I’m amazed by how much happened in just one week. I had a difficult time deciding what to write about as I could have easily written a book (ain’t nobody got time to sit and read that, though). I finally decided to brush over three aspects of training camp to help you get an accurate, well-rounded taste of what I experienced last week.
The Physical Aspect
I packed my things into a 35lb. pack and a regular backpack. We slept in tents, had to share our tents when some people “lost their luggage at the airport,” and slept under the stars. Every morning we had to pack up everything we had, tents and all, and do some kind of exercise. The first day, everything we owned was wet, we were cold, and it was miserable. The days after that were very hot (I’m starting to get a nice chaco tan line). We got to eat food from Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, and India. It was all quite challenging at times but everyone was more than willing to go through these experiences.
The Relational Aspect
After months of only communicating via facebook and blogs, I finally got to meet the rest of F squad in person! There are about 45 of us doing this route together. Just about every meal, free time, talking session, or whatever, I sat with someone different. I was able to do this because each and every one of us got along with every other person on our squad. The love and unity among us was amazing! It was like we had all known each other forever. Wednesday we started going through the process to figure out who would be on our team. (We all travel together as a squad, but most countries we will split up and do different ministries with our smaller teams within the squad). Thursday morning we got together with who would most likely be on our team, did an activity, and talked about how we felt about us being a team. While my team talked about how we would be a team that would push each other, make each other grow, support each other, and make each other laugh, I knew that this would be the team God would place me on. After lunch I learned that this was indeed my team. We may only be a team for 4 months, 6 months, or we might be together all 11. Whatever the case may be, I know the time that we will be together is going to rock my world. We got to leave training camp to have team bonding time and it was an absolute blast! We got Starbucks, went mini golfing, and ate some delicious pizza. We love Proverbs 31:25 which says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” We are all also very joyful and love to laugh, and we are going to be pushing each other to become more bold and confident in who we are. Thus, the team name Fearless Laughter was born.
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Top: F Squad, Bottom: my team left to right: Whitney (Georgia), Christina (Alabama), Casey (Michigan), Shannon (Arkansas), ME!, Meagan (Tennessee)
The Spiritual Aspect
The main purpose of training camp, I would say, was to make sure everyone was doing well spiritually. God showed me a lot this week. I’m just going to share a single experience. I debated weather or not to share this story as it is a special time between me and God and it might sound silly to others, but in the end I decided my story could be beneficial to other’s spiritual walk. Sunday night, we spent time inviting the Holy Spirit to come. I closed my eyes, grew very still, and believed that everyone around me had left (they hadn’t, but it really felt like they did). Someone came up to me, I don’t know whom, and they laid their hand on my shoulder. She said, “I see a yellow flower.” It might sound strange, but that is exactly what got my attention. I really love nature and one of the things I love most are flowers because of the pops of color they bring to a landscape. My favorite flowers though? You guessed it, yellow ones. Yellow is just such a happy, bright, sun-shiny color and I love it. My love for yellow flowers is a small, random, and unimportant part of my life, but the God who created me took the time to notice, care, and acknowledge it!! The woman with her hand on my shoulder continued by saying that God loves me and cherishes me. He says that I am not forgotten or overlooked (something a quiet, shy, introvert like myself can feel sometimes). I am completely known and understood. He has given me amazing, beautiful gifts that He wants me to use for His glory. God continued to reinforce these things to me every single day at training camp.
I share this with you so you can have a better picture of God’s love for you. He knows everything about you, all your little likes, dislikes, your deepest fears, desires, and He loves every part of you so much! His love for you is so intimate and fierce. I feel like I have been “friend-zoning” Jesus, in a way, for years. Awkward way of putting it, I know, but let me explain: I mean this in that He was the guy who was there for me all along, always noticing me, and always loving me in the way I wanted to be loved but I didn’t realize because I was looking for it in all the wrong places. Don’t friend-zone Jesus any longer! Realize that the love you’ve been searching for has been right in front of you all along!
Psalm 139:1-18
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