I came into
this camp with expectations of what it would be like and what I would or would
not get out of it. To some degree, it is
what I expected. One of my expectations was that I would be challenged and that
I would not know entirely what to expect. Well this has definitely been true. I
guess what I did not anticipate is how I would feel about many of my ideas and
expectations being challenged and changed. I got here with somewhat of an
attitude that “yeah I’m open to stuff, but only what I decide to be open to.”
Weeeeelllllll, yeah. That didn’t make it through the week.
I have been challenged by our
instructional speakers, challenged by the activities, refreshed and surprised
at how well our bonding as a team has progressed, and certainly filled with the
Holy Spirit and God’s purpose in all of this. Now if the Lord had gone by my
agenda, I would have had a pretty good training camp, but because he didn’t, I
have had a life changing training camp. It has also amazed me to discover more
about the nature of God and his real roll as Heavenly Father. Before, I would
kinda expect him to be up there laughing at what I wanted and asked for and be
like “no I’m doing it my way and you WILL be happy with it whether you like it
or not.” That is not the nature of God at all.
A quick plug for the staff of The
World Race. God is first for them. They do a great job of letting him do the
work and not dictating his will to the people under their leadership. Okay back
to God as a Father. He didn’t just blast me the first day or two with “well
this is how it’s gonna be Tim so deal with it.” My Dad would not deal with me
that way and neither does God. He worked through the training to show me how I
was not totally wrong in what I came hear for (because I really wasn’t) and
that my ideas were not all wrong (because the really weren’t) but that I just
needed to kinda relax, get out of the way, and let him do the work even better
and greater than I expected or imagined.
It will take a while to process everything and start to see his promises
come to fruition but he has given me peace in my heart that He who started a
good work in me hear this week, will be faithful and righteous to complete it.
I’m excited about my new family that I will adventure with, and to see what God
has in store for us as we step out in faith to what He has called us to. On
this day, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
