Training Camp, oh the glorious days of Training Camp. The last few days have been filled with roaring worship, encouraging sessions, and beautiful community. God is truly preparing an army of 200 or so students that are beyond passionate about serving God, serving others, and changing the world. The best part? I truly believe that this community is going to change the world. As I prepare for Thailand, I have been praying for God to speak to me, to speak purpose into this trip, to speak courage into my sisters, and to speak freedom over Thailand. I can say confidently and courageously that God has done just this. The word release has been strongly laid on my heart. In just about 24 hours, my beautiful sisters and I will be released to begin our journey to Thailand. Over the next two months, God will release a fire, a fire in our hearts that can never be ceased, to fight for freedom. Then, as we arrive back home, God will release the stories from our lips, the stories of each of the women that we have the opportunity to speak with in Thailand.
Do you remember playing with stickers when you were younger? A sticker used to be a mark of excellence on an elementary school paper and a sticker used to make a hand-made card a fun craft project. I still hold onto a piece of construction paper covered in stickers by my niece. Stickers are fun, as they always seem to make ordinary things beautiful. The more that I learn about God and His will for my life, the more I see how the “stickers” of God (love, mercy, forgiveness, humility, joy, peace…) cover what used to be just ordinary. I purchased a Passport sticker to add to my Nalgene water bottle. Now, not only will my Nalgene never leave my side for the rest of the trip, but neither will the realization that God takes what is ordinary and makes it beautiful. His stickers come in various forms as you have seen. My sticker over the last few days has said, “You are free. You have been released.” Now, with my freedom, I have chosen to go. I want to share with those that I meet that the release is only the beginning of this journey. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (or fear), but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” I refuse to think that I am afraid to begin this journey. God has not given me a sprit of fear. I have been given a spirit of power, of love, and of self- discipline and I move forward boldly because I have been released and I have been set free.
