1. Sometimes you might just get lucky with the whole food & shower situation. While this week wasn’t a total walk in the park, I definitely got lucky based off some things I read in other blogs… 🙂
2. It only takes about 10 minutes to pack up all your stuff. At least, after practicing it many, MANY times. And after a week of doing so, you’ll feel the need to pack up your entire bedroom by 7am for morning exercise.
3. Pants from Cambodia are seriously the most legit things ever. Seriously.
4. Washing yourself and wearing clean clothes is overrated. I definitely learned how to feel beautiful even without clean hair and makeup.
(However, washing your clothes by hand in the creek behind the tents
actually makes for excellent team bonding time!)
5. Have NO expectations – yep, even if you thought you had none. I know EVERY blog says this, but seriously. If you are a future racer, you WILL go into this with expectations. About the people on your squad, the countries you’re going to… everything. And they WILL be changed. And it WILL hurt. And it WILL be confusing. But it WILL be God’s perfect plan.
6. Sleeping pads can actually be very comfortable, but will never beat a good night’s sleep on a bed. Although NOTHING will compare to the horror of sleeping 56 people on a single school bus.
(However, after “sleeping” on a bus, the idea of a bedroom sounds glorious.
And reminds you how spoiled and entitled we are as Americans.)
7. God is very much alive and wants to shower us with His presence, joy, and peace. This is something I knew before training camp, but just became so much more real after experiencing it in new, deeper ways.
8. The enemy loves to attack the Lord’s anointed chosen ones, but he will be defeated in the end. Don’t give up when facing adversary. It just means you’re serving the Lord (2 Timothy 3:12). Stay positive. Stay focused. God is victorious.
9. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His promises and gifts are freely given daily. I was just blown away by how much God wants to be with me. How he desires to spend time with His sons and daughters. His love is overwhelming.
10. We are worthy of the call set before us because God handpicked us and sent His Son to die to declare our worth. Seriously. No more of that “I’m so unworthy” crap. Just stop.
11. There is nothing I ever did or could ever do to change my status as a daughter of the Most High King… This realization floored me and I DANCED like I’ve never danced before!
Trying to put into words what God did this past week in Toccoa Falls, GA, is seriously an insurmountable task. I’m blown away by His continual pursuit and shaping of my heart. Today, let God show you who He is on a deeper lever. Ask for more of Him.
U Squad worshipping around our tents
