Boot Camp!

Between the dates of 6/16 and 6/20 I drove to the adventure in missions base located Gainesville, GA to officially begin my World Race journey with my entire squad for BOOT CAMP!!!

On the drive home I had the task of pondering and brain storming the best way to  describe what I had just experienced to my family and friends, as well as write a blog. No amount of time or words were sufficient enough to portray an accurate description. I began to become frustrated. I wanted my family and friends to taste what I have tasted, I wanted them to grow as I have grown, I wanted them to desire what desires were planted in me. But, no man can describe what heaven will be like, and no man can accurately put to words God’s glory and movement. And that was it. Thats all I could tell people, “It was a taste of what heaven will be like“…no shame. 

How many coed groups of 18-20 year olds with around 40 people within the church are so completely inthralled with the love of Jesus? How many times have you walked into one of these groups or seen one of these groups and NEVER felt ashamed or excluded? How many people can say they have tasted heaven surrounded by a large group of Gen Z young adults? Probably close to none of y’all. 

Im going to put this in perspective: 

My age group (within this generation) has so many mental and body issues our stress levels are higher than mentally ill people at intense psychiatric hospitals. We are a generation of magnificent actors with the ability to fool the world with advanced editing and computer skills we developed out of fear and necessity to keep our heads above the water. We are self-preserving, self-inflating, self consumed humans, everything is about ME. It is a battle we will never finish as long as sin infects the world, it is a battle even the church must fight within the youth groups of this nation, it is a battle of shame. 

So, with this knowledge I went into to boot camp terrified, like pee my pants hide in a hole of anxiety terrified. But, I’m a ”trained“ actor of this generation, so with my walls up and a smile plastered over my scared face I went to boot camp with 40 other self consumed insecure 18-20 year olds. And you know what, God shut my mouth and left me speechless. 

I was surrounded by people who loved you just because you are you. I was surrounded by people who saw you as a soul and not a body. Ultimately, I was surrounded by people who loved Jesus more than themselves. Yes, I have Christian friends, but never have I met someone of my age who loves Jesus more than themselves, and it was life giving. it didn’t matter if you were short, tall, big, small, annoying, rigid, broken, smart, funny, weird, athletic etc. you were wanted.  The only person I have seen live this out was Jesus. He wanted to get to know you for you, and there were no motives behind it, but to love you. To be like Jesus is what Christians are to strive after, not self preservation. 

At boot camp I slept in a tent where I was rained on for 9 hours in my sleep, woke  up in the middle of the night and ripped daddy long legs off my face, and had to pretend there weren’t bugs crawling around me all the time. I took bucket showers at night and didn’t turn on a light because I didn’t want to see the hundreds of bugs around me. I used port-a-potties. I only was given three meals a day with no snacks. These meals were themed after each country we were going to, and ya know what Africa doesn’t like to use utensils…so no utensils for an entire day!! It was difficult and I blessed the Lord the moment I got chicken fingers on the road home, but it was completely worth it. Alongside living the low-matnience life I played tag in the rain, I danced during worship without wondering if people were judging me …no one gave you the stink eye, nope, they joined you. I prayed for others and was prayed for, I washed dishes and sang Alicia keys and Justin Bieber, I built stronger relationships and bonds with these wonderful Jesus lovers. I met other people from other squads and laughed talking with them as we stood in the middle of the woods with head lamps. I learned so much about God I didn’t even know! Boot Camp kicked my butt (living wise), but spiritually and mentally Ive never been happier than when I’m serving surrounded by the Kingdom of God. I still have yet to find the right words to describe how the Holy Spirit moved that week and how I will forever be changed by it, but all I know is it doesn‘t matter if you are 16, 19, 37, or 86, if you love Jesus more than yourself the Kingdom of God will flourish despite sin/death. It will be a mirror of heaven and we will love one another as Jesus intended.