TRAINING CAMP
My friend, HI! I hope you’re well. We left 2 days ago from training camp straight to Chicago to do ministry at Park Community Church! God is so incredible; we never thought when saying, “YES” to God’s calling to the World Race that we would be starting this adventure with Jesus in CHICAGO, IL.
Training camp in itself was an adventure with Jesus and I wanted to give you a glimpse of how God worked in our hearts there! There has been so much to process in first arriving to training camp, living through it, and then —leaving training camp to begin life in Chicago the very same day. We praise God for giving us willing hearts and letting us bring Kingdom where ever He leads us!
Here are 9 out of the many gifts from God during training camp:
- Words of truth spoken to each and everyone one of us by Holy Spirit
- Our awesome squad of 15, the “G SQUAD” and leadership team
- Intimacy and time spent with Jesus and our new community
- Camping and thriving in the rain for the first 3 days of training camp
- The porta potty’s
- Cold bucket showers and showering every 2-4 days (I’ll speak for myself)
- Hand-washing our clothes
- Hiking and walking everyday to and from our campsite, pavilion, and teaching site
- The culturally diverse meals we ate
Oh, yeah! In one of those meals, my team and I ate CRICKETS (I ate 2) and they were nowhere near yummy but...
IT WAS A GIFT TO BE RECEIVED
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:16-17
Some out of these 9 gifts were undesired by most of us, especially the crickets, but what a joy it is to experience and receive new things from the Lord knowing that it is for our good. God told me, “Receive it, child of mine,” when I was having a hard time believing His voice of truth of who He says I am when I still wanted to believe old, destructive lies. I even heard Him say to me, “Receive it and see who I am through it” every time I poured and splashed water on myself during our cold bucket showers.
There was so much breaking and molding from the Lord at training camp, that I’d like for you to stay tuned for my next blog. It will be on what God reminded me of through the drawing found below during my devotional time with God in Chicago. It has to do with what He told me at training camp that He just wont let me forget. I hope He spoke to you through this blog. I’ll talk to you soon my friend!
With much love,
J <3
