SpLiCe!

How can I even begin to describe the 3 weeks of training? Amazing, intense, challenging, great preparation, revealing, healing, peaceful, etc. I spent the last 3 weeks at SPLICE which is training to go overseas. Splice stands for spiritual, personal, lifestyle, interpersonal, cultural, endurance & enjoyment. I went into it with very few expectations, but I did NOT expect it to be as great as it was. I am still processing quite a bit of things and probably will be for the rest of my life!

Highlights of SPLICE:
- Fellowship: It was a sweet time of fellowship with the Lrd and with others. I met people from all over this country (some from other countries) going out to do the Lrd's work all over the world! It was such a sweet picture of Gd bringing His people together to send them out. For the first time in a while, I felt like I "fit" somewhere. I could ask questions and others understood why I was asking; I got to hear how the Lrd led others to the mission field. I made some life long friends that I may never see again, but I know that we will communicate through prayer - what a blessing. I made life long friends that I hope to see when we return but again, I know that until then we will be lifting each other up. I really needed this time of getaway and fellowship. Though most of the days were spent in sessions, we had everyday after 4:00 and weekends off so we did get to have a bit of fun. I rode a horse!! Ha! My friend Melanie and I decided that we wanted to do something one Saturday so we looked online for some ideas. We found a stable that would take you on horseback through the garden of gods (BEAUTIFUL!). We made MANY trips to starbucks, we walked on beautiful trails and up mountains!

-Training sessions/worship: I'm not quite sure where to start except to say that this was some of the best training I've ever received! The reality that I am really leaving finally hit this past week as we went through a session on grief and loss and a session on how to say good goodbye's. I finally consciously recognized that fact that I am leaving and that there are things and people I have to say goodbye to. We had 2 sessions a day for 3 weeks. The sessions were on everything from conflict styles and resolution, stress, how to deal with it and how we will take on even more stress as we leave for the field, culture shock, safety, and my personal favorite, soul care. It was a day long, but the main principle was that if we want to live like Jsus, we must take care of our soul. We went through verse after verse on how Jsus took time to spend by himself and with His Father - how he went to a solitary and lonely place to pray. It isn't just okay to take that sabbath rest, it is necessary! Let's see, what else? Oh! There was one day where we read a story of some American's who were taken hostage and then we were taken hostage ourselves. There were about 14 of us in a very small box for an hour; different scenarios were given to us and we had to handle them as a team. It was great. We also had such great peaceful worship that was so great for my soul!!! All in all - Gd was so very present!- and I feel a million times more prepared to go - culturally, personally, and spiritually. Gd really met me at SPLICE - He did a lot in my heart - a lot of which I am still processing. He is a faithful Father and He really showed that to me!