Emily (WR Alumni): Just make sure your hearts are ready for who is on your team, and don’t have set expectations so that if your team isn’t who you want it to be, you won’t be disappointed. Trust God with who is on your team.
This is advice Emily, a WR alumni, gave to (my soon to be official) team mates and me before our Squad leaders announced who would be on what team.
It was lunch time, and just an hour before we were put in our final Team Simulation. We all worked great together and all gave a double “thumbs up” if this were to be our team for the race.
At lunch, we were giddy with expectant hope that we would be a team, that this is what the Lord wanted. When we talked to Alumni Emily-she told us it was great that we were hopeful, but to make sure we allow God to do what He wills and not be disappointed if we weren’t on the same team.
So, we decided to take her advice and place the whole situation in God’s hands.
Alright….a half hour later…it’s go time. Time to see who your core family is going to be for the next eleven months!
Everyone is waiting with anticipation in front of the Lodge awaiting to hear what a lot of us thought about for months…”Who will be on my team?!” And then, the people who were designated as Team Leaders came and stood in front of us with a white sheet of paper in their hands, and on that sheet of paper…names of the people who would be on their team.
Jared (my team leader) is the first to start reading off names….”Jennifer Eyears, Meraia McDaniel, Sarah German, Clare Howe, Brian Joseph, and Josh Stoneman”….all of us ran up to Jared with excitement! This is the team we all wanted to stay together!
I can’t begin to describe the feeling of gratitude that I had when I found out who was on my team….it was an out-of-this world feeling that I’d have to say came from Heaven. I am still so in awe of God and how He brought us together! I still don’t know how to appropriately express in human words how I felt!
One of our mentors came over and told us that they wanted to keep us together because of how we fought for each other in the last simulation and that God gave them the words, “The Rock” and “Strong Foundation” for our team. This had all of us filled with so much joy!
So, afterwards, all of us ran down to the camp site to start getting ready to go out into Gainesville to spend the evening with our team. All of us were excited for coffee, tons of food, and spending time with one another. So, once the team and me were all ready we get in Josh’s Jeep and head into town.
The first stop was a local coffee shop…and it was thebomb.com, and I’m pretty sure my team mates agree. After we got coffee, we went into the square and walked around because there was a little market going on. We talked to some of the locals, asked where we should go for dinner, and just enjoyed what was going on. My team mate, Jen, is from Germany and we ran into a family that is also from Germany. It was interesting hearing them talk, and then we got to pray for them! It was awesome!!!
*First team picture taken after getting coffee*
Afterwards, we went to a place called “Avocados” for dinner. The food was good, but the fellowship was better. Jared asked important questions, had us talk about our love languages, pet peeves and core questions like that. In one night we learned so much from each other!!! I kept thinking to myself, “Wow, God. You truly blessed me with amazing team mates.”
We decided on “Team Anchored” because at the coffee shop, Clare commented on the anchors on my shirt and then began talking about her World Race shirt and how it has an anchor on it. Then, Jared, noted that he likes Anchors because he was in the navy. At dinner, the topic got brought back up and we decided that “Team Anchored” was perfect and went a long with being like “a rock” and a “strong foundation” because we are being “anchored in Christ.”
The day after our adventure into town, our team already operated as a family. We were there for each other when we felt down or discouraged, and then later that night we had a testimony circle. It was phenomenal to hear where Jesus found everyone and what He has done in their life thus far and so humbling to know that God brought all of us together.
And now…to officially introduce you to Team Anchored!!!
*Starting from left to right*
Sarah German: This girl is amazing! A month or so before training camp, she felt led to fast with me to help give me strength. She has been an amazing friend and encouragement to my life prior to camp and we clicked even more during training camp! I’m SO happy she’s apart of the team!
*Random fact* She has two different eye colors and they are GORGEOUS. Seriously the prettiest eyes ever!
Brian Joseph: Brian is more on the quiet side, but he is filled with so much wisdom! He is a true gentleman, like the rest of the men on T-Squad, and I feel so extremely blessed to be on a team with him!
*Random Fact* He has some major “step” dance moves…
Me: Hi…
Clare Howe: I didn’t talk to Clare a lot prior to camp, but the first day of camp I felt connected with her instantly! We talked a lot before teams were announced. She is so wise…it’s hard to believe she just turned 22…she listens and talks with intention and is filled with so much love. I’m so excited she’s on this team!
*Random Fact* She is super flexible and can do a lot of cool poses. She also is Canadian, eh.
Jennifer Eyears: I read all of her blogs prior to camp and they helped me so much! I admired her before I met her! She’s filled with compassion and isn’t afraid to share the truth in love. She’s bold for Christ and filled with passion! So excited to do life with her this year!!!
*Random Fact* She has a super big heart to help those who have been hurt by sex trafficking. She also had a really awesome accent.
Josh Stoneman: I talked to Josh a little on Zoom prior to camp. He has a great sense of humor, he’s not afraid to speak up and he’s filled with a lot of biblical wisdom. He’s awesome!
*Random Fact* He is an AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHER….and he can play the guitar and even rap.
Jared Olmstead: (Last but not least!) This is our team leader everyone! I talked to him several times on GroupMe and Zoom, and I think it’s evident to everyone that meets him that he’s a natural born leader. He leads strongly, but has a compassionate heart. He truly cares for others and puts others before himself. He helped me a lot through out camp, and encouraged me to not allow the devil one second of victory in my life. So happy to be blessed with his leadership this year!
*Random Fact* He wants to go into the darkest part of every country and punch the devil straight in the throat. He also paid for our dinner at Avocado’s…and it wasn’t a cheap establishment. He rocks.
And this is Team Anchored, everyone!!! 🙂 Please keep us all in your prayers, and if you feel led, financially support us!
With Love,
Meraia
Hebrews 6:19-20
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
P.S. THIS IS MY T-SQUAD FAMILY! Everyone is AWESOME! Watch us as we DO THE THING. 🙂 #tsquadonfleek #dothething
