I’ve started month seven with not only a new country but also a new team. At month six debrief, Team Favoured was informed that we would be dissolved due to new squad leaders being raised up. This meant that all the members of my team would be moved to other teams.
Month six with Team Favoured was incredible! God began to change the culture of our team and we were learning what it meant to love each other well. Each one of us was going through a transformation and it was my favorite month with Team Favoured. We bonded together and it was very sad to have to say goodbye to Team Favoured!
Team debriefs were happening all week and while we knew that our team no longer existed, we wouldn’t be told what team we would be on til the end of the week when all debriefs were done. This led to a week of grieving the loss of Team Favoured, the realization that the people that I’ve lived life with daily would no longer be in my daily life, and the speculation as to what team would be my new team. While processing the idea of Team Favoured no longer existing, one of my old teammates gave the analogy of leaving home to start your adult life. She said that Team Favoured would always be home but it was time for a new chapter. I completely agree. Team Favoured was who I spent the first six months of my race with. While it was very challenging and difficult at times, I loved those people deeply and I’m very sad to not have them in my daily life anymore.
As the week of debrief was ending, we got our new team placements. I couldn’t have guessed that I was going to be placed on the team I was placed on. I’ve hung out with this team many times before, the team leader is one of my closest friends on the race, and it is a team that I knew I would easily fit into. While all of that might sound like the perfect idea for where to place me, I just didn’t think they would put me on that team (Team Luminous). I was quite surprised when new teams were being announced and Patty (my friend and new team leader) said that I was the new addition to her team.
Team Luminous changed their name to Team Heartbeat because of the addition of me and the loss of one of their former teammates. Team Heartbeat is an all girls team and honestly it is a drastic change from Team Favoured. The personalities of the girls are completely different and the culture of the team is completely different. I absolutely loved Team Favoured but I’m loving the change of pace that Team Heartbeat has provided. I have connections with each person on Team Heartbeat and God is already challenging me in big ways. A while ago, God told me that He had a lot more for me on this race and that I was going to blossom and I can already see how this team is going to help me blossom! I’m excited for this season with Team Heartbeat and know that God is working in big ways!
