Photo courtesy of one of my awesome squad mates, Jake Schroeder!
A little over a week ago I traveled down to Georgia for World Race training camp, where I would be staying in a tent, going to seminars, learning more details about what to expect on The Race and to meet the people that I will call my family for the next year. I had absolutely no idea what to expect out of this week, and to be honest I was, to put it mildly, terrified. The moment I stepped off that plane was the moment that the reality of this whole crazy World Race fantasy would sink in. The minute I walked up to the people who I would be traveling the world with and introduced myself was the moment we would be bonded together as a family. There would be no reversing it and going back to simply knowing them by their Facebook profile and hiding behind my compute screen. The World Race would suddenly become real life, and I wasn’t quite sure how I would react to that. Would I laugh? Would I cry? Would I retreat in fear? Would I ignite with excitement?
Well, I’m here to tell you, I did all of the above. Training camp was everything I was afraid of and more incredible than I could have ever imagined. It was the shortest and longest week of my life. God taught me so much in a mere 7 days: a lot of which I am still processing a week and a half later. Though I could share enough stories and spiritual moments from training camp to make your head spin, I will do my best to condense it. So here is goes: 10 things I experienced during my week at World Race training camp…
1 Had my limits tested, both physically and emotionally
Every day was a battle. Whether it be waking up at 6 each morning to pack up everything I had and throw it on my back only to hike for 30 minutes in the rain, or the spiritual growth and the emotional draining I experienced after each seminar as God continuously broke down the walls of my heart.
2 Ate some crazy weird stuff
The food at training camp, to put it lightly, was less than extraordinary. It did not include any of the things we are used to in a meal as Americans. Concepts such as: Options: not a thing, Caffeine: non-existent. Variety: Not really. Flavor: If unseasoned rice, noodles and cold French fries have a flavor than yes… Each day we had a different type of cuisine (Asian, Latin American, European, Indian and African) and we had to eat based on the cultural norms being represented that day. This meant sometimes not using silverware, sitting on the floor, eating with your hands (some days only your left, some days only your right), women serving the men, and so on. In conclusion, it was not the most exquisite dining experience, but I learned that I’m capable of handling more than I think. This picky eater made it through the week and ate every meal she was given. That gives me hope.
3 I had a few throw downs with God
During my week in Georgia, God and I got into a few tiffs. And by tiffs I mean more like all out, throw down, “hold my earrings” brawls. Things got intense. But it was much needed. The outcome: I learned how to hear God. I learned how to put my faith and trust in Him, even when I don’t feel him present. I learned that even when I question him or unleash my anger on him, he won’t let me fall.
4 I fell in love
At training camp I fell madly, deeply, passionately in love.
I fell in love with 46 amazing individuals who I have the privilege of traveling the world with over the next 11 months. This is F Squad, or as we call ourselves (F)amily. We got real close, real fast (I’m talking day 2: 3 girls, 1 tent, 1 sleeping bag and some serious spooning). I can’t wait to take on the nations with these crazy people.
I fell in love with my team. These five beautiful girls will be my roommates, my support system and my sisters during this journey. I am so excited to learn from and grow with these beautiful women of Christ over this next year.
I fell in love with the next year of my life.
I fell in love with who I am in Christ.
5 Encountered the supernatural, awe-inspiring presence of God
This week there were a lot of teachings on the Holy Spirit and what it feels like to be filled with Him. This is something that was unfamiliar to me. I knew about the Holy Spirit, but I had never felt Him. That is until one night of training camp, when a body of 250+ believers joined together and invited the Holy Spirit to come. Some crazy, amazing things happened that night. Everyone was affected differently and experienced the Holy Spirit in their own way. For me it was a sense of calmness. I felt this peace washing over me like a river. I felt a warm presence on my shoulders, the way a father rubs his child’s shoulders to comfort them. It was apparent enough that I nearly turned around to see who was touching me. It was then that I realized it way MY father comforting ME: His child. I felt so safe in His arms. There were a few other times that week that I got to experience the same peace and presence of the Holy Spirit in me. I experienced healing: physical and emotional (more on that to come). I experienced His love washing over me. And that’s a feeling I want to have for the rest of my life.
