Training Camp Update
This past week was one of the most beautiful set of events in which I have ever experienced. We saw lives as well as hearts changed throughout the course of the week and the crazy thing is, we are just getting started. With that being said, meeting our squad was such an awesome experience and I must say, we have been blessed with an amazing group of young people who are all on fire and hungry for the Lord. Not only that but the leaders and mentors that we have been set up with are some of the most incredible people we have ever met.
This experience truly taught me the art of abandonment, it showed me that the less you have as a distraction the more you will see the Lord move. We live within a society where we have a distraction in our pockets and taking just a week to turn your complete and utter focus on God and the community around you will change your perspective on everything. As I spent this week sleeping in a wet tent, baby wipe showers and little to no sleep, it seemed as if my relationship with Christ grew exponentially.
Seth Barnes (The founder of adventure in missions) writes this, “abandonment is about discarding weak desire, shallow community, superficial prayers and boring religion. Instead of praying “Thank you, Father, for this food”, we pray, “thank you Father, that you didn’t give us food today. Instead, today you will be our food.””
As the week went on, I began to abandon more and more and eventually was led to be re-baptized on our final night in Georgia. Now this wasn’t a “forgive me father for I have sinned” type of moment, but rather a moment of surrender. In the moment I didn’t necessarily think that I needed to be baptized due to the fact that I had already done so a few years ago. Then I felt the heart tug from the Lord and Him telling me to let go and let Him lead. Although it took a little while for me to comply, I final did, I let the Lord lead me. It was a simple act of abandonment that will set the charge for the year to come.
Love you both and will continue to pray for you each day.
Derek, so glad your time at training camp using baby wipe showers, going without sleep, and being in a wet tent, was such a close encounter with the Lord. Abandonment really does seem to open us to more intimacy with God. Thank you for your obedience in getting re-baptized. I agree with you that the charge has been set for the year. Yay!