Wow, X Squad just finished our ten day training camp in Gainesville Georgia. What a week and a half, what a group of people that have come into my life, and what a support team Adventures In Missions has provided. The Father is SO good.
As I left Phoenix heading towards Georgia, the closer I got to the location of training camp, feelings of doubt started to consume me. I was asking questions like what on earth am I doing, postponing a career, leaving an area of the country I love, leaving friends and family etc. The thoughts were snowballing to say the least. I was allowing negative emotions to attack my physical and emotional abilities. Training camp was about to deliver a knock out punch to much of my negative thinking, if not all.
Doubt about my physical ability. The rain was unrelenting during a large part of our training camp. Physically, we were tested. wet and damp for most of the beginning of training, the weather certainly gave us its best shot. At times we had to share our small two person tents with another for scenario purposes which made conditions even more uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the squad as a whole persevered and personally I actually became more comfortable as the week progressed. I am more than confident after training camp in the equipment and gear I will be living with during the next year. So looking forward to be able to utilize everything while traveling through all the countries.
Doubt about my emotional ability. I was giving power to thoughts like “You really do not want to do this” “You have nothing to contribute”, things of that sort. Fighting these thoughts that attack and cloud my perception can be difficult at times. Usually I am good at evaluating my emotions and perceptions and adjusting it to bring about a more positive outlook on my situation. Oftentimes community can play an integral part in bringing about positive change in our perceptions and training camp certainly delivered in this area for me. Though my time within the church community has been short (I have only started to worship Christ in August, Baptized on October 7th, 2018) I have been blessed to have such great examples of community since my acceptance of Christ. First at home, my time learning how to worship at Woodhaven Free Will Baptist and engaging with that small community set such a great foundation of what a supportive community should look like. While in Phoenix, Scottsdale Bible Church showed me what community in a larger metropolitan area should look like. I am so grateful for my time in Phoenix and the fellowship experienced there, including time spent with some World Race alumni. Now, through Adventures In Missions, I have seen what a community on the world scale will look like. From the top down, the leadership Adventures In Missions exposed us to was so inspiring for me. Session after session, worship and the sessions we attended broke down many walls of doubt, fear and shame for myself and so many others at training camp. There would be times a session would speak directly into my heart saying you can do this, other times it would be a squad member’s words that would lift up my heart at the perfect moment, further breaking those chains of negativity. The Holy Spirit is so good, knows all and delivers at just the right moment to break any chains holding us down. The first full day after camp I had moments in which I desired to be in close proximity to my new family. Once you experience the love and support from such a strong community, you yearn to be around that as much as possible. Thus is the love of Christ. I cannot wait for launch in August, be with and work for the Kingdom alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ for the next 11 months and most importantly, becoming more intimate in my personal walk with Christ. From my example and love for Christ, I hope and pray others will be compelled to seek the never-ending love and guidance from our Heavenly Father.
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