“Almost there!” my squad-mate, Rebekah exclaimed as we approached my home town where my parents were waiting to pick me up. We had just spent the previous 10 days in the backwoods of Gainesville, GA training for the World Race. We came expecting an adventure, and an adventure is what we got! Everything I thought I knew about training camp was thrown out the window. God challenged me EVERY DAY. He rocked my world and busted out of the box I had put him in, shattering the box! We serve a Big God…a Really Big God. He showed me my identity. He freed me from shame. He launched me into this spiritual journey. For me, the World Race started…at training camp.
“I will see you guys in two months!” Sally, Rebekah, and I said our goodbyes and in a whirlwind, I began a road trip to cross the country. My former roommate, Isabella, wanted to do an internship for a ministry in California called Jesus Burgers, so I decided to drive with her so she could make it to California for the internship.
Three years earlier… “Hey guys! You have to watch this video from Jesus Burgers! God is doing amazing things in Isla Vista, California!” Exclaimed my friend, Harry Neal, one of the young adult leaders at my church, The Bridge. We all watched intently as person after person on the video allowed God to speak through them to edify the church body and mobilize them to follow Christ. The seed was planted. Izzy and I both wanted to go. God moved in our young adults group over the next 3 years like never before.
“Am I missing anything?” I asked Izzy and myself as I got into the car at 4:00am to start our drive to Louisiana…the first long leg of this cross country road trip lasting a total of 14 hours. In the whirlwind of getting back from training camp, I unpacked my bag and repacked for a week of camping across the country, drove to stay with a friend that night, and talked to her for the two hours I had before Isabella picked me up at 4:00am.
Four days later with countless adventures under our belt, we arrived in California. This thirteen year-old ministry carried out by Isla Vista church and the Lomolino family rocked my world. At training camp and in Isla Vista, they offer up everything they have and live in community like I have never seen. The believers involved in the ministry live together and serve together, making Jesus burgers every Friday night serving them to the college kids in Isla Vista and sharing the gospel as they serve. They are making a difference with every burger and every conversation.
The Saturday after we arrived, we went on a treasure hunt with Isla Vista Church and some people from Bethel. We prayed about who we may come across and then wrote down descriptors of these people that the Lord showed us such as a shirt with a lion on it or blue shoes. Mine was blue shoes. As we walked around, we got to pray for people through our treasure hunt. “Hi! I’m on a treasure hunt, and you are my treasure!” we would say, disarming each person allowing us to minister to the broken and hurting. We were headed back when I saw a young guy wearing some royal blue high tops with no other color on them! I couldn’t deny it…those were some blue shoes. I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to talk to him so I stopped him and said, “Hi! I am on a treasure hunt and I had blue shoes!” at which time his friend said, “Dude! Give her your shoes! She needs your shoes!” Embarassed, I corrected myself and explained the treasure hunt to him. Zavi, Quinn, and Ocari allowed us to pray for them. My friend Faith from Bethel said to Ocari, “The Lord is telling me that you are having a hard time balancing your music and your sports.” Right then, Ocari stepped backward and yelled a few expletives as his two friends said Faith was psychic. “I am torn between rapping and rugby right now!” He exclaimed. We used the opportunity to let them know how much God loves all three of them and how well He knows each of them, better than they know themselves.
“But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:3-4.
This reminded me of the previous week at training camp when we talked about prophecy. In my background, this term is not used very often, at least when talking about present day. There was a night at training camp where we talked about prophecy. I was open to what God had for me to learn, yet I was skeptical because I had never been around anyone who “prophesied” speaking truth into peoples lives and telling them things that God had shown them. As worship started, I closed my eyes and Jesus took me on a mini adventure as the songs played in the background. He took me to a field and we danced. Then he picked up a sunflower and handed it to me. I cried. Three years ago my dad texted me a picture of a sunflower field with one flower facing the opposite direction. He was proud of me for stepping out and going to Vietnam and India for a two-week mission trip. That sunflower meant the world to me.
“Now, everyone divide into groups and pray about what the Lord wants to show you,” Renee said after she had finished the session on prophecy at training camp. Sally and I quickly found each other and sat down to pray. After a few minutes of us praying together, she looked up at me and said, “I see you in a field, dancing with Jesus, and He gives you a sunflower,” Sally said. “What? That just happened during worship and I didn’t tell anyone else about it!!!” I was amazed by God. Can this really happen? My eyes were opened.
The following week when I arrived home, to North Carolina, I had a world of processing to do about both of these life changing events. There were so many things to think about, but what do I do about it all?
