If you’re on any form of social media and share your web time with any Millenials or Generation Z peeps, you probably know the phrase “squad goals.” Example: my parents and their crew riding in an ambulance in China to their teaching location is squad goals. (true story).
If you’re less familiar with the words of the youthz: 1. Stick with me. This post will get more relevant and 2. It’s basically just a phrase that perpetuates our compulsions to post what makes us look good/dope/cool/relevant/adventurous/popular/accepted. The “squads” usually look really good and the phrase is basically a less direct way of expressing jealousy and probably some insecurity (unless the phrase is used ironically; also I’m stopping before this becomes a social media rant).
I just returned from Gainesville, GA where I spent an incredibly intense* week and a half with 40 squad** mates and our leaders. I can confidently say there is no other squad like ours, no other “squad” I’d want to do this journey with. I don’t say this because we have the best social media posts or because we look really cool (actually the looks department was generally a struggle for everyone at camp, given our amenities and all the sweat) or because we’re going to do a lot of things that the world will praise on social media.
I say this because we covenanted to be YES people.
We decided and declared that we will continually say yes to the Lord, to our leaders, and to one another. We are committed to one another; to calling out the gold, to edifying, and to challenging each other to look more like Jesus and to daily live as Jesus asked his original squad to live.
“Go together, pack light, serve others in the power God’s given you, and work through someone who knows the community you’re serving.”
-Matthew 10 paraphrase, McCrea’s Journal Edition
We are choosing to pray for and live in unity such that the world knows the love of Jesus through us (John 17:21). We’re choosing the hard times and the good times and the times when good and hard overlap. We’re choosing to individually laying down fears and pride so that together we can walk into humbly and boldly serving those around us.
The stinky, sweaty, joy-filled YES moment
Real life squad goals isn’t about looking good for the world to see. It’s about looking like Jesus and his original squad; about speaking truth and bringing light, no matter the cost; about using the power God’s given us to serve those who haven’t yet realized the power God’s given them.
I’m thankful for my squad of 41 yes people, my team of 7 bold and gentle women, the often unexpected experiences of training camp, the wisdom that was poured into me, and I’m thankful for you. Thank YOU for being yes people, too. Thank you for saying yes to preparing me, sending me, and praying for me.
Today, may we have the courage to give our resounding YES to loving more boldly and serving more humbly.
*I’m trying so hard not to use this word when describing training camp because I immediately think of all “in tents” jokes, but really we weren’t in tents all of the time and there’s no better word.
**To clarify: my squad is made up of all of the people (41 + 2 leaders) traveling to the countries on August Route One. My team is 6 other women from my squad and I. The squad is split up into teams who will travel to different ministry locations within each country.
