It’s hard to believe just how much can happen in a couple of weeks.

I've been telling people that if I had to pick a theme for these past two weeks, it would be the good and the hard. There has been so much good, but also plenty of things that have challenged and stretched me, and I’m learning that both are necessary for growth. I’ve been meditating on the verse from James that encourages us to “consider it pure joy when [we] face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Through the difficult moments, I cling to the promise in the second half of the passage: “that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” And so we press on, to be complete in Jesus. Enjoy some stories from these first two weeks :)

One of my favorite parts of training camp was simply getting to know my squad and teammates. For those that don’t know, my squad is the larger group of people I’ll be with (There’s 26 of us), and my team is the “inner circle” of 5 girls and one awesome squad leader that I will get to do ministry with. We have had so many good conversations, shared stories, laughed a LOT, and got to be vulnerable with each other. I’m really grateful for the people God has put on my team, and I already love them so much. It’s been so cool to watch our relationships grow in such a short amount of time. 

Training Camp consisted of lots of sessions of teaching on spiritual things, practical skills, and how to live well in community. We’ve learned about giving feedback and how to encourage one another well- in areas where someone may already be thriving and also in areas where we may need to build them up and point them to Jesus. Through feedback, I’ve learned that my team is super encouraging and that we really work well together. Although it’s kind of counter-cultural, I’m also excited for when we start having more constructive feedback for each other. I know this team loves me and cares about me, as I do them, and so I’m excited to be called up higher and call them higher.

We also had a cultural day where we learned about how to share the Gospel well by understanding and appreciating culture. My squad was assigned Thai culture, so we practiced some of the habits we’ll need to learn when we’re actually in Thailand. The whole day was such a good reminder that missions isn’t about bringing our culture somewhere and expecting everyone to adapt to us. We are bringing the Gospel as guests in these places, so we want to learn how to enter someone else’s world boldly, with humility and respect. 

We also did a simulation of a foreign marketplace…which was definitely an experience. (wowzers.) It was designed to give us a taste of what it might feel like to navigate a completely unfamiliar culture full of language barriers, difficult interactions, currency misunderstandings, and a LOT going on all at once. Going into it, I was very focused on the logistics. I wanted to figure out how to get my team’s food and make sure everyone was taken care of as efficiently as possible so we could GET OUT of there! But about halfway through the experience, The Holy Spirit really struck me. He brought to mind a verse I had hidden in my heart somewhere. “When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them [...] for they were like sheep without a shepherd.” (Later I found this is Matthew 9:36 if you want to check my work). I started noticing all the people around me and all the opportunities for conversations and prayer that I was missing because I was too focused on accomplishing a task. It was frustrating and uncomfortable, but it brought some things to the surface that I know God will use to grow me. I learned a lot about communication, conflict, and the importance of remembering that the people will always be more important. 

We hiked Mt. Yonah as a huge group of all three Gap Year routes and had a lesson at the top. There was something pretty special about physically hiking a mountain and then sitting at the top and learning about what God is doing in and through us. It was so fun to run into different people from other squads along the way and hear their stories and connect with even more people who are on this same mission. 

So there was a lot of good and a lot of hard.

There were moments where I felt so excited, grateful, and sure that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be. There were also moments that frustrated me, stretched me, and made me realize how much I still have to learn. And honestly, I need both. Growth doesn’t always feel good while it’s happening. Sometimes God uses the uncomfortable things, the misunderstandings, the hard conversations, and the moments when I realize I don’t have it all figured out to make me more like Him and better prepared for what’s ahead. So thank you Jesus. I’m gonna keep trusting You. 

On one of the first days of Training Camp, I asked God to reveal His heart for the people of Greece, our first country, and He showed me that He wants to continue what He started there. For those that haven’t connected the dots yet, I will be doing ministry in Thessaloniki, Greece, which is the same area that would have held the church that received Paul’s letters, 1+2 Thessalonians. The Thessalonian church was so strong; it was one of the things Paul was most proud of! May it be restored in Jesus’ name!! Through further study on these books, God highlighted to me a couple key areas where He wants to continue His mission to the Thessalonians, and even gave me a few specific prayers to pray over these people and our time with them. I listed a few for you down below with some other prayer requests if you want to check them out. If nothing else, pray that “the Lord direct [their] hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thess 3:5). 

