Training Camp Part I
Before I even begin to talk about what the Lord did during training camp last week, I decided I need to introduce all of you to one of my favorite terms: “godeeeeeeem.” If you’ve never heard of said word, I’m not surprised BUT you’re going to be hearing a lot of it over the course of the next year. Get ready. Be expectant.
My own brother, a few other Christian brothers, and I—the dudes that use it—can’t take full credit for the term. It is derived (yes, derived) from “gotheeeem”, formerly used by a pitcher on the San Francisco Giants named Brian Wilson—see the first video below (just watch the first 40 seconds):
In my group of friends, gotheems have become a way of life. A classic example of a gotheeeeeem would be one of my good friends, Ben Malcolmson, completely surprising me graduation weekend by flying all the way from Seattle, WA, to Charlottesville, VA. Here he is one of my other good friends, Jonathan McMann, filming my complete disbelief at Ben’s arrival- notice that I am at first totally oblivious to his arrival AND, most importantly, there is a gotheeem yelled in the background if you listen carefully:
Now, what we all realized is that gotheems can be Godly gotheems, so why not “godeeeem?” A Godeeeeem would be the Lord pulling a gotheeeem on his children. And godeems happen every single day, so why not a sweet (and admittedly somewhat corny phrase) to celebrate them?
An amazing version of a godeem related to the World Race has been God’s story of fundraising when it comes to me actually going on this journey. Mid-way through June, I was honestly still wrestling with going “all in” to the World Race. Despite other ideas and passions, though, I was drawn back again and again. Finally, I asked God to show me he wanted me on this…be careful what you dream and pray for. The first deadline for fundraising required $3500 by July 1; another deadline on the horizon was the $6500 necessary to launch, due two weeks before the departure date. I didn’t send out a single support letter until June 22 because of my indecision, but by July 1 (the date of the first deadline), the Lord had already put enough into that account to technically launch! Can you say, “godeeeeeeeeem?” That’s what the Lord said. And I’m sure now, more than ever, that God loves pulling godeeeeeeeeeeems.
Just like Brian Wilson said that “gotheem” is a battle cry sweeping the nation, it’s important to note at this point that my group of friends has kind of adopted a little dance while saying “gotheem.” For that, I had one of my best friends, Dave Seawright, send in this third and final video for your viewing pleasure (forewarning- he is one of the more ridiculously hammy people I know):
Now all of you are conditioned to look for the godeeeeems in your life, you’re conditioned to see God at work; you will see them all around, the Lord working with purpose and even supernaturally. It’s a God battle cry, and it can come in very subtle ways, too. Get ready. Be expectant. And do the dance if you think you have it down.
Look out for more updates detailing the Godeems of training camp and the total GODEEM of the team I will be serving with over the next year…
