Yesterday I got to talk to one of my best friends all about his experiences at Training Camp last week, and I am so excited for all of the friendships made, the growth that took place, and the future that is now becoming so real for him as he prepares to launch in such a short amount of time; but there is something that I forgot to tell him, that I think will be beneficial for all post-training camp, pre-launch racers to hear.
The concept of staying present is a reoccurring theme that you will encounter all of the time on the Race!! With the lifestyle that we have chosen there is always something new to look forward to. You have that next country that you are so ready for, the very last country which is actually the reason that you signed up for this route, the thought that maybe you will have running water at your next ministry site, the chance to hang out with all of your friends on the other teams of you squad, the knowledge that you are going to Sofia for debrief in two days which means that you can eat at Boom Burger(that's us right now!), Africa is going to be awesome, is it our day off yet, when will we be placed in an orphanage, I really just miss my friends at home, there is so much going on at home that I want to be apart of, If only I were at home I could fix this thing that is ruining my family, and the list goes on, and on, and on!! There will always be something to take your mind away from the ministry and the people that God has placed in your life for that short amount of time.
At Training Camp you meet your new family. You meet the people that God has chosen for you to be broken down and then rebuilt with. These people very quickly find their way into your heart, and somehow they start to consume many of your thoughts, because they are the people that are going to be with you for a very important season in your life.
Without even realizing it you can very easily leave Training Camp, go home for a month, and stop investing in the family and friends that you are preparing to leave. You get so wrapped up in Launch and your new family that you can forget that your family at home needs you to mentally be at home for that month. You can get so caught up in the ministry that you are going to do on the race that you completely let your current ministries slip through the cracks. You can even get so caught up in your new friendships and getting to know your new team that you forget to call your friends at home.
It's so important that you continue to prepare for the Race, you have to buy your last minute gear, be in prayer for your squad, and say all of your goodbyes; but the concept of staying present starts now. It's not something that will start after launch, it starts now. You have to make the choice to be present in the life that God has given you right now. You will have an entire 11 months of getting to know your squad, you will have so many different ministries and none of them will be what you expected, and life will be incredible on the field; but you aren't there yet. So stay present at home for the next month! It's important, because those people love you, and though you will probably see most of them again you have right now with them, so don't miss out on something exciting because you are so busy looking forward to what is to come!
That's my challenge to all of you post-training camp, pre-launch racers out there, stay present!
