The Big Tent

There’s a big, blue and white tent outside the office. I couldn’t help but get excited when I drove up and saw it! You see, the big tent means one thing…

That may not mean much to you, but to me, it means that big tent is bringing…

If you know me, you know I’m a people person. I THRIVE in crowds. So imagine my excitement when a whole crew of new people are around for a week!!! Last week, it was World Racers. I admit it – they’re some of my favorites! There’s just something about being around a whole group of people about the same age as me who really GET IT. They’re passionate. They’re driven. And they’re willing to risk it all, to abandon their life, to leave it all behind to follow God around the world.

It’s a blessing to meet them and to begin to build relationships with them, and then to see how God moves in the months to come!

Training camp also means an opportunity to teach!

That’s huge for me, because I LOVE teaching people. I love to speak, and I really love to teach. I get that from my Dad. It’s something I didn’t realize I was passionate about until I did youth ministry last spring, and it’s something I miss a lot these days. Saturday I got a chance to teach the World Racers a little bit about blogging and storytelling – two things I love to do. It was a blessing to get to pour into them!

There’s another great thing about that big tent and training camp, and that is all the incredible leaders that come to the office for it! They are speakers, mentors, and fathers, and just their presence around the office breathes life into everyone around. Though I missed some great speakers like Ron and Ben and Michael and Liza, I did get to hear Andrew (or as I call him, “Papa Shearman“). What an experience! It was amazing just to be in the room with him again! He spoke so much life, truth, power, and authority into us! He moved our hearts and refreshed our spirits. He called us higher and he blessed us in a powerful way! It was so good for my heart to be around him, and amazing to see how others responded to him. The night I heard him speak, I looked around the room to find several leaders looking up at him like a child – utterly captivated by his words and with eyes so full of love and devotion… it was one of those moments I thanked God again for allowing me to know Andrew and to have him speak into my life!

One last amazing thing that big tent does… it brings friends. Not just the new friendships of World Racers or other trainees or servers, but those dear friends we already knew. Friends like Casey, Kim, Tana, Stephanie, Chad, and Erin. They aren’t always at the office, but they come around this time of year to help with camp. So many happy reunions and good times together – it refreshed my heart! And more than anything those friends helped me realize how blessed I am. As I was sitting in a session, Kim leaned over and whispered, “How incredible is it that we’re here, together, tonight?” And it all sunk in…

That was Kim. My dear friend I met almost a year ago in Africa the day God healed me from asthma, allergies, and severe acid reflux disease. It was Kim who said, “I think you’ve heard a word from the Lord Ericka, and I think I have to say, Sister, by your faith you’re healed!”

And I was!

Tana and Stephanie were there with us in Africa. As was Chad, and his fiance’ Erin, who prayed over me.

And it was Casey who spoke truth and encouragement into me, and who really helped me connect to those World Racers in Africa who changed my life so much…

And almost a year later, here we are. People I never thought I’d see again are now my friends, my co-workers, my community. I let it sink in that night. It overwhelmed me to realize how much God has moved in my life, and how thankful I am that He did!