6 Experienced true freedom
I will tell you, I have never felt so free as the night my squad camped out in the woods. Cooking food over the fire, playing silly games together, sharing my hopes and fears and the depths of my soul with my new family like it was light conversation. I slept in my hammock under the stars that night, listening to the sound of the crickets, basking in the peace and love of my creator.
I obviously didn’t take this photo. But doesn’t it make you want to sleep under the stars?
7 Danced hard and laughed harder
This week was filled with pure, child-like joy. Whether it came from the many dance parties my team had, jumping into the lake at midnight while simultaneously washing our hair in the lake to avoid the long shower lines (150+ girls and 4 showers, what else were we supposed to do?). Exploring the small town for Cartersville, Georgia with my team. And just being crazy and goofy with the people I had met only a few days earlier. It was awesome.
8 Watched Jesus “shout down” my walls
We sang a song at training camp. The chorus was “Shout down my walls Jesus”. As we sang, I closed my eyes and the image that came to my mind every time the band sang this phrase was that of me sitting in a small house with no door. From the inside, the walls of this house looked like they were made of brick. They were impossible to break through and I was trapped. Then I saw the house through Jesus’ eyes. From the outside it was made of cardboard: flimsy and weak. When the band sang “Shout down my walls Jesus”, I saw Him shouting words of love and forgiveness at this house. As he shouted, the powerful breeze of his breath blew the flimsy walls of my house right down and I was set free. What I saw as indestructible, Christ blew away like a flimsy leaf of paper. And that’s what he did with my walls this week. He shouted his love and grace at me and my walls came crumbing to the ground.
9 I learned what it feels like to have the devil attack me and how to call him out
As I felt God begin to break down some of my walls and as I allowed myself to embrace vulnerability in Christ, the enemy decided it was an opportune moment to attack my heart. As I opened up to others around me or decided to seek prayer and council from my teammates and leaders, here are some of the things the devil spoke over me: “Stop it Jordan. You don’t need to be asking other people to pray for you or take up their time with your issues. They are dealing with issues of their own, you don’t need to make it all about you. This isn’t the Jordan Chepke show. Sit down and be quiet.” Or he told me, “Why would you get that personal with these people you don’t even know? You want them to like you don’t you? What a great introduction: ‘Let me just tell you my biggest regrets and how broken I am.’ They’re never going to like you now that they know you’re not a good Christian. Nice going, idiot.” These were the words spoken to my heart in my most vulnerable moments. And if I’m being honest, I listened to them. But each time I began to obey these words of discouragement spoken on my heart, God stepped in. As I began to retreat back to my tent, now filled with shame and the burden of handling my pain on my own, God sent someone to literally intercept me. Before I knew it, I was being pulled onto a couch next to someone who asked to pray over me, or stopped by someone who asked if there was anything weighing on my heart that they could talk with me about.
This week I learned to recognize the devil’s voice, so that I can call him on his crap. But more than that, I learned that even when I fall a victim to Satan’s trickery, if I am resting in God’s hands He will commandeer me. He will grab me by the hand and pull me out of the enemy’s line of fire.
10 I finally understood the meaning behind the phrase “less is more”
Holy moly. Carrying your life on your back is no easy task. Between my frustration with packing up my excessive amount of unnecessary clothing and heavy gear and the pain in my shoulders upon my return home, I’d say I’ll be taking great strides to shed some lbs off my pack. While unpacking I realized that I wore less than half of the clothes I actually brought. This is the life of an over packer; this is going to be a tough one…
This was before I added a sleeping bag, first aid kit, toiletries and a few other items. I know it doesn’t look like a lot, but my backpack was jam packed and I didn’t use even half of these clothes! I know what you’re thinking, “Not even half? So you didn’t change your clothes all that many times? Didn’t you stink?”… the answer to that last question is yes, yes I did.
I will be heading to Atlanta for launch on June 30th and leaving the country on July 3rd! The vision of this incredible World Race Journey is finally starting to become real. However, for it to truly become a reality, I will need some help. I am still roughly $12,000 away from my total fundraising goal. More specifically, in order to launch on July 3rd and embark on this journey, I will need to raise $3,500 more by June 14th. If you would like to be a part of my World Race journey, please consider supporting me through prayer and financially. To donate to my race just click the “Support Me!” tab on the left side of this page! Please continue to keep my squad, my team and myself in your prayers as we prepare for launch and throughout the next year. As always, if you have any questions or just want to catch up, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Much love,
Jordan
