Training camp is in less than a month, (!!!!) and with the arrival of this ten day intensive training also comes feelings of excitement, wonder, and eagerness, but also a little bit of doubt and fear.
As the race becomes closer, and training camp is the first tangible time we will meet our teams and experience a taste of missionary life, the emotions are building up. In these past few weeks I’ve been talking to my teammates every day, asking questions, finalizing flights, finishing getting gear, and trying to meet the fitness requirement, which is overwhelming to say the least.
As the race is becoming a reality, the devil is trying his best to sneak in thoughts of doubt and confusion in my mind.
“You aren’t fit to be a missionary, you won’t make a difference.”
“All your friends will forget about you when you’re gone, and won’t care when you come back.”
“Everyone in your class will be ahead in college, you’ll be so behind on your education. This isn’t worth it.”
“You will never make your fundraising requirement and you won’t be able to go. You’re going to let everyone down.”
“You’re not going to fit in with the people on your team, they’ll think you’re weird.”
And on and on.
But the devil is a liar. Fear is a liar.
As the race gets closer and we get more stoked to spread the gospel, the devil is freaking out because he knows the good that is to come. He knows the love that will be shared. He knows we will make a difference, and he hates it. So he is trying his best to tell me (and probably others) that we are unfit.
Isaiah 41:10 says something different.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
No matter the trials I face in the time between now and the end of the race, I know God is guiding me along the way. I will have struggles in the next few months for sure, whether it be financially, spiritually, mentally, or physically. The devil will do his best to shake me. The key lies in giving over the trials to God and letting Him take care of it.
He does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called.
The act of saying our “yes” to God with confidence that He is greater than fear is what will get us through.
Thank you for reading! Please continue your prayers for me and the rest of my route (Shoutout Gap T!) as we prepare for training camp and launch, it means the world 🙂
MG
