training camp!!

Training camp…more than I expected, exactly what I needed, so many answers to prayer, lit my soul on fire…

 

It was all that and more, and therefore incredibly hard to adequately put into words…so I apologize if this blog is all over the place!

 

 

I’m gonna start by giving a little picture into what a day of training camp looked like:

One daily experience I had there is not hard to put into words…SWEAT.

I would wake up (SWEATY)in my tent surrounded by about 40 other tents with some of the most amazing people on this planet in them. I literally got to wake up to bright smiles & open hearts every morning, how cool:). Try to get dressed in my tent and brush my teeth with my water bottle in the woods. SWEAT. Use the “steamy” porta potties. SWEAT. 

Next up: have morning devo with my team(a group of six girls who I love so much and will be doing day to day ministry with!) Head to breakfast. SWEAT. 

After breakfast we spent time with our Squad. We would usually have sessions or activities where we got to listen and learn from the most amazing speakers. They were inspiring, insightful,and challenging. 

Then lunch, more sessions, free time , and dinner. SWEAT. 

After dinner was my favorite time, the best part….WORSHIP!! I had never seen so many people so fearlessly praise God. 200+ teens singing & screaming out to God. Worship was for sure one of the most impactful parts of training camp. When Worship was over we usually had another speaker. 

In the evenings we had about two hours to take showers or just hang out on the porch and visit everyone! (& of course continue with the SWEAT). 

Just to give an accurate description: by shower, I mean bucket shower. I was dreading them before camp, but they were actually amazing!! The freezing cold water after a really hot SWEATY day was awesome!! 

 

Now, all that SWEAT & tent sleeping and sitting listening to speakers may sound miserable to some, and I can’t lie, some of it was very hard. 

But y’all!!! I can’t explain the PEACE I felt, and am still feeling. This may sound weird, but I could literally feel the Holy Spirit there.  To be surrounded all day everyday with other people chasing after Jesus just as much, if not more than me was amazing.  I saw so many answered prayers throughout the entire week. The people were incredible. I love my squad, my team, and the leadership! People were so intentional with their time with me, they truly made me feel so important and needed and loved, and I got to do the same for others. 

 

One of my biggest takeaways: PRAYER. I prayed more in one day at training camp than I sometimes do in a whole week at home. I was so inspired by how much people leaned on God and talked to God even about everyday decision they needed to make. 

 

One of the most impactful things for me was my heart posture shifted. I had so many moments of “wow I never thought of that” ???. I’m not a person who likes to ask for help, (maybe a pride thing;). But it was so cool to see how people went to Jesus for everything. Sometimes I put Jesus in too small of a box. I think, “Well I’ll handle this small thing and not ask God for help so later when something big happens I can go to him.” That’s not how God works. He’s not a vending machine where the snacks will eventually run out. I’m learning to talk to him all throughout my day- not just asking for help, but praising him, asking for his input (bc I KNOW if I ask and really listen he WILL answer), and praying for other people. 

 

So, that is my recap of my SWEATY, AMAZING, INSPIRING 10 days at Training Camp.

 

 

I want to thank every single person who has donated, prayed, or supported me in any way! I am SO GRATEFUL and I CANNOT WAIT to go experience God do radically amazing things!!