A little bit of a life update. Exactly a week ago yesterday, I returned home from Gainesville, Georgia, which is where training camp was hosted. That’s right folks I made it through the craziness of training camp, and THE WORLD RACE IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. Of course it has been happening since I got accepted in September, but meeting everyone just made it feel really real. Anyways, I honestly have put off writing a blog about training camp, because I have no idea how to put everything into words or narrow everything down to one topic. Let me just say it was in(tents).
In(tents) physically
The only real “physical” activity, besides our dance competitions or other funky activities, was a 2.2 mile hike with all of our 40lb gear on. We had to complete it in less than 38 minutes as a team. This was the best worst hike I have ever done.. Soooo it really was not THAT intense physically. I kinda just wanted to use a pun, but you get the gist. Living conditions were not “comfortable”. We spent the two weeks sleeping in tents, and if you know me you know I am a grandma and need my sleep. From the heat, all the rain, waking up early enough to get in line for the bucket shower (yes bucket shower), not to mention the night we all woke up from a dead sleep to move inside due to lighting because well we didn’t want to die. Sleep was not flourishing, and neither was the coffee. Though one day for a “snack” the wonderful people at adventures in missions blessed us with black coffee, and I don’t think I have ever been so happy in my entire life. Regarding meals, everyday was a new culture for example we had “ Asia day,” “Africa day,” even a “coming home day” on the last day . We faced foods that we will face on the race, and that consisted of A LOT of rice, A LOT of rice, and SOME MORE rice. It also consisted of crickets, a thousand year old egg, a lot of questionable meat, and a ton of eating with your hands. Back to the whole bucket shower…..it was water, a bucket, and a scoop. I don’t know if it was the Georgia heat talking, but they were they most refreshing things ever. I could get used to those. We also used porta potties all week, and that was the opposite of refreshing. Training camp was a good glimpse of the living conditions on the race. Sleep won’t be the same as is it on my comfy, soft bed. The food won’t be the food I choose. The toilets will most likely be a hole in the ground. Everything I own will be in a backpack. Everything will be different. Im honestly so excited to be striped of earthly comfort, and filled with true comfort only Christ can provide.
Intense emotionally
Satan is really good at what he does…lie…He is good at strategically slipping in lie after lie inside our minds. The beginning of training camp was an emotional battle between me and satan. That was the problem, I didn’t give it to God. I was trying to do this and that to fix it all myself. I did not let the Holy Spirit and His word do the fighting for me. The Lord revealed to me why exactly he lead me to go through the armor of God in my blogs. I realized throughout the next nine months Satan will be attacking me and my squad more than ever before. He knows that the Holy Spirit is guiding us, and we are following with a yes in our spirits, which makes us a force to be reckoned with.
“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
-Ephesians 6:16
Let me tell you about my best friend…. THE HOLY SPIRIT….. Ruakh Yahweh ….. He is pretty great. He is with me CONSTANTLY. When I accepted Jesus into my heart, I also accepted the Holy Spirit to live within me. He brought my dead spirit to life!! I did not give him visitation rights I gave him habitation rights.. A wise but simple thing someone told me at training camp is that walking with the Lord IS NOT A FEELING. It is not a spiritual high. It is love. Pure genuine love. He is always right there. He is our partner. Our life companion. No matter what. No matter how we feel. The Holy Spirit does many things for us. He counsels us in right and wrong. He convicts, but NEVER condemns. He is our shepherd. His voice guides us in to the life that the Lord has planned for us. He intercedes for us to Abba. Romans 8:26-28 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
“And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord”
– Isaiah 11:2
The word Ruakh is used to describe the Holy Spirit many times in the bible. It is the Hebrew word for “wind” or “breath.” This is sooo beautiful, and here is why. Wind can be powerful, But most of the time it chooses to be soft. It is a whisper. You have to be still, and pay close attention to hear it. In the same way, to hear someone breathe you have to be up close and personal. Forehead to forehead. Cheek to cheek That is how we need to be with Ruakh Yahweh. We have to be still and seek him out to hear him. This world has so many loud obnoxious voices that fill our minds, and if we let them in, the soft whisper won’t be heard. I have learned that sitting in silence seeking that fathers voice is so important. The relationship with the Holy Spirit is a two way thing. It can’t just be you offering up requests 24/7, and not letting the Lord get time to speak. The Holy Spirit increases when we decrease. The words of the Holy Spirit and the bible go hand and hand. Whatever the Holy Spirit says is and always will be backed up by the bible. This is why reading His word is sooo crucial in discerning God’s voice.
So read. Be still. And listen. Satan hates it!!:)
On a completely unrelated note: THIS IS MY SQUAD!!!! (aka the squad always singing)
The 37 people I am going to be doing life with!! This is true community. Seeing these people for the first time in person was full of a lot of hugs and a lot of smiles. Defiantly one of the top ten moments of my life. I have never gotten so close with a group of people so fast. God knew what he was doing when he put us all together. Every person with their strengths and weaknesses has such a big role in this group. We have all been called for different reasons from all over the USA, with all different testimonies, different accents, different everything but same God. I am beyond blessed to be apart of this new family. <3
