Somehow I survived Training Camp! In the past eleven days I've been given so much information and gone through an emotional roller coaster and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all, but here's the overarching theme of everything I've learned: God is love.

I'd be lying if I said my Training Camp experience was good. There was just too much going on to call it either good or bad. Some days were filled with the moving of the Holy Spirit and rushing joy, others were dark and tearful. But through it all God never once left, and used every single piece of it to further the Kingdom.

I've put more prayer into my squad than anything else relating to the World Race, and I got more than I bargained for. Seeing the group of people God masterfully put together, and hearing of how they got to be here, was incredible. Many of us almost ended up taking different routes and would have likely never met, but being the loving Father that He is God worked through all our circumstances to bring us together. Everyone agreed (in the squad and the leaders above us) that the Devil is scared of what He will do with us, and I can't wait to see what God's plan for us is.

I cannot wait to serve God in places where the people haven't received the gospel. The idea that some haven't even heard of it because people like me haven't gone to share it with them hurts. For the first six months of the World Race I'll be in some of the spiritually darkest places in the world which need to hear the gospel the most and yet have been shown it the least by the "Christianized" world.

The fact that my squad gets the opportunity to show them God's saving love blows my mind. Who am I to be given such a holy responsibility? Well, I'll tell you: I'm a sinful wretch who rebelled against a righteous judge who chose to pay the penalty of my crimes for me, and offers that same pardon to all who will receive it. Now I get to share that good news to people in central Iowa for two months, then Asia and Africa for a year! Is this not love? 

God has opened my eyes to more than just His love through Training Camp, and this blog is about to become full of stories of what He did to me there. So if you want to hear more consider subscribing. God bless all y'all and remember His love!