It would take a very talented literate individual to attempt to describe this past week at training camp. I am by far NOT that person. I will however attempt it 🙂 bare with me as I attempt to give you an idea of what this past week had to offer.
I'll have to admit I went into TC with the thought that I had enough life experience to handle anything that was thrown my way. I thought I've seen enough, been to enough places, talked to enough people to ever be suprised by what God could do on a mere camping trip. Ppphh! Bring it on! Note to self…don't put God in a box because He doesn't fit well there. He tends to show off and explode out of them. I'm sure He found it funny that He once again proved me wrong. It's ok. I'm used to it.
For the sake of future racers reading this I don't want to ruin the experience so I'll be vauge on the details. One thing I will hype on, however, is the community. For years I prayed for a community of people that I could be real with; a community that made me feel safe enough to admit my faults and yet love me in spite of them. I can't be the only person not living a PERFECT christian life can I? I fall daily and it gets a little discouraging sometimes when everyone else around you is telling you how wonderful their life is and feeling deep down that I am doing something wrong. Their was something that I was missing in my relationship with Jesus. Come to find out…I'm right on track. It's just life awaiting for the day to be fully reconciled to my Papa. Prior to this week I really had no one in my life that I felt I could be real with and it was like that for years. For years it was just me and Jesus. Don't get me wrong, He has proven to be MORE THAN ENOUGH, but I knew He wanted me to have community with others. I always thought that if I found at least 2 of those types of people in my life I would be very lucky. Well, God wasn't kidding when He said He can do "exceedingly, abundantly all that I could ever ask or think." He went and gave me 60 of them. WOW!! I have a huge new family. At any time I could tell them anything and not have to worry about condemnation. All I expect is love. These people love me for who I am and vice versa. I could not ask for more, but I know God still plans to give more. He loves me that much 🙂
Besides the community God stretched my physically and spiritually as well. When I wasn't fighting to keep warm because my jacket and my "keep warm stuff" was in my luggage "lost by the airlines" I was sleeping in a swamp which was home to countless numbers of grandaddy long legs and many other creatures of the subterrain. God, however, showed up and in those moments He just enjoys loving on you. And when we weren't cramming 60 people on a 40 person bus to "sleep" in along with EVERYONES luggage (I swear I don't even think the Holy Spirit had room to move in that thing), we were barley scrapping by with small meal portions at breakfast, lunch, and dinner (well for me it was small at least :P. I'm a growing boy). And if I wasn't swimming logs 300 meters across the lake with only one arm we were having random dance parties (my dance moves improved quite noticeably I might add).
While it was one of the hardest and most difficult weeks of my life to date, I would glady welcome it all over again. It was the beginning of God stripping me of all my comforts just so He could take me to a new level with Him, and it's amazing how He is ready to catch you when you release it all and become totally dependent. I'm being molded once again. Here's to new beginnings!
CHEERS!
