Way back at training camp when our teams were assigned we knew there was the looming possibility that it could all change in month three or four. It wasn’t a for sure thing, but a definite possibility. At the beginning of this month we found out that we would have changes at the end of the month. We would find out who our new squad leaders would be and any other possible changes to teams that came along with that. We were all asked to pray about it and pray for Mark and Kyla (our current squad leaders) who were praying and seeking God’s will for the new things on the horizon for our squad.
Since the beginning of this race and even back at training camp I have said the same thing, “I don’t want them to mess with our team.” It was really my heart of hearts. I felt like God had given me the best possible team ever and that we needed to stay together all year long. I felt that even more as the month went on and we started to dig a little deeper with one another. We had prayed for spiritual partners to keep us accountable and help challenge us and grow us. We had all shared the down deep parts of our stories with each other.
I spent most of the month fighting God tooth and nail about any change. I felt like I could never say or feel okay with change, because the moment I did it was like I told God change was okay and then He would of course bring the change that I didn’t want to happen. I played mind games thinking that would change His mind. Then, about two weeks ago God and I spent a day talking about it. I told Him my fears, and why I so desperately wanted to avoid the changes coming up. He told me that I needed to trust Him because it was all in His hands now and He would do what was best. Besides, did I really think I could fool God with mind games? I mean really when I thought about it, God is going to have His way whether I am okay with it or not.
I surrendered my team as I wanted to see it to God and asked Him to give me His peace about whatever was on the horizon. Even if that meant I was going to be moved to a whole new team with nobody I knew well.
God answered my prayers. He gave me an overwhelming peace about team changes and even though in my heart of hearts I wanted M:10 to remain untouched I knew that if it did happen God was in it and doing what was best. I can’t explain why I felt such peace other than God gave it to me. Usually in such situations I would not have this peace and I would try to fight God to that changing moment on it all. He gave me His peace though and I told him in whatever happened I would trust Him.
So today was D-Day so to speak. The day we find out about the changes. We were each given an envelope with the list of our new team. We were asked to open it alone and pray about it for the next two hours. I took my list and headed downstairs. I pulled it out and saw a lot of familiar names on that list. I also saw a few missing names and some new ones. Still, I felt total peace about the situation and I knew this team was put together for God’s purposes. I knew I would miss David and Brian, who had been moved and I had to take some time to grieve that. They have been my brothers and family the past three months and I have grown to truly love them both. Still, I was also able to celebrate the new team and pray for each member and that was great too.
So without making you wait any long let me introduce you to Team Dynomi. It is pronounced Theenomi and is Greek for the word power. Our group verse is 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have the treasure in jars of clay, to show that this power is from God and not from us.” When our team met the first time and had lunch and we talked about what we wanted our team to be about these next eight months we kept saying we wanted to be able to be vessels that God would use to show His power. It stuck out to us and it has become our name and our mission to be vessels that God can use to show His power to the world around us. I am so excited to see how God moves in and through this team and I know that He is doing what is best by making these changes. Brian and David will always be my brothers and even though we won’t be serving together on the day to day we will still be a part of one another’s lives. I ask you to keep lifting up David and Brian in your prayers, but to also add Jedidiah and John to your prayers and to pray for our new team to grown in unity and love.
