Oh training camp. I honestly don’t know how to explain training camp. Ive put off writing this blog for quite a few days thinking I would be able to process it more but all I’ve been able to come up with is that training camp wrecked me and blessed me. Thats just a taste of what the race will do.
We spent 10 days in the woods in Georgia in tents, or in many cases hammocks. They provided porta potties for us and bucket showers. If I’m being honest I really enjoyed the whole bucket shower experience! They are quite fun and save soooo much water.
Almost everyday they gave us food from a different country which I also really enjoyed. We were supposed to follow cultural rules during the meals too, like not using silver wear or eating on the ground. It was pretty weird having beans or soup for breakfast rather than cereal and toast but it made it more exciting!
Even though the food was exciting, we starved. I really didn’t expect this at all. They definitely fed us but the portion sizes were tiny and we never got seconds and never got snacks. It was frustrating not being able to eat as much as I wanted but it was a good experience and obviously I survived.
Maybe not all the food showed up but God really showed up at camp. He revealed his love even more to all of us and continually showed us that he’s just smiling down on us. We really spent the week just soaking in his love and receiving his joy. Ive never felt his joy so much in my life.
At the end of the week we had soaked up so much of Gods love that it was just time for it to be poured back out. They sent out teams into town to bond more and EAT and God used my team in such a cool way. We went to a grocery store and me, being the silly person I am, got excited about sunflowers. So of course I bought them because I felt the need to bless strangers with them.
When we left the store we walked past a lady named Beverly sitting down and I heard God ask me to give her a flower, so I turned around and asked her if shed like one. She started tearing up and very thankfully received the flower. She told me shed been sitting there praying because shed had such a hard day and she thought God was asking her to do something and she was scared. She continued to tell me that the sunflower was confirmation that she was hearing God and that she was supposed to do something. Sunflowers are her favorite and it really meant a lot to her. After that I got a chance to pray for her.
Its just so cool to me how God works!!! Theres no way that coincidence. How cool that God would arrange for me to be in Georgia at that grocery store to buy flowers and confirm exactly what she was just praying about. So many little details to make that happen.
Our team continued to walk around and let God use us to bless people with sunflowers and bring a little sunshine into their day.
Another thing God taught me during these 10 days is that God creates us and makes us the way we are for a reason. The things that make us excited and the thoughts in our heads are all significant. We are made in his image after all and he makes us more like him the more we seek him.
When I bought those flowers I really didn’t specifically hear God ask me to buy them; I really just wanted too. I had no idea he would use them to bless people as much as they did. God is a good and faithful father and he will always show up and always pour out his blessings.
God was faithful with finances too! At the beginning of camp I had only $7,000 and somehow by the end I had $9,000 which was the amount I needed to meet my first goal! WOOHOO! Thank you all, and thank you God. My next deadline is $10,500 by August 22nd.
If you feel led to give I would encourage you to click the support me tab located on this blog and give online. Online donations process so much faster than checks and are tax deductible. I would also still love to meet with anyone that wants to hear about my trip and chat!
Thank you all for your love and support! I love you all. Sorry this is long, theres just so much to say and I’m so excited!
