When I signed up for the World Race back in January, and then waited anxiously for three days for a phone interview, it felt like that moment would never come. But then it did. After the phone interview, the week I had to wait for a phone call to come that would tell me whether I had been accepted or not, seemed as though it would never arrive. My phone was just never going to ring. But then it did. Once I found out I was accepted, it was all smooth sailing from there. The calendar told me that I had months and months to prepare for this crazy adventure. I had 5 months until this mysterious week of Training Camp (TC) that would take place in Georgia. Time crept on slower than ever, and it seemed, again, as if that day would never come. But it did. Training Camp is right around the corner, which means Launch is right around the next. What! Where did all those months go? I thought I had so much time left. But no, the time has arrived. It’s time for Training Camp!
Next week on July 13th, I’ll hop on a plane to Atlanta, where I will meet up with my squad (as well as the rest of the September World Race squads), and spend a week bonding, getting poured into, developing, growing, laughing, crying, hiking, putting up and taking down my tent, sleeping in weird conditions, and being submersed in all things World Race. Other than a general idea of what is going to happen, my information on TC is pretty limited. There are a lot of unknowns about TC, which is scary, but also pretty exciting.
I can’t wait to see what this whole thing is all about! I can’t wait to be pushed out of my comfort zone, and I can’t wait to see my fellow squad mates pushed out of theirs. I can’t wait to see the beautiful movement of Christ as He works in each and every one of our lives. He is already moving now, and I can only imagine how much better it is going to be in the weeks and months to come. These people, my squad mates, have become so precious to my heart. I have spent the last five months talking to and praying for each and every one of these people, and even though I have yet to meet a single one of them in person, they have already made an impact on my heart. Our week of TC is going to be a week of solidifying the foundation of our squad. It’s going to be so good. I seriously praise the Lord for these awesome people that I get to do life and ministry with for the next year of my life.
I’ll be home from Training Camp on July 20th, and from there I’ll have a little over a month before we launch for our race. I believe that we will find out our Launch city and possibly our first country at Training Camp, and I’ll make sure to let everyone know the details when I get them. I can’t believe that my time at home with my family, fiancé, and his two sweet girls is drawing to a close – at least for a year. But even amidst the fear, unknowns, and heartache of leaving so much behind, I’ve no doubt that this is where God has me, and I cannot wait to see where we go together in the months to come.
Please continue to lift my squad and I up in prayer as we prepare for Training Camp next week. I have a handful of squad mates who are working hard to have their money for training camp. The first deadline has passed, but AIM is awesome and has given them an extension to raise the money – $3,500 in total. They have until next Friday, July the 12th to have that full amount, and some of them still need close to $2,000. You guys have blessed my socks off, and have helped me reach my first two deadlines already, but now I’m asking for you to prayerfully consider helping my squad mates. Like I’ve said, these people have become family, and I’m praying hardcore to see all 51 of them at Training Camp next week. If you feel like the Lord is calling you to donate to them, please feel free to comment on here, send me an email ([email protected]) or message me on facebook, and I will get you a list of the ones who still need to raise money, how much they have left to raise, and their blog address. Thank you so much in advance. By blessing them you are blessing me.
