Safe haven. Rejuvenation.
Welcome to Camp Mabuya.
After three intense, crazy weeks, it was all over. In the blink of an eye we’re at our Leadership Development Weekend (LDW). Between being reunited with the rest of my squad, meeting the awesome people of D Squad (they are in month 7 on the race!), being healthy again, warm showers, good food, and WiFi, I was living the life.
It was a chill, relaxed day and I didn’t have any plans for the afternoon. As I was walking back from our tents to the lanai, Luke asked if I wanted to go running with him.
Honestly, I wasn’t entirely convinced. That morning I had a fleeting thought about working out and jumping into the pool, but the idea of finding work out clothes, having those clothes dirty, showering afterwards, and changing into new clothes on top of a travel day looming so near, plus the fact that it looked like it was going to pour at any second was not that enticing.
But once I started listing off all the reasons (excuses really) of why I shouldn’t go, I caught myself. Didn’t I sign up for a season of seeking adventure with my eyes wide open to God’s love all around me?
So on that note, I changed my clothes and we were off on our run.
Not even five minutes in, it starts to pour. Go figure. I mean we’re talking full on torrential downpour—to the point where you can barely see a few feet in front of you and the rain hurts as it pelts your skin.
Ouch.
Luke and I, stubborn as ever, decided to keep pushing onward against the relentless rain and blistering winds. Finally, we decide to take cover under a tree. There were little rivulets of water rushing around this tree and I mean in a mere matter of ten minutes there’s flooding occurring all around us.
It was intense and shocking to say the least.
So, what do you do when there’s a sudden torrential downpour? You have a mud fight in the pouring rain!
I was transported back to my childhood.
Laughing, shouting for joy at the top of my lungs, letting my hair down and just feeling God’s love wash over me.
After a time, well when we heard the ominous thunder in the distance, we decided to turn back. As soon as we turned around, the rain stopped hurting, the wind started gently pushing us onward, and we could see farther into the distance.
The difference between going against the storm vs. with it was like night and day.
It was so paradoxical—we had to run on a slight incline to get back home while trying to navigate through water coming up to our calves at times, yet it was ten times easier than going downhill against the storm.
This sudden storm parallels to the storm I’ve experienced this past month. It was short, but intense. I was stubborn in the beginning and ran away from what was happening—whether it was seeking comfort in TV shows, or watching movies, or complaining, or not loving on people. I was trying to seek out my own way to deal with my circumstances.
Yet in the midst of the storm, my foundation was still in Christ. My roots were so deep that even in the middle of a spontaneous storm, I was grounded and nothing could shake me. I had faith like a child—laughing, playing, enjoying the beauty of life, even though I shouldn’t have logically felt that way.
When I finally turned to seek God for perseverance and strength, He lightened my burden and made the path so much easier, which was crazy because my burden should’ve felt heavier with the situation that lay before me.
Though it took work, we were able to return safely into His arms. We jumped in the pool, which was a cherry on top of an epic adventure. Some of my squad mates joined in on the fun too, and it was wonderful and humbling to hold hands and jump into the pool together.
Through the storms, it’s important to have people who love you and can support you and are willing to jump all in with you.
After about 45 minutes, the storm passed. In this way, everything has a season.
But the real challenge is: What are you going to do when you’re suddenly caught in the middle of a storm? Are you going to fight against it and try to muscle through it on your own strength? Or are you going to surrender everything to God?
Choose wisely. It’ll blow your mind, but it’ll also make a world of a difference.
