No round two does not mean I am doing the Race again, well… kind of…
A couple months ago I posted this picture to Instagram and Facebook to announce what the Lord had lined up for me post Race.
In case you didn’t see it or maybe did’t quite understand what it meant, I’m writing this blog to inform you.
This blog will also explain to you, in case you saw on the home page of this site for support, why it says “My Goal: $6500” now, when I’m already fully funded.
Debriefs on the Race are always pretty eventful. It is a time of reflection, rest, and being filled up by our leadership team. During these debriefs the Lord takes our invitation to be present very seriously and a lot of healing, freedom and revelations happen. As you know I have been in the roll of a Raised up Squad Leader since the end of month 4. The invitation to step into this roll was given at month 4 debrief. This was quite a whirlwind, which I talked about in my previous blog This Can’t Be Right. (check it out)
Month 7 debrief was another trip! I experienced a whole new level of love for my squad watching them end the seasons and teams they were in and surrender to the Lord to prepare for our last leg of the Race. At this debrief there was also a lot of talks about post Race preparation and options of what we felt led to do.
I had gotten a few ideas of what I would like to do for the year 2016. I knew I couldn’t just go back home and start up life the way it was before the Race, but I still didn’t know what that meant. Where would I go? What would I do?
A couple weeks before leaving for the Race through conversation, a friend and I both felt that I wouldn’t be home for long when I returned. This freaked me out, so I quickly brushed it off and tried to forget about it. Time and time again coming on the race people asked if I would ever squad lead immediately after the race. NO WAY!! I had heard about Alumni Squad Leading, but envisioned myself doing it maybe a year or two after I returned.
So that you can better understand what exactly all the terms of positions and groups are:
Squad – Is the big group of 40-50 young adults that you go to each country with
Team – Smaller groups of 6-7 made up from the 40-50 that are on your squad. You do day to day life and ministry together. (these are subject to change multiple times over the course of the Race.)
Team Leader – A person appointed to lead the team of 6-7 people
Raised up Squad Leader – What I am currently doing. Usually is 2 or 3 people from amongst the squad to lead the squad and begin being discipled of how to disciple those on the squad. The squad becomes their main ministry for months 5-11.
Alumni Squad Leader – People who have completed The World Race, loved it so much and are crazy enough to come back, apply even, and do it again 😉 This time with a new squad and their primary responsibilities are to create and facilitate the cultural environment in the World Race squad. They are with the squad months 1-4, they choose and train the Raised up Squad Leaders in month 5, and then join the squad at month 7 and month 11 debrief.
Anyway, the topic of Alumni Squad Leading had come up multiple times for me. My host from month 3 even messaged me shortly before debrief saying he had a dream of me being on the race after I completed my race.
See, the Lord was filling my head with all the ideas of Alumni Squad Leading but my heart hadn’t caught up yet. On the second to last day of month 7 debrief it finally did!
It was truly like a bomb of emotions and clarity dropped on me. I had so many thoughts running through my head, my heart was pounding, I felt like I was going to explode. One of my good friends on the squad, Destiny, saw me and knew something was up.
“You ok?”
The tears started streaming. “I think I’m supposed to Squad Lead in January!”
I started rambling all the hints I had received over the course of the previous 7 months and it suddenly seemed so clear! My dear friend allowed me to process and sob to her as this wasn’t what I wanted, but I knew having 4 months left wasn’t long enough. The Lord was still giving me a choice, but He had made it very clear this was going to be the best choice and I needed to trust Him. I didn’t have to be happy to go right away. I would go crying, but at least I was still going.
So, I told my Squad mentor that night what I felt the Lord had told me and she was so excited and at peace about it, she felt this was where He had me as well.
Three days later I applied and a few weeks after I had an interview and was accepted!
(Also when the picture above was posted to announce it)
What I thought would be 11 months just turned into 17 months!
It started as an act of obedience with great great peace! But it seems each day it becomes more clear why He has called me to Alumni Squad Lead in January, and I know this will become overwhelmingly clear as I actually do it. My heart is so in love with discipling. I believe the Lord has me in my years of being discipled and coming to an understanding of what discipleship looks like. Having this next season so soon allows for no gaps within that overall time span, which for me I believe is critical.
To Alumni Squad Lead I will need to raise a total of $6500.
Just as I came on the Race by faith and through so many giving people, the Lord provided. Again, I am going by faith as I will be home for only the month of December and have no income.
So I am humbly asking for prayer and support once more.
MEET MY NEW CO-LEADERS!
Kayla Kent
OUR SQUAD!
D SQUAD!
