Training Camp + 5 Glimpses of God

The question of how was training camp is something I have been asked over and over again throughout this week. Each time I get so excited and stumble to explain how insane and amazing it was. I’ve written and rewritten this blog post, I don’t know how many times now. It’s so crazy that this week was only a glimpse of all that God is going to do during this next year. 

When I think about training camp the word that comes to mind is overwhelmed (in the best way possible). Overwhelmed by His presence, overwhelmed by how amazing my squad is, and overwhelmed by all the things He showed me. 

There are dozens of things I could share on what He showed me but here are 5 things that really stuck out to me:

1. Take the position of a servant and don’t be offended when you’re treated like one. Man did this hit home. I love serving and know God has put that passion in my heart but it’s so easy to not want people to treat me as a servant. It’s so easy to serve on my terms and when I want to but then be offended when I’m treated like a servant. True servitude means that I will continue to serve and not be offended when I’m treated like a servant. 

2. The saltier we are, the more water we crave. No this isn’t a reference to being sassy but it is a reference to Matthew 5. Jesus says in Matthew 5:13, that believers “are the salt of the earth.” The deeper we go in our relationship with God, the saltier we will become. So what happens to someone when they’ve had something salty, they crave water. The saltier we become, the more we will crave water, living water. The more we dig into His Word, the more we will crave the living water that is Jesus.

3. I kept asking myself this question throughout the week: when someone bumps into me, what comes out of me? Throughout all the encounters we have with people, something always pours out of us. I continue to ask myself what pours out of me. Am I living like Christ, and am I letting the Holy Spirit work in me? When someone bumps into me, does the Holy Spirit come out or is it my own flesh?

4. I love a good conviction moment because while it might sting, the Holy Spirit is lovingly correcting my steps. He’s pointing me back to the heart of God. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God continued to remind me throughout the week that His mercies are new every day. It kept making me ask myself: God’s mercies are new every morning, are mine?

5. The Lord really opened my heart this week on why He wanted me to get baptized. When our leaders told us that we would have an opportunity to get baptized I felt a tug on my heart. When I was praying about it God kept giving me this image: I was submerged in the water of the baptism pool at my childhood church and above me was fire. I asked God what that meant, and I kept hearing that He was going to baptize me in fire. I said “ok God, I want to be transformed, I want revival. I want you alone to fill the places of my heart that you have been ripping things out of.” This wasn’t a repentance baptism but is meant to be a continued washing as I dedicate more and more of myself to God and ask Him to refresh me and continue to fill me. 

There’s still so much more to unpack but I’m thankful I get to share these moments with you. Please pray for my squad as we continue to prepare for this trip. Also please pray for finance provision in my fundraising, God is already showing up and showing out. I know He will continue to provide as I prepare to launch.

Thank you so much for reading all of that! I can’t wait to share more of what God is doing because our God is on the move! Also bonus for making it this far, here is a picture of my squad! I’m so excited to get to share in this journey with them and it is so evident that God is moving in each of their lives.