The conclusion of Month 3 on The World Race also brought about the conclusion of my first team, Team Hebron. Man. I had such a good run with them! Those 6 people that the Lord allowed me to live life with for 3 months saw my good, my bad, my ugly, and my beautiful.
In Honduras, we hacked at grass with machetes while we also learned to fall in love with Jesus and each other.
In Guatemala, we trusted the Holy Spirit to direct our steps, appointments, and conversations with locals and tourists while we learned to call the greatness out of each other and say amen to each other’s process.
In Nicaragua, we sweated alongside each other doing garden and construction work while the Lord worked a sweetness into our hearts for Him, each other, and the children at the orphanage.
I don’t have the words to describe how precious my Hebron team was to me, but even as the Lord re-directs us from each other I am confident that each one of us is on a path of greatness in building the Kingdom.
With that being said, I’d like to introduce my new team: Team Spirit ROAR. I now have the privilege of running alongside 5 beautiful women who are gentle in spirit and fierce for the Kingdom.
Stephanie Vergara (Team Leader)
Look familiar? Stephanie was on Team Hebron with me, and has now been raised up as a team leader. I’ve been able to see her blossom the past 3 months and find her strength in her vulnerability, her wisdom in her patience. She has been well-equipped to lead this team into deeper places with the Lord, and I’m honored to call her my leader. Steph listens, really listens, to the Father and does what He says no matter how weird or strange it might make her look. And really, what else matters in this life?
Spunky Ellie Baker is a breath of fresh air wherever she goes. Ellie has this amazing mix of enthusiasm for life and a yieldedness to the Lord. In the time that we’ve had together, I’m bowled away every time she speaks because her words are marked with humility and honesty. Ellie is hecka prophetic and is able to call out the greatness in people with her heart of compassion. I also like that Ellie doesn’t beat around the bush, especially with Christian-isms. She calls everything like it is, and isn’t afraid to question the status quo whether it’s in the world or in the church.
Emmaly is a woman of powerful words. The Lord has put such an amazing voice inside of her, and her ability to exhort and encourage others is unparalleled. When I am rushed and forceful, Emmaly is patient and gentle. She reminds me of the softer side of being a woman, and that gentleness is strength. I love Emmaly’s attention to detail in people because it showcases the tenderness of her heart that comes from her Father. One of my favorite moments with Emmaly was last month in Nicaragua (she’s also a repeat teammate of mine) when she shared about her conversation with the Lord, “I asked Him ‘How much grace [for others] is too much?’ and He said ‘There’s never too much grace.’” Pow! Emm brings the fire.
We keep joking that the squad leaders must have cast lots in order to have put us on the same team (Validity of casting lots post-Pentecost to come! Oh, Christian jokes . . .). I love this woman! Courtney has walked in strength and power with the Lord, and continues to do so in greater and greater measure. She is someone who can spur me on and keep me looking at Jesus, and I am privileged to be running alongside such a woman of influence. Although she was raised in Georgia, I’m pretty convinced she’s a Northern California girl at heart—everything she does reminds me of hippie-nut-crunch Berkeley! Duron feels like home to me, and it’s such a blessing to have a piece of it while I’m on the Race.
Me oh my, Miss Megan Bland! Back for Round 2, Megan has been my delightful surprise here on the Race. First off, she’s a giant fruit juice-flavored gummy bear of love who will literally love the hell out of anybody. Secondly, Megan loves the Scripture and I love love love delving deep into it with her. Together, we explore what the Lord is really saying through His Word and we challenge each other on if we really believe everything He says. Megan is a woman marked with radical obedience to her Father, and her deep trust of Him intertwines with her deep wellspring of joy.
Together, we are a dynamo team of women who are truly forward focused. Sure, the Lord continually works in and redeems our past, but we are not defined by it. The Lord has blessed me in being able to run, really run, in the Spirit alongside these women for the next 8 months.
We are spirit, not flesh.
Our tears are strength, not weakness.
We seek to glorify our Father in everything we do.
Get ready world, we’re pulling heaven onto earth.
A brief finances update: I’m currently funded to $11,771! That means $3,729 more to go before the January 1, 2013 final deadline. If you feel moved to give, please click on the following link: https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Christina%20Young.
Thank you so much for your support, financially and in prayer. This journey is yours as much as it is mine and it has been a privilege to be able to partner with so many wonderful people along the way.
