After getting less than an hour of sleep Tuesday night, I boarded the plane bright and early Wednesday to be in fellowship and community with other future racers, for a Women’s Conference called Beauty for Ashes. Don’t get me wrong though, when I say “Conference”….. that does NOT mean fancy hotel, nice hot breakfast and a king sized bed all to myself with the AC on full blast. To give you a visual.. here is the set up of my “Conference”…
The last two days I’ve been surrounded by 70 other women that are in the same boat as I am. We all have a unified passion and desire for reaching the lost.
The majority of us ladies showed up not knowing anyone, not knowing the itinerary, and honestly, not even know what we were supposed to pack for this upcoming shindig.
This retreat has been full of new experiences.. I have met a quarter of my team that I’ll be spending the next 11 months of my life with. I took my first ever bucket shower (freezing cold, I must add). I slept with nothing over my head other than the thin layer of my tent, on nothing but a sleeping pad, with no covers or blankets but a sleeping bag, and thin bug repellent liner.
I’ve opened up my life, and my heart completely to these people who just 48 hours ago I considered as “strangers”. Within two short days, they’ve already transitioned into being family. I’ve shared things I struggle with, fears I have, mistakes I’ve made, as well as things I’m good at, how Christ has truly transformed my life into a new creation through his redemption, things I’m excited about and my passion I have for the Latin American culture and community.
NOW…
the real deal starts tomorrow.
The last two days have been somewhat “glamourous” in comparison to what I am expecting out of this next week entitled “Training Camp.” The World Race Training Camp is used to prepare future Racers for anything that could possibly come up while half way across the world. Things I expect out of this upcoming week (some of these things are due to my imagination going free, and some is from of bits and pieces that former Racers have slipped up and accidentally let slide)…
*most difficult week of my life.
*to be stretched Spiritually like I’ve never been stretched before.
*to smell really bad, with limited showers.
*sleep in my tent, with sleeping bag/pad.
and most important, I’ve been encouraged to:
*EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
PS- I hope to have another blog posted again after training camp to tell you how training camp REALLY ended up looking like. Where my expectations were correct, and areas I was wayyy off of what really happened.
PSS- This is what a HOUSE PARTY looks like when your “house” is a very small tent. #girltime
Please be in prayer for my team and I as we meet each other, and go deep in the Word together within this next week.
