I know that I have already shared a blog about training camp, but, honestly, the one I wrote doesn’t even come close to sharing all that the Lord taught me (and is continuing to teach me) during those ten days. So here I am, writing yet another blog about training camp because God worked THAT much while I was there.
Now I want to talk a little about this Jack-in-the-Box. Earlier this year while doing my student teaching in a kindergarten classroom, I learned that many children are naturally afraid of this toy, but the classroom teacher taught the children something very vital when they explained being afraid of the Jack-in-the-Box. She would say, “It’s not really scary, you were just surprised when he came out of his box, that’s all.” After the teacher told the 5- and 6-year olds this, I did not hear another say they were afraid of it. I was absolutely amazed! Even I don’t like this toy because they are scary. I know many adults that stay away from them; yet, these children were getting to the source of their fear and conquering it after having a little encouragement from their teacher. Needless to say, I thought it was great for them, but decided I still am never going to buy one for my child.
You’re probably wondering how in the world this Jack-in-the-Box story fits in what what I learned several months later during training camp…but just bear with me, I promise I’m getting to it!
I was reading through my journal a couple days ago so I could try to unpack everything training camp had taught me when I found an entry from May 23 that rocked my world all over again. I wrote, “Father, I keep putting you in a box. I don’t know how many times You have tried to come out to show me just how powerful You are, but Lord, it scares me when You do that. Without even thinking about it, I just stuff you right back in that box without ever seeing the wonder of who You really are.” I could have been explaining the fear I have when a Jack-in-the-Box pops out. I can apply the same concept of what she explained to the kindergartners to the fear I have at letting His Holy Spirit loose, “It’s not really scary, you were just surprised when He came out of His box.”
The Jack-in-the-Box above isn’t scary. I feel no fear when I look at it like this. It is even kinda cute. We often get so startled when the box opens, that we forget to look at the beauty of what’s inside. This is true for the Jack-in-the-Box and the Holy Spirit. Training Camp taught me just how often I limit what the Holy Spirit can do. I cannot tell you how many times I started to feel scared when a speaker would talk about how BIG and POWERFUL and MIGHTY and STRONG the Holy Spirit is and how He was going to show the nations that through all the World Racers sitting in the room. I would panic and pray, “Maybe You are going to show this through all of them, but not me. I’m just Morgan, and I’m comfortable with how you are now.” I am not just Morgan because I have the Holy Spirit living in me. He has already changed me in a way that makes me far from normal, and that scares me. So I put Him in a box and spend my time as the cheerleader on the sidelines. Now, He is calling me off the sidelines and into the “danger zone,” where He can take control. God made it clear that He has planned BIG BIG BIG things through my squad. I can see how He is working so clearly in so many of my new family members, but what He is planning for the upcoming year will not be comfortable. It will be hard. It will be exhausting. And it will be oh so worth it when other people in this world experience the amazing story of redemption and healing our Savior has to offer them. It will be worth every uncomfortable conversation, every uncomfortable sleeping situation, every uncomfortable meal, and every uncomfortable feeling in-between to see hope restored, souls saved, and lives changed.
On May 23, I took God out of the box I had Him in, and boy, am I glad I did it. He is so much more beautiful close up. I have experienced so much more of Him than I ever felt possible and He has broken my heart even more for His beloved children that have yet to experience Him for themselves. I get to experience the power, wonder, and love God is bringing to His children. His first stop is Albania 3 weeks and 4 days from today!
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*Fundraising update: I need to raise about $2,000 by June 17th. This seems like a bog number and a little impossible, but I took God out of His box, remember?! Please consider giving financially so I can launch with my team on July 1st. It would mean the world to me…literally!
