God is at work. 

I arrived in Atlanta, GA, on August 27th for Launch! The day was full of time spent with my squad, registration, worship and a late-night run to RaceTrac. On the following day, time was spent learning more about what Training Camp would be like. As an Adventures in Missions staff member told my fellow racers and me that our lives would be transformed at Training Camp, I pridefully sat in my chair with the thought of "I'll learn more about the Lord and things he cares about, but I won't have a story like these people who say their lives were changed here." I was right in the fact that I'm learning more about who the Lord is and things he cares about, but I was so wrong in thinking it wouldn't change my life. God is up to refinement, pruning, and growth. He is challenging me to love him deeper, trust him more, and surrender everything that I am to him. This journey has already proven to be hard, but God never said a life dedicated to him would be easy.

"And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

On Wednesday, September 7th, we went to Walmart with the purpose of evangelism. I was walking around with two of my teammates, Hannah and Kate, and we were praying for God to reveal who he wanted us to talk to. We noticed an older woman, probably about sixty years old, in the slipper aisle with whom we sparked conversation. The small talk led to me asking her who she would say Jesus is to her. She replied, "Jesus is my savior." The conversation continued, and after she explained that she called Jesus her savior because he gives her strength and comfort and provides good times, I asked if I could share with her why I call Jesus my savior. With great joy, I shared the Good News of Jesus Christ that he died as the sacrifice for all sins then rose again. Tears streamed down her face, and she kept eye contact with me the whole time. I felt the Lord's prompting to ask her if she had ever heard that message before. To my amazement, she said "no." I was utterly shocked, and I am still grappling with the fact that that was her first time ever hearing the gospel. God humbled me and opened my eyes even more to the urgency of the gospel.

What does life look like at Training Camp? An average day here is an early morning wake-up call to spend time with God followed by breakfast, worship and session, squad debriefing, lunch, personal time, session, squad debriefing, dinner, squad/free time then bedtime. Other fun aspects of training camp include living out of tents, using only porta potties, washing our clothes by hand, and showering twice a week (sometimes with just a bucket of water) - circumstances that to the world would be unfavorable, but God is so kind to give us such things.

Meet my squad! Squad L - 22 racers, 4 squad leaders, and 1 squad mentor. Twenty-seven different personalities, backgrounds, etc. but all serving the same God. These people were strangers just two weeks ago but are becoming like family.

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Romans 12:4-5

Team Revel! We will live together around the world and serve with the same ministries throughout the whole race. 

SQUAD WARS!!!

 Thank you everyone for continuing to intercede to the Father on my behalf! Please pray that I would rely on His strength to get me through each moment of every day, I would find joy in all things, and that God would reveal truth to me.

To the ends of the earth,
Madilyn