World Race Training Camp from Victoria Baxter on Vimeo.
Let me begin by explaining that I am incapable of summarizing the World Race Training Camp experience in one blog post. With that being said, let’s get to it!
Training Camp gave us all a little taste of what this upcoming year on the field will actually look like. We compressed up our lives into 65L backpacks. We slept in tents and on “airport” floors. Malaysian airlines lost our luggage at one point, which was pretty unfortunate. I shared a tent with 9 other girls and all our packs. We got very accustomed to the smells of the Porta potty and each other’s body odor. We shared meals and ate with our hands, visited an Indian market and bartered for food. We truly grew to treasure the cold bucket showers, wet wipes, and air-conditioned training center. It was truly an experience like no other!
And despite all the craziness, it was absolutely the best 10 days of my life.
Since January, the squad spoke only through social media and group messages, but I am so incredibly thankful to finally know all 49 of my beautiful squad mates in person. During camp we had the opportunity to talk, pray, and laugh together. We are a group of young people truly seeking after Christ himself – and coming together was POWERFUL. It was refreshing to be wholly myself and make no apologies because I knew I was accepted. There was a mutual respect in the group for vulnerability and brokenness and authenticity. And it all happened so quickly! From day one, we could all sense that the Lord was present and at work in all of our hearts and lives. Any reservations I had about embarking on this journey have been destroyed because of the beauty I see in our unity. We were able to begin the process of discipleship in the midst of community – What a gift!
It was especially powerful to build relationships with all the beautiful women on my squad and my team! Female friendship is such a powerful force to be reckoned with. These women who I grew to know and love are strong and have great conviction and purpose Christ. We know we are created in the image of a beautiful Father, who is the perfect lover of our souls. These women have chosen not to make comparisons, not to gossip, not to slander each other. I see such undeniable beauty in all of them and they are already so dear to me.
Please be in prayer specifically for my beautiful teammates: AT, Kelly, Patten, Marybeth, Brittany, and Emily.
They seriously light up my life with their authenticity, smiles, hugs, and tears. We are all so different, but it is so clear that the Lord has ordained this union. I seriously cannot wait to see how God plans to work in them and through them these next 11 months.
Hebrews 12:1-2 really sums it up:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
A great cloud of witnesses surround me. A witness is someone who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced. My X squad brothers and sisters have tasted and seen the goodness of God and are a testament to His undeniable faithfulness. He has been so good to us all and His love and grace has transformed our lives. While all our stories have a varied plot, they have an underlying theme. We were DEAD – living in the midst of sin and shame. But God literally saved our lives. We were living for things that do not satisfy, because we didn’t know what really could.
God does not want us to seek the blessings this world can give or even the blessings He can give. He wants us the seek Him.
Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
THIS is our mission. It is our life’s purpose. Nothing is more important.
We cannot help but share the greatest truth ever known – because we are now ALIVE.
The American Dream is not big enough for us. We have Kingdom Dreams.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE:
My launch date is September 5th!! This means I only have a month left before I actually embark on this crazy adventure.
Currently I have fundraised $9,148 of $16,267, which means I am nearly 60% funded!! Thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers. It is such an encouragement and you all bless me to pieces! The Lord always provides, and I am a testament to that.
For those of you out there that haven’t given, it’s not too late! I still need $852 by AUGUST 21and $7,119 before the end of this year.
Please continue to stay updated on my blog and feel free to call, write, or let me take you out to lunch! I am in Pensacola until launch and would love to answer any questions or just spend time catching up.
I love you all so much
