There is something strange and mysterious that happens at training camp. Something I didn’t expect to happen to me. When reading about it on other blogs I thought, “No way, these people are nuts! How is that even possible after only 7 days?” But it’s true and I’ve been proven wrong. It is indeed possible that after only a week of getting to know 51 people (not including our awesome squad leaders/mentors/coaches and film crew) with completely different personalities from all over that they have become like family. We have bonded over porta-potties, cold bucket showers, monstrous grand-daddy long legs invading our living spaces, chigger bites and curried covered fingers. Yet more than that brought us together. We rejoiced with each other, our hearts broke when someone on our team was hurting. We prayed bold fervent prayers together, we worshipped our Father together, we encouraged and pushed one another and we challenged each other to greatness. We shared the raw ugly and intimate places of our hearts together. It’s crazy how out of the blue you can look up and realize that 51 plus strangers now hold a special place in your heart. It’s crazy how you can go from seeing a room of randoms to seeing individuals all uniquely made in Gods image with a special and vital place in His Kingdom. It’s crazy how you can desire nothing but the best for them.
But it happened!
This is K Squad!
I wanted to share 9 Strawberries (highlights) from the week.
1. Freedom to Worship: I do not like dancing in front of people. I just don’t. As much as I love to dance alone the thought of dancing in front of others turns me into a nervous wreck. But thanks to the encouragement of my team mates by the end of the week I let loose. I was able to let go of whatever was holding me back and I embraced the many moments of dancing and living in the moment. *Whoop*
2. More Than Words: The guys on my squad are absolutely amazing men after God’s own heart. The way they worshipped and prayed and spoke life this week was mind blowing. “Our first priority is to protect.” These words were spoken by my friend Adam after an intense African Market simulation. They hit me like a ton of bricks. In that moment I realized that my natural response wasn’t to look to men as protectors. Yet this week I did and it was a blessing to see their words actually lead to action.
3. “Unforgiveness is the poison we eat hoping it will affect the other person.” But it doesn’t. It slowly kills you. It affects your relationship with God and with others. Unforgivess gives the devil a foothold in your life. I’m not saying that you should negate or ignore that which chased the unforgivess as if it never happened but I am saying that you should take it to God. Ask Him to help you forgive. To help you let it go. It may be easier to hold onto unforgiveness but ask yourself is it worth it?
4. “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6) During TC I was reading through the book of John and this questions stood out to me. Jesus wants to make us well. He wants to heal our hearts. He wants to free us up from years of bondage but the choice is yours. Trust me, I know its easier to hold onto past hurts and the lies that have been spoken over you. Sometimes these moments even bring you comfort like a warm fuzzy blanket because its all you’ve ever known but God has something better for you. He speaks words of love and encouragement, empowerment and freedom over you. He has abundant joy to give you, a new life waiting just for you if only you’d accept it.
5. “Live Dangerously.” Go where it hurts until it hurts no more. This year my squad and I have a choice to run and flee or go all in. No more toe touching to check if the water is the right temperature. We have a choice to jump in and embrace this year wholeheartedly. When pain arises we have a choice to run away only to find ourselves in the same place down the road or we can sit in it and let God work and speak. When someone is all up in our kool-aid we have the choice to let anger arise causing us to defend ourselves or we can hear them out, receive it and take it to God and get His opinion. Just because we can’t see the error of our ways doesn’t mean they aren’t there. It’s in these moments of pressing in that our faith grows immensely. I am thankful for the family God has placed around me this year to call greatness out of me even when it hurts.
6. “It’s going to be okay.” That one time during worship when God takes you back to a painful memory in your childhood that deals with your parents divorce. Yeaaaaah, that happened! “God, where were you in that?” As a child I remember saying, “I hope my parents never get divorced.” But they did. “Now what?” God is faithful. In that painful moment God showed me that He was right there with me. I saw Him sitting on the steps with me, holding my hand and playing with me and telling me, “It’s going to be okay.” And you know what? It has been okay. Yea it hurt, I cried a lot over the years, may have turned to some things I shouldn’t have as a way to cope but God is faithful. He has done such a work in my heart over the years and I can honestly say that “I’m okay!”
7. “God will do wonders with a willing heart.” I absolutely love stories. I love testimonies and this week I was blown away by the stories of victory and triumph, deliverance and freedom that were shared with me. The one thing all these stores had in common was that the bearers of these stories were willing to say “yes” to Jesus. They were willing to open their hearts to Jesus’ healing and the possibilities of a life with Him. I was reminded by Johnfrank of the wise words hollered by Kevin Garnett years back, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLLLLE!!!” So true! It’s possible that God can save, clean up and use jacked up people in crazy amazing ways. Which leads me to my next point…
8. In all the preparation for the race its easy to forget the main thing. I was reminded that this is not just some little mission trip we signed up for. God has mighty plans in store for His Kingdom and He wants to use His people to accomplish them. We have the chance to befriend the poor and rejected person who has never had a friend before. We have the chance to share love with the orphan who never thought love was a possibility for them. We have the chance to speak life into the person who has never been told they matter. We have a chance to be the hands and feet of Jesus taking His light to wherever He calls us.
9. “You have good handwriting.” As we were waiting for our next session to start I flipped through my journal looking for an empty page to write on and the person next to me told me I had good handwriting. I said “thanks” and starred at my journal in bewilderment thinking my handwriting was horrible. Oh man! Our perception of ourselves can be so jacked up sometimes. This was a small example but I got to thinking about the way the enemy lies to us, how he gets us to doubt ourselves, our God given gifts and talents. When people tell me that I’m a gifted photographer I’m quick to think “No, I’m not. I suck at this, I need to learn that.” and the list goes on. But what if I started embracing that. What if I started believing that maybe I am a great photographer. Not in a cocky way but in a way that praises God for how He has made me. What if we all immediately told Satan to shut the heck up when he tried to step to us with lies and doubts. What if we started taking hold of the good that people speak over us. What if we wholeheartedly clung to the words of love God speaks to us in His Word? We are our own worst critics. Lord, give us eyes to see ourselves the way you see us.
Here is the team I will be starting this journey with come September. Team Reptar!!
Yes, Reptar from Rugrat’s… it’s a long story!
This year we will choose to Respect and Encourage one another and those around us. We will trust in Gods Provision. We are a unit and will work Together in the work God places before us. Each day we will put on the Armor that God has freely given us and we will walk in the Redemption we have been given.
Please be in prayer for K Squad. This next month until launch will be one of the most important months for us. The enemy is going to try to throw all types of things in our paths to discourage us and try to stop us. Please be praying for our strength and that the unity we built at training camp will continue to grow.
Thank you!!
**pictures from the lovely Laura Ficken.
