle of it. Don’t asked me how the bean bags got there because I have no idea haha. As I went to sit down on one of bean bags, I saw a man walking towards me, it was Jesus! He sat down in the bean bag in front and I just remember I started weeping. He reached over and gently pushed my hair out of my face with His fingers and then wiped my tears. Through my sobbing I asked Him, “Do I belong?” I remember I was wearing two lanyards each with my name on it. One was purple which represented my old squad, Z squad and the other was orange, which represented my new squad, D squad. Each lanyard had been given to me at the beginning of each training camp. And then, the most beautiful thing happened. Instead of answering my question, He reached over and slowly removed my purple Z squad lanyard from around my neck and then put it in His pocket, leaving me with just my orange D squad lanyard.
I remember the tears continued to stream down my face as I opened my eyes and shared what I had seen with the group. Even Beka began to tear up. I remember feeling so much joy and so much peace and shared what had happened with my squad that night over a camp fire. Throughout the rest of my time there Jesus began to show me just how much I belonged on my squad and also on my new team, Team Rhema! I could literally see how He had orchestrated everything so intricately like a beautiful quilt woven together.
I want to encourage you today. Those of you who are starting a new chapter in your lives, those of you who maybe just moved to a new place, or maybe started a new job. Or maybe you are in a familiar place and are tired of being there, know that God has you there for a reason. Know that He has specifically orchestrated everything around you and is in total control. Know that that is where you will grow. And know that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
_____________________________________________________
Now that you’ve heard a little bit about my story, will you help me launch with me new squad? I am currently $3,487 away from my next deadline (Dec. 18th). Will you consider supporting me today? 🙂
