Training Camp
Alright so it’s now been a few weeks since Training and it has taken me this long to really process and think about what I needed to write about. So here we go…
Going into training camp I was very anxious about the questions of ‘would I like these people’. On the 15 hour flights and layovers the jitters were growing inside and stepping in the Atlanta airport was much to reality for me to handle, but this was it, these people are my squad. No matter how loud, wield, loving and crazy they were this was my team. Not going to lie, these people were so overwhelming, however, it was the bomb!
Not knowing what to expect during training camp the one thing I knew was that, no matter what AIM threw at us the point of the week was to learn a little something about everyone. Okay so this seemed really easy until I realized how loud they all were and how busy training camp was, it took a lot of intentional placement but it was so worth the effort. Everyone on the N squad is so unique, beautiful and wise in their own awesome way. Hearing stories of joy, pain, love and Jesus’ work in their lives left me more in aw of our Good Good Father. Being crammed, sharing a small plate of food, not having a bag for most of the week and constant team building activities forced us to be together. Even sitting here in Starbucks, wearing a shirt I don’t think I’ve worn for a least a month and not having 55 people grabbing at my drink and ‘sharing’ it with me is sad. The thing I was dreading the most about the race , community living, is looking more like the thing I am most looking forward to. The distractions of everything I own and think I need make it harder to have these really raw relationships that are based on serving and loving each-other.
So future races, if anyone actually ever finds thing random blog, DON’T look online and learn anything about training camp before you go, just go! If you’ve signed up for this trip you should trust AIM and if you don’t, well maybe look for one you do trust. Your needs will be met and it’s way more fun guessing what will happen next and actually living in the moment. Too many people knew everything that was coming all week and thats cool, I guess, but don’t, just don’t! Have fun with the activities and take them as the come. Look into your emotions and deal with it! Think about the way you respond and ask your self how you could have responded in a more God like way, I love that AIM focuses on becoming more like Jesus! Pack what you would pack for the race and be a minimalist! (I am not a minimalist, just look at my shoe collections and you’d know that!) Packing may be freaky but don’t bring everything you think you need just what you actually need. OH and no laptop for training camp, for real! AND most importantly focus on your team. You have one week to get to know these people and they are so worth getting to know, the more community you find the better it gets.
Well that was training camp for me! The sessions were great; well placed and perfect topics for serving Jesus. The food was great, it was what you made it! Community living was amazing and such a blessing. Most importantly I have made some great friends. Thank-you everyone who has been praying and supporting me thus far. You are all such a blessing and praise God for you! Be blessed
