So it's been a crazy couple of weeks. World Race training camp is in full swing and Bri and I have been in and out for worship and spending time with soon to be Racers. Worship has gone to such an intimate place and the response has been tremendous. God is most definitely on the move. We had to say goodbye to last weeks camp (which had about 130 racers) only to welcome another wave of about 170 racers this past Saturday! Yipes! I restate…it's been a crazy couple of weeks. 
I personally love training camp. Not only do I love leading the worship and see racers enter into God's presence with such joy, I also love seeing the passion and intensity increase day by day as they become more sure of who Jesus really is and who they truly are in Him. The bible has some pretty sweet words that describe our standing in Christ. We are chosen, sons and daughters, joint heirs,royalty, righteous, a holy people, adopted, saints, seated in heavenly places, loved of God, more than conquerors!…and that was just off the top of my head! It's crazy when you really begin to see our true identity spelled out in scripture. And you know what's even crazier??? IT'S THE TRUTH! No matter how I feel, no matter what circumstance comes my way, no matter how great my sin may seem…It's still TRUE! Praise Jesus!!! I love to see people embrace that truth and watch as that truth changes the way they worship. 
I also love training camp because it brings me back to the time when Bri and I stood in those shoes and had our worlds rocked by Jesus. We experienced so much freedom, life, healing, unity, passion, intimacy, and joy at training camp that it will always have a very special place in my heart. I will never forget a word that was given to me by one of the leaders at my camp. It changed me deeply. I hadn't told anybody this before but I grew up feeling very religious but not very relational with God. One day before camp started I actually had a picture come to mind of me as a big, dancing, circus bear on stage. I was juggling in one hand while riding a unicycle…I know..I'm a pretty skilled circus bear…anyways…the leader at camp made a B line for me right after one of his talks and he said this verbatim…"aren't you tired of being a performing circus bear for Jesus?" I had no words…I literally grabbed him as tight as I could and soaked his shoulder with my tears. I knew Jesus was trying to get my attention and introduce me to himself again as an intimate friend, a kind king, and a loving savior. I had lived most of my Christian life doing things for God from a place of trying to win his approval. I never realized…he is pleased with me already. He sees me as he sees Christ. Perfect, complete, righteous, holy and blameless. A shift happened in me that night. I began to live from a place of approval and not striving to attain it. It has been one of the most liberating revelations of my journey with Jesus.
I hope that whoever reads this will also get a taste of that same revelation. God is absolutely in love with you. You didn't do anything to earn it and you can't do anything to escape it. You can turn it away but it's still there relentlessly pursuing you. That's an amazing love from an amazing Father. Enjoy it and thank him for it today.
