LIVING SURRENDERED – training camp

“I don’t wanna go through the motions

I don’t wanna go one more day

Without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking

What if I had given everything”

– The Motions by Matthew West

I first heard this song and these lyrics just a few days before training camp started, and they instantly struck me. They perfectly capture exactly what I feel and what I want this season to be about. I do not want to live halfway, just going through the motions of life. I do not want comfort to be the thing I chase. I want to live fully surrendered, fully present, and fully available for whatever God has in store. If I get to the end of this journey, or even the end of my life, I do not want to look back and wonder what if I had given everything? I want to know I surrender it all for Him.

Training camp has been such a blessing. In just three short weeks, God has done so much more than I ever could have expected. It definitely did not start the way I imagined after my flight was canceled, my dad and I ended up taking a little 13 hour road trip from Dallas to Gainesville, Georgia. I arrived a day late, but honestly, I would not trade that extra time with my dad for anything. That unexpected detour was such a reminder that God is in control, and that His plans are always greater than mine, even when they do not match what I thought they would be.

Since arriving at training camp it has been absolutely amazing. Every day has been stretching, refining, and overflowing with moments where I can clearly see God moving. He’s been teaching me to depend on Him more fully. Whether that’s trusting Him when I feel weak, stepping into boldness when I’d rather shrink back, or simply slowing down to notice His presence in the little things. He’s reminded me again and again that He is faithful, and that when I surrender, He shows up in ways I could never imagine.

At the same time, I have been surrounded by an incredible community. Everyone here already feels like family. Training has been filled with such joy and laughter, we danced while doing dishes, rolled down hills, and worshiped on the dining deck. Even things that might seem uncomfortable like sleeping in tents, hand washing laundry in buckets, or living without a lot of the conveniences we are used to have started to feel like home.

These first three weeks are just the beginning, but already I can see how He is preparing me for the months ahead. I know there will be challenges, stretching moments, and times where surrender feels costly, but I also know that God is faithful and good. My prayer is that I do not hold anything back, that I give Him everything, just like the song says. I want to step into this next season with open hands, an open heart, and a willingness to go wherever He leads because that is where the real life, the abundant life, is found.