Today in a sermon from Bethel, Danny Silk said, “ With Marriage, you enter into covenant to nourish the life of your partner�.
“To nourish the life of your partner� — I sat and really thought about this statement and how it applied more obviously and so deeply the last few months of my life. Although, I would rearrange it a little to go like this, “you enter into covenant to nourish the life of your squad�. For the past four months Jory, Weston and I have had the honor and privilege to pour into the most amazing group of men and women I have ever met. We have stepped into an agreement with them saying — we are here to serve, to give, to love, to encourage, to speak life, to stand with you through every trial and every fire, to push you, to help you grow, to challenge you and to help you reach the incredible vision that God has for each of you. To nourish your spirits, souls, bodies, minds, to take you to new heights and new levels far beyond what could be expected.
With this Holy responsibility, comes the weight of change. Can anything ever really stay the same? How do we grow, flourish, become who we are called to be without change? God didn’t just call us to live a life of stagnant mediocrity! About 4 months ago, with a huge push from God Jory, Weston and I began to pray into changes for the squad — what could we give them in order to nourish them? It was more than obvious that we had incredible men and women who were ready for leadership roles, we had people who were ready for a change, a new push and a new challenge, People were looking for a new sense of family, for new ideas and new perspectives. People didn’t want to coast through the last four months of the race … nor did they deserve to.
With this past debrief new leaders were brought up, significant team changes were made and a new family was created. Now we were not just a squad with 7 small families, we were a HUGE family of 42. We now entered into a new covenant as a squad family, which was sealed with a beautiful gold ring one night at worship. The 7 small teams that were, are now dispersed with the beautiful commission of giving everything they have to offer to not just their new team, but to the squad. Let me tell you they each have SO MUCH to offer!
There is a brand new love in the air, a brand new appreciation for family, a brand new appreciation for squad. Jory, Weston and I have fallen into a new level of love with the squad, a level that brings me tears of joy when I think about them. He has placed a new, beautiful burden on my heart for each man and woman on this squad. It’s refreshing and Holy and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Our squad took the shift like true men and women of God! They prayed past flesh and emotions and sought the Father’s heart in the changes He had asked for. It truly was bitter sweet, but in the end I think the sweet outweighed the bitter.
To Our L Squad:
Beautiful, fire breathing, heart seeking, men and women of God! I am so proud of all of you! I am so excited for what the next 4 months on this race hold for each one of you! I am so excited for what they hold for the squad. Thank you for so freely giving to us what the Lord has given to you. For finding His heart in this and for accepting His challenge and will in all of this. For denying yourself for your squad and truly living from a place of giving, of serving each other, of building the body, building the church. I love you Zion!
