Training Weekend

Wow! That is the only word that comes to mind when I think about the last week. So much has happened and I can already feel myself learning and growing. To bring everyone up to speed I got to Chicago on Thursday and got to tour the city with two other interns for a bit. Then we had a picnic with all the interns and LeaderTreks staff. It was just a great time of fellowship and getting to know each other through playing games and just acting goofy together. The next day we started training weekend. Since it was a 3 hour drive we had great conversations but also got to endure what they call "Blue Stew" a nice big blue van with no air conditioning. Needless to say it was uncomfortable but a great time of getting to know each other.

Once we got to the camp we were able to just start digging into what LeaderTreks is and learning what our role is as interns. While these meetings were sometimes a little boring it was great to learn about each other and just sharing our hearts with one another. One part of training that we all knew was coming was challenge day and this was one of the days that we all wondered about and tried asking as many questions to the leaders that we could. Unfortunately, they would not tell us much but instead just told us to remember everything we read in our manuals and to get to know one another. We did the latter one very well. We would walk together as a team over to the lake and all the conversations would be so deep and encouraging to hear how everyone was so willing to open up and share their lives with one another. God really revealed to us what community should look like, and I know that I long for that community constantly now. After 2 1/2 days of learning what LeaderTreks is and our roles, it was time for challenge day!

The day was just as hard as it sounds, it was a huge challenge! We had to learn how to work together as a team and how to use our strengths and how to lead. The day consisted of memorizing verses and doing some intense team builders. We were able to persevere through struggles and learn how to handle failure. Through these failures though we grew together and were constantly reminded that we cannot do anything on our own strength but instead with God's strength we can handle the failures and learn how to grow. I was blown away at how close we came out of the day. Instead of taking it as a bad day we looked at the positives and looked at how much closer we were as a team. It was unbelievable. I am almost speechless thinking back on it.

This brings us pretty much up to today. We got back to Chicago yesterday, yes another long ride in "Blue Stew" but it was filled with great conversations and funny jokes. We sent off three of the teams this morning and more leave tomorrow. It is very sad to say goodbye to everyone because we feel like a family now. But to watch everyone exchange numbers and add each other on facebook is so fun! I leave tomorrow to head to Memphis and I am so pumped! I know God is going to do great things in Memphis but also in me. What I have learned so far is unbelievable and I know more is to come. Our theme for the summer is prayer and I am going to make a prayer journal and just record how God answer's prayer. I cannot wait to look back and just see all the miracles that happen in just one summer.

I am praying for you all and ask that you do the same for me and all the other inters and staff members. Pray for the sites that we will be at and the students that will be on the trips. I will try to update this once a week during my down time between trips, but no promises. But I will do my best! Hope everyone is having an awesome summer!