Exactly where I am supposed to be

WOW, WOW, WOW. Honestly, that’s all I can say to start this blog. It has officially been a week, and my mind is already blown by how much God has done and just how good He truly is. This week was packed with so many experiences, so I’m going to do my best to recap everything.

For those who don’t know, I’m currently at training camp for a few weeks. The purpose of it is to stretch and grow us so we’re fully prepared when we head out on our routes.

One of the biggest adjustments to life at the Adventures in Missions base has been living outdoors. Before coming, I was prepared for it to be the hardest few weeks of my life. I’d heard all the scary stories about what awaited me in Georgia and had mentally prepared myself for the worst. But after just one week here, I’m incredibly thankful for how the Lord has filled me with an overwhelming sense of peace and joy.

On top of that, I’m surrounded by the best squad of people, who are not only fun to be around but have made this week such an enjoyable experience. They make me so excited for what lies ahead.

So, what’s it like living at the Adventures and Missions base? For starters, we live in tents. It was a bit tricky at first, but I’ve grown to love it. Our entire squad—30 people—camps in the same area, so we have our own little village of tents. I’ve also developed a deep appreciation for my hammock, and I’m in it almost every day. We’ve got those all over the place too.

There are some challenges, like bucket showers, portable toilets, and doing laundry outside. Oh, and the bugs—they’re everywhere (and loud). But you get used to it, and honestly, I’m loving every moment. I feel such a deep sense of peace and know without a doubt that this is exactly where I’m meant to be.

Things I have Learned

• Sin is not a reason to run from God, but to God.
• Society will tell you that you have to meet certain standards to be accepted, but Jesus says, “I love you first, and it’s that love that will inspire you to follow me.”
• God speaks in so many different ways, don’t be discouraged how he speaks to someone else. God knows your heart.
• Strongholds have a hold on you, because you also have a hold on it.
• If we are the salt of the earth, we should be the thirstiest for the Holy Spirit.
• You can’t fail when you join the Lord in how he is already moving.
• When evangelizing, you don’t get the glory if they get saved, and you don’t get the shame if they don’t. It’s not yours, but the Lord’s to carry.

Testimonies

I think I came in expecting everyone to be on fire for the Lord and to have everything in life all figured out. Looking back, it’s kind of silly that I thought that. But what I find so beautiful is how much God wants to grow each of us individually and as a squad together before we go out to the nations. God has done so much, but these are definitely the highlights.

• Prayed for a squad mate to be set free from addiction, and for the Lord to move in their heart. The next day they told me they got rid of the nicotine they had brought to camp. AND this week it has been so evident how they have grown so close to the Lord. Truly experiencing the freedom and the love of the Lord.
• The Lord healed my squad mate who had scoliosis! She was in a lot of pain. So much that she couldn’t even stand in worship. After prayer, she felt better and has had NO pain since. Hallelujah, THANK YOU JESUS!

Prayer Requests

Thank you so much to everyone who was praying for me this week. Every prayer request from my last blog was answered for sure. Here are mine for this next week!

• My squad. Some people are sick, and others are home sick.
• That the Lord keeps pouring out his peace and joy over me and my squad.
• The Lord keeps moving!!

Im so thankful that I am able to be on this journey. We have two weeks left before we leave for domestic missions somewhere in the states. I can’t wait for what is ahead, but also soaking up each and every moment here. To end this blog I am putting a video of us all worshipping the Lord and thanking him for all he has done 🙂

With love,

Ashlyn