WRGY Week 1

Oh my goodness gracious! This past week has been absolutely amazing. Getting off my flight, I was a little nervous approaching my teammates and just getting situated at the airport, BUT at the same time, I was so stinking pumped! 

As I was landing in Gainesville, GA, I realized it was only a matter of minutes before I met my squad… then of course it happened! I walked up to everyone, a little nervous, but so excited and just kind of jumped in! Each person was so welcoming and sweet and after that, I just felt so at ease and peace with the whole thing. Most of that day consisted of being at the airport, waiting on our shuttle bus to get there and take us to the World Race facilities. Our new home… at least for the next three months! 

Once the shuttle bus picks us up, it was about a 30-45min drive. We all piled into a van and talked/sang all the way there. It was like we were all great friends for years and we were just catching up, which is kind of true because a lot of them have known each other for about a year now! So, it was super cool to see how everyone clicked so fast :)! As we pulled up, we started going through registration and meeting the rest of our squad and the staff. This took up the rest of our day for the most part and after that my team helped me set up my tent and hammock at our campsite. Which, I will go more into after this! But, basically due to COVID-19, half of our squad is split up into what we call a “cohort”. Meaning, we can’t be in contact with the other cohort until our 14 days are up. Just to take precautions if any of us ended up having the virus. We also have to wear masks around them and the other squads here, but the people on our team (our smaller groups) we don’t have to, because we are basically in quarantine with them. As of right now, our 14 days haven’t been up yet, so I still haven’t met half of my squad! Only a few more days and we get to all come together though, so I am sooooo excited! 

Now, lemme tell you more about where I live! When you pull into the World Race campus, there is a lot of hills compared to where I used to live! Which is so cool and also, gonna have killer legs in NO TIME! But, anyways, there is a volleyball net, a long road you go down that has the woods on each side (where some campsites are located), a couple houses (one in case someone gets sick, and the other which is where the offices are). Then coming up on the left, there is the training center where we have our squad meeting points for teachings or worship (honestly used for a lot of things), then down the road some more where showers, more campsites, the pavilion, clothes washing stations, and porter potties are. Yes, you heard me correctly! Porter potties!!! For the past week, that is the only place where we can do our business… haha it definitely has been a crazy experience for all of us! And yes, we also have been sleeping outside which is way out of my comfort zone, but that’s what we gotta do! For sure I have been learning how to adjust to all of this and it has been hard, but I am absolutely loving it. 

Every day has been different so far and we haven’t done anything the same by a schedule in other words, until the beginning of this week. We just had to get situated and into the groove of things ya know! But basically, while I am here, we all have really been focusing on our intimacy with God. Growing with Him, and learning more before we bring that to anyone, because how are we supposed to talk to others about Jesus if we don’t know Him ourselves? So, each day we have been having either devos, worship, going over World Race polices (insurance or other things like that), having team time, getting to know our squad, sermons/teachings, etc. There is so much that goes into each day that we are always busy which is so awesome! 

So far, it has only been a week and I am already healing and growing so much with the Lord. Being able to have zero distractions, completely taking in what He has for me here, and listening to what He has been speaking to me has already moved me in so many ways. I have been able to wake up early and read my bible, sit in His presence, and listen to what He says. I am able to just pour my entire heart into Him each day without anything getting in the way, I am able to surround myself with such loving and uplifting people, and there is just so much to it that I could go on for forever. The people here are so encouraging and are all here for the same reason I am, to spread the love of God, learn more with Him, and watch lives be transformed!! Each of us have already gotten to know one another on a deeper level and trust each other with so much. We just started testimonies between our teams and being able to feel comfortable and open up to them is just so amazing. They are the kind of people who love like Jesus, want to see you grow, heal, and do everything that God has called you to do. When we talk, they want to listen, they want to help, and they want to be your bestest friend. They automatically became family to me and literally… it has only been a week and we have a whole 9 months together. This has just been something I have prayed for, for so long and it’s so beautiful watching all of this come together. Watching God answering prayers and leading me in this incredible new season of getting to know Him on a deeper level. 

At the beginning of this week, we wake up, have breakfast, devos for an hour, worship for an hour, someone who comes and speaks on a certain topic, which today they spoke on honor, then we have rotations. Let me explain each of these to you! 🙂 During devos our leaders give us a certain book of the bible and chapter to read through. To dive deeper into His word and to meditate on what He has said or what He is trying to teach you in scripture. During this time, I love to journal what God reveals to me and even make His words of scripture into my own to understand and talk about more. After our hour is up, we head to our squad meeting points (training center) and go into worship. Which by the way, our worship team is so amazing! I love them and God uses them in such a bold and beautiful way. They completely allow the Holy Spirit to move through them and use them. As they sing each song, that is when I connect with God the most. Honestly, I don’t even sing the songs, I just pray the entire time and give God all the praise. This is my favorite part of the day, because it’s when I hear God the most. He brings people to my mind to pray for, comforts me, and teaches me so many new things that I didn’t know about myself and even more of course. So, I just think it is super special! Then we go into a time of teaching where someone comes and speaks to us about a certain topic that we would focus on throughout the day. Each time, I learn something new and take notes each time so I can look back on it and read it through again later on in my day. After this we have lunch! Yay! The food is so great, but next time I am definitely bringing a lot of snacks! Andddd ya after is rotations! During this all the squads rotate on certain things we need to do on campus, this could look like showers, cleaning, washing clothes, and exercising! So ya! After all of those things, we have quite a bit of free time to do whatever we need to do. We can either go take a nap, write, read, spend time with our squad, play games, get into the word, spend time with God, literally anything which is really great because back at home I was always so busy that I barely made time for myself and honestly not a lot of time with the Lord, so it is so so so great that I finally get to do that. While being here, I have so much time that I get to spend with God and also with my new friends who are already like my brothers and sisters who I absolutely love and adore! 

Well, to wrap all of this up, I just wanted to let all of you know how life has been going and how I am going to be for a long time! Meaning, I decided to fast from my phone for about a month. Either way we don’t have our phone from breakfast, all the way until nighttime so like 8am-8pm basically! But I realized when I do have my phone, it has become really unhealthy for me and I have a lot of healing to do. While I am on my phone, I am always on social media and it has become toxic for me, so I really need to give that up to the Lord right now and heal from a lot of things that have been going on in my personal life. I also just want to completely focus on what the Lord has for me here and live in the moment with everyone here. There’s so much more that goes into it, but I just know this is exactly what I need right now, so I hope all of you understand! 🙂 I will have my laptop for writing blogs, so that is how you can keep up with me while I am away! My goal is to write a weekly blog, if not even more, so please subscribe so you can keep up with it! Also, I would love if any of you would like to write to me! I will be writing letters to my family for this next month, so feel free to write to me as well! I will write back! But, thank you all for keeping up with me and supporting me on my journey. So much spiritual growth, joy, and healing has already been happening and I love how much God has been teaching me during this special time. I can’t wait to continue to update all of you each week! 

Blessings, lots of love, lots of hugs, and lots of prayers goin up! I love you all and will talk to each of you soon! Thanks! 

–       Your sister in Christ, Jamie Schroeder!