Then, after Training Camp, we headed to Camp Adrian for our domestic ministry week. This was such a special time. Our squad spent the week helping with renovations around the camp, and my team specifically spent most of our time painting. And honestly, it was exactly what I needed. After a week of carrying such a heavy mental and spiritual load from everything we were learning, domestic ministry was such a contrast. It was comfortable. It was simple. We got to work with our hands, and the whole week almost felt like a Sabbath.

We had AC. We had beds. We had ice. 😂 And I loved it.

Everyone at Camp Adrian was so kind, and the staff was amazing. On of my favorite days involved spending most of my time back in the kitchen, helping the cooks prepare breakfast and lunch, and getting to have great conversations. It was really cool to serve alongside people who care so deeply about that place. My favorite part, no surprise here, was getting to hear so many peoples’ stories, both on my squad and the staff of Adrian and Adventures Relief. Even though the week felt lighter, there was still plenty of growth happening. We continued having really good conversations, being vulnerable, and learning how to function as a team. But we also just laughed a lot. Sometimes we talked while we worked, and sometimes we worked in complete silence. 

And then there was a lot of fun mixed in with all of that. We had a LOT of ice cream stops. We even had a lake evening that was just fun and lighthearted, and there were plenty of moments where we weren’t talking about anything particularly deep, we were just laughing and enjoying being together. 

One night, we went out for ice cream as a team, and it ended up being our first real opportunity to do ministry all together. We met a man and got to hear his story and how he came to know the Lord. We were able to share about our trip and why we’re going, and I got to pray for him. He even prayed for us. It was such a simple interaction, but it was really sweet. It was one of those moments where this whole thing started to feel a little more real. We’re not just learning about ministry or talking about what we might do someday. We’re actually beginning to have these conversations, meet people, and share what God is doing in our lives.

And I think that was another thing God was teaching me: not every meaningful moment has to be intense.

Sometimes growth looks like a hard conversation or realizing something uncomfortable about yourself. Sometimes it looks like painting a wall with your friends. Sometimes it looks like sitting around a lake and laughing. Sometimes it looks like getting ice cream with your whole team and meeting someone who reminds you why you’re going in the first place. And sometimes it looks like resting.

These past few weeks have been full of all of it: the good, the hard, the deep conversations, the silly ones, the lessons, the work, the rest, and quite a bit of ice cream :)

I’m so grateful for this season and for the people God has given me to walk through it with. I’m grateful for the things that have stretched me, even when they’ve been uncomfortable, because I know God is using them to prepare me for what’s ahead.

I’m also definitely missing my people back home. There’s something really special about realizing how much you love people because you miss them so much. I’m so grateful for my community of people that has sent me. Thanks for your prayers, your texts, your guidance, and all those letters. I’m carrying a piece of you with me around the world. 

And now, after training camp, domestic ministry, and debrief, it’s finally time for Greece! 🇬🇷  The first country of this nine-month adventure is here. As I'm writing this, there are only 6 hours left until my squad and I head out for our first travel day! I can’t believe that today is my last day being in the USA until MAY. This is crazy! I don’t know exactly what these next few months will hold, but I know who does, and I trust Him. So here we go. ❤️

Love ya! -Aubs

PRAYER REQUESTS

-That the Lord may establish our steps (Proverbs 16:9)

-Safe, smooth travels and an easy adjustment to life in Greece. 

-For unity and love in my squad. Scripture says this is how others will know we are His disciples, so we have to take this seriously!

-Pray for Thessaloniki. 

—1 Thess 1:9, “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God”

—1 Thess 2:13, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of man but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” May this still be true Lord!

—1 Thess 4:4-5, “you are not in darkness…you are all children of light”

—2 Thess 1:11-12, “God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you.”

—2 Thess 2:15, “Stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.”