“Free people free people.”
These are the words I heard on day three of camp that set off an inner transformation.
It has been two full weeks since I have been home from training camp. When I finally made it back, I knew that my life had already begun this new transformation- a transformation that I never knew I needed or even wanted. The 10 days I spent in Gainesville, GA were some of the most amazing days I have experienced. Although we all were covered in sweat and red Georgia clay for the entirety of camp, it was clear that God wasn’t afraid of our lack of cleanliness. The first night at camp I remember retreating back to my tent after a long day of social interaction and thinking how much God was going to impact my squad throughout these 10 days. But I had this strange thought and insecurity that God wouldn’t work in me while at camp. I said, “Sure, this week is going to transform people… but not me.” Nevertheless, I prayed that God would show up and work in me in whatever way He wanted and I prayed that I wouldn’t leave training camp unchanged.
On the morning of day three, all 300 of us filed into the session room where our musky stench immediately filled the room. I somehow mustered the courage to sit front row (not a typical Kyndal Cody move). As worship began, I received a huge rush of emotion. We began our morning singing and worshiping which, in itself, is so beautiful. The sound we created was absolutely stunning. A few songs in, the worship leader stops singing and asks us all to think of the “worst” thing that God has ever done to us. She then explained that despite this, God was still good and He is still worthy of our love and praise. She explained that there is no way that we could understand His ways. This is what set off my transformation. I finally realized that God and I had some things to work through.. After thinking of this time or event, we all sang and wrestled with the next song played, “Good Good Father” by Chris Tomlin. The line proclaiming “You are perfect in all of your ways” was the line that I wrestled with throughout the week.
Throughout camp this song was played many, many times… We sang it with the worship band. We sang it as a squad when we were told to have team worship. We even had it sung to us by a fellow squad as we took cover under a tarp in the pouring rain. Not only did we sing it audibly multiple times, but I sang it over and over again in my head. No matter how hard I tried, I could not pause the lyrics that played on repeat both in my head and in times of community worship.
*Nerd Alert* My friend and I have recently discovered this is a concept called synchronicity, defined as “the coincidental occurrence of events that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality.” So either it was simply chance that this song was played over and over again or it was played for a specific reason. This reason being that possibly by the end of camp I would sing these lyrics and actually believe that God truly is perfect in ALL of his ways. I felt a certain kind of freedom after leaving the air conditioned session room. Previously, I would make my way out of the semi-cool room and dread going back into the scorching Georgia heat, but that day I felt a change of heart. I felt excited to leave because then I could go out and share the freedom I encountered. That day I experienced freedom that would give me the ability to help God free other people as I go about my life.
I had the thought that maybe time would allow me to understand the best way to compile all of what I experienced emotionally, spiritually, and physically into a perfectly written blog, but I have realized that this experience was not about me. It was about God. It was about the freedom that he offers to all of his children. It’s about finding freedom in God wherever it may apply in your life. Freedom in God is always there for you to accept, it is just a matter of asking God to give it to you. Our understandings are not comparable to God’s. We just have to ask that He shows you how to trust in Him and His ways. Ask that He teaches you how to forgive, how to run back to His arms, how to remove fear from your life. If you ask, you will receive. God is on our side and nothing could ever make him love you less. God isn’t scared of you. Scream. Yell. Cry. And then seek freedom in our God who desires intimacy with you.
“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:8
We are free to walk beside the God who has called us a child, His own workmanship, a disciple, and a member of His body. We can approach God with freedom and confidence.
I am ready. I am prepared. I am here to be fierce for The Lord and to stand firm in my beliefs. I am here to know him closely. I am here to help bring His hope, love, and freedom to the nations. Transformed people transform people. And I am confident that training camp transformed me into a person God wants to work through to transform and free others.
On August 3rd I will head to Atlanta, GA to being the process of launch!!
Exciting Ministry News: For the first three weeks in Guatemala I will be doing ministry in Antigua with my squad of 38 people and then I will spend the rest of the time in Quiche with my team of 7 people! Please be praying for the hearts of our ministry and for my squad as we all prepare for further transformations.
Exciting Personal News: I received the honor of being one of my team’s storyteller leaders! Please be praying that God will provide me with some amazing stories to share with you all!
