“Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of immense courage. Just literally twenty seconds of incredible bravery. And something great will come of it.”
Training camp took twenty seconds of immense courage to another level and something great most certainly did come of it…
I encountered the heart of Jesus in a way I had never felt before.
God didn’t just show up, He showed off! From the moment I landed in the ATL and hopped in the 12 passenger van with a few fellow V Squaders until the last hug at my gate before I headed back home- what happened in 10 days is hard to even put into words.
But don’t you worry, I’m going to give it a shot!
There were several ‘20 seconds of courage’ moments for me. These moments changed the trajectory of my life and relationship with Jesus.
Choosing Abandonment: I learned this didn’t just mean leaving things behind, but rather emptying and creating space in my heart and mind for the Lord to do something great.
Fighting Unforgiveness: I learned unforgiveness shapes our heart and empowers a message of bitterness and anxiety. Y’all, this isn’t surface level stuff. When the Spirit takes you deeper, don’t resist Him. He’ll surprise you! God revealed areas of my life that I had asked for forgiveness, but hadn’t completely received it. He also revealed people in my life that I needed to forgive, that I though I already had. The freedom I found in walking in full forgiveness is so refreshing.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us..” Ephesians 4:32-5:2.
Complete Surrender: I learned that Jesus doesn’t want us to give just our situations and problems to Him. He wants us to lay down the history and feelings behind the circumstances at His feet! I laid down all the baggage. As much baggage as the spirit helped me find. And when I did, He walked me through shame and guilt that I wasn’t even aware of. Relieved and redeemed are understatements!
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…” 2Corinthians 7:10
Embrace emotions– Y’all, emotions are real! They are beautiful things and I learned emotions guide us to places where God wants to heal us. It wasn’t easy at first, but boy-oh-boy he poured out His healing on me! He brought me face to face with rejection, loneliness, and the fear of being unlovable. Yes, there is truth in our emotions but they aren’t the Truth. I repeat- but they aren’t THE TRUTH. When I submitted those things to Him, Jesus spoke life right back into me.
“…for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
Walk In Obedience– I learned this one takes every bit of the 20 seconds of immense bravery. Jesus came so that we could be fully committed to Him. To be obedient doesn’t mean following the Christian culture. It requires radical change. It requires a Yes. Ladies and gents, that is not a simple ‘yes’. It’s a statement: Yes, I’m all in and Yes, I’m not turning back. Walking in obedience is 100% necessary to be in partnership with God and have the presence of the Holy Spirit in life day after day, night after night. It’s 100% necessary for the journey that lies ahead.
So who do I get to do life with for the next 11 months?!
Meet V Squad!
One stellar community of 26 awesome men and women of God who believe in the power of prayer, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the mission we have been called to. We pitched tents together, worshiped together, prayed together, worked out together, slept in an airport together and even danced our way to first place in the dance-off at squad wars together. In ten days they challenged, encouraged, laughed, cried, prayed, worshiped, and loved with me. This community is fun, it’s life-giving, it’s real, it’s interesting, it’s raw, it’s the church, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to do life with them for the next year (and years to come).
Meet My Team: Soul Spark!
Training camp far exceeded all expectations I had for preparing me for the world race. It showed me that in my weakness He is my strength and I will have to rely on Him every single day. It’s truly amazing to be experiencing all of the blessings and joys that come from surrendering my life to Jesus. These next 6 weeks will go by so fast. I’m excited for launch, but I also know there is purpose in the weeks leading up to August 1st.
Remember, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of immense courage!
XOXO
Taylor
FUNDRAISER UPDATE!
I’m currently 60% funded! THANK YOU to all of those who have faithfully supported me financially and in prayer throughout this journey. I’m $6,000 away from reaching my goal to be fully funded by the time I launch in August.
If you would like to make a donation online, click “donate” on the upper right-hand side of this page. It will bring you to a page where you can make a donation via credit,debit,or bank transfer and you can choose to make either a one-time, monthly, or quarterly gift.
