No more fish head soup!

It's always a ridiculous honor to serve at World Race Training Camps.

This week is absolutely crucial in the start of the next chapter for these Racers. But we've begun to realize something about Training Camp – it's hard enough as it is. These amazing people are taking the first step in the process of abandonment and brokenness, so we need to love them well. Sure, we still keep the schedule a secret. Sure, we make them carry their chairs everywhere, pack up their stuff, sleep uncomfortably, etc. But we're learning about the importance of emphasis that we LOVE them and we WANT them to succeed.

So, we tried some new things this time around. Incorporating our support of them into our language. Feeding them bigger portions and no fish head soup. Challenging them in the context of love. And I learned a lot from being on the other side of this. But first, I want to share with you some of what the Racers said about this week. It's really humbling and kind of awesome.

"God is real, friends are radical, and training camp was surprisingly outrageous." – Kimberly Liette

Training Camp gets a bad rap. If you're a future World Racer, you've probably blog stalked and heard horror stories of fish head soup, sleeping in a bus, and crying every day.

While some of those things may happen, Training Camp tends to be not only a catalyst for change in a Racer's journey, but a wonderful week full of friendship, bonding, memories, and fun. A week where God shows up and makes himself more real to us than we ever imagined. A week of healing, anointing, and dance parties. Which brings us to last week.

This year's May Training Camp for QRST Squads was phenomenal. The staff entered into the week praying and seeking the Lord about what he had in store for us. We expected (and saw) deliverance, freedom, joy, fun, and an unprecedented dose of God the Father's love for his kids. Let's just say staff and Racers alike were rocked this week. We could tell you about how WE think camp went, or we could show you what Racers have been saying. This blog is a mash-up of photos, quotes, and videos from last week. QRST Squads – we love you!

Our Favorite Quotes

This journey will cost everything, but it will give me more than I can ever imagine. – Alexis Findlay

Normal comforts are no longer a comfort to me, God is. – Megan Frazer

This is what church should look like. – Ruby Lopez

God loves me as his daughter and I am enough. – Autumn Harper

We spent this week being wrecked by the love of God. – Logan Needy

Thanks for not serving us fish head soup! – Amanda Shelton

I never expected to be so obsessed with my squad already. – Megan Kennedy

Training Camp has been one of the most difficult, wonderful, life-altering weeks of my life. – Lacey Carpenter

Our leaders and trainers were so Christ-centered and in tune with God's presence. I've never felt more safe. – Sarah Anne Edwards

God wants me to attempt things that are too big for me to do alone so that I can experience dependence on him." – Katie Olson

Drop yo expectations homie! – Amanda Shelton

We're pumped about these 200+ lives that are about to change the world, and we'd love if you'd join in their journey and follow along.

To read Q Squad's latest stories, click here. Or follow #Qbelieveit

​To read R Squad's latest stories, click here. Or follow #ouRsquad

To read S Squad's latest stories, click here. Or follow #theSquadWR

To read T Squad's latest stories, click here. Or follow #wrTsquad

Photos via Kalin Quigley, Kara Turner, Marina Razumovsky, Stephanie Bernotas, and Michelle McPherson.

We did our best to challenge without destroying relationships. It killed us when they were mad. But it brought us incredible joy when they would trust. And it was like putting a soda cap back on a bursting bottle to try and stifle that love and keep throwing challenges their way. And we were humbled by their response. Trust.

Isn't that kind of like God? He asks us to step into our brokenness and need of him not because he's a mean old man up in the sky, but because there is purpose in the painful parts of our stories. He beckons us to himself as he lets us walk through challenges all in the context of his love. He WANTS us to succeed in the story he's planned for us – in the race he's set before us.

I got a new glimpse into the holistic love of God last week at Training Camp. Because even though I had to keep the schedule and timing a secret, and even though I had to simulate plane crashes and lost luggage, my heart was absolutely BURSTING with love for T Squad. (You too Q, R, and S, but I mean… T's the jam.)

Will you join me in the challenge to trust God's love for us when he witholds schedules and asks us to trust him? Even if he throws fish head soup back into the picture? Cause he's good. And he's for us.

And if our God is for us, then who could stand against?