That title is a misnomer. A fiberglass splint and crutches of metal and rubber isn’t all that I came away with from camp that I didn’t have at the beginning. That week in the middle of the Tennessee mountains, out of reach of cell phone service and my social media addictions, has proven to be one of the biggest life-altering weeks of my life thus far.
I’ve learned so much more about myself, my God, my peers and the world we live in.
I'm still processing all of it, but here are some of those things, in no particular order:
- I like camping. (Wait, what?!?)
- I am capable of forgiving myself of my past and others of their actions.
- I know God is always there for me, but this week that knowledge moved from my head to my heart.
- When people can call out your strengths when they barely know you, it’s overwhelming.
- Tears are sometimes best shared.
- Napkins are optional.
- Racers adopt more of a five *minute* rule regarding food’s edibility.
- Protein before dinner is a treat, and pulling the spine out of your fish-soup breakfast actually isn’t as gross as you’d suppose.
- Snacks are allowed at Training Camp, but you’ll still feel like you’re a kid breaking weight-loss camp rules.
- You’ll laugh about that over a snickers bar with your squadmates.
- Dirt doesn’t hurt. Neither does sunscreen.
- Most times, less is better. See: Packing. Also: Mental prisons and chains.
- Bugs absolutely love your headlamp’s light, although it’s never given them anything.
- My Squad A is comprised of some of the most amazingly self-sacrificing people I’ve ever seen.
- They are also incidentally, incredibly hilarious.
- Complements on handbags are sometimes God giving you a chance to talk about Him.
- After a few day’s deprivation, just the smell of coffee makes my mouth water.
- If you have weak ankles, be careful when loaded down with supplies, those ankles might give.
- If one does twist, God is sometimes gracious enough to give you 50+ people to pray over you, bind you up, lift your spirit then haul all your gear, setting up and taking it down each day.
- God will give you not-so-minor miracles when his warriors of prayer storm the gates of heaven.
- The previous point is a blog topic all on its own. 0.o
- I found my voice this week!
- Caution: that does means I sing now too.
- That voice that got liberated is loud and set to “Proclaim Truth, Love, Hope and Joy”
- Sometimes that means shouting out while laying on a trail in hope-filled agony, from the top of a table in affirmation, or jumping up on the chair you were just sitting in and declaring your joy and faith in your eternal Daddy.
- Sometimes it’s getting the nerve up to start a conversation, and ask the very first stranger in your life if they know God.
- And sometimes it’s being ok that your spontaneous prayer circle has taken over the patio at Starbucks.
God will never, ever give you more than you can handle, but often it will be more than you THINK you can handle.
Then you’ll grow.
