***Blog originally posted on (7/22/2021)
Hi Everyone!
I have been back from training camp for a few days and I am at a loss to describe all that the Lord did in 7 packed days of Training Camp…
Training Camp was a 7 day intensive training with morning teachings, worship, various activities, team scenarios/challenges as well as time to get to know the group of about 30 people who I will be doing life with for the next year. I went into training camp super nervous, asking myself all of the questions like Did I pack the right way? What will my team be like? Will they like me? How will I fit in? Am I the right person for this trip? etc. etc. The first day or two felt surreal that I was meeting all of these faces that I had been meeting on Zoom calls leading up to this point. However, by the end of the week I felt like I had a month of experiences with these teammates who are now family.
To give you a brief glimpse, each day we would wake up and exercise together and then eat meals focusing on a region or country in the world. We would then go to sessions together on topics like The Father’s Heart, Holy Spirit, or The Kingdom of God. In the afternoon and evenings, we had squad activities and team building scenarios. Training Camp was so special and I have many stories, but I will share one of the most meaningful.
On one of the last nights of camp, my squad mentor told us that there would be baptisms happening the following day. As I went to bed that night, I felt like the Lord was asking me to be rebaptized. I had been baptized 5 years ago and the Lord has brought so much transformation to my life since that point. At first I pushed it off for a variety of reasons, but eventually I told the Lord that if that was what He wanted me to do then I would do it. I was asking Him why He was asking me to be baptized again and He said that He wanted to break off fear from me. The next morning I woke up early and had the phrase on my mind “Stones of Remembrance ''. I pulled out my Bible to the story of the Israelites entering the Promised Land where they had to cross the Jordan River found in Joshua 3 and 4.
This story describes the miracle of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River on dry ground.
Joshua 3:12-13 “Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap”
Joshua 4:5-7 “And Joshua said to them, ‘Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
As I was reading this story, I believe the Lord was reminding me of the significance of this time. The Israelites were in a time of transition between wandering in the wilderness to entering into the land that God had for them. God showed up for them in a remarkable way and had them create a physical representation that would be a reminder for generations to come of how the Lord provided.
I am able to look back at all the Lord has done in my life in the last 5 years, as well as look ahead knowing that He is not finished. I am full of excitement to see what the Lord is going to do in this next season. So I got rebaptized out of obedience to the Father and to break off fear that I have been living under. Being baptized is a physical reminder that I have been set free from fear and in Him there is Freedom! Thank you Jesus!
I am leaving on August 6th to go back to Georgia for a couple more days of training before my squad travels to Romania! Will you pray for safety during our travels and that as a squad we would walk out in boldness and love as we listen and obey the Holy Spirit? Thank you so much for your prayers!
With love,
Elizabeth
M-Squad Hiking Mt. Yonah
