Q&A: Strengths

Answer: Let me answer that question with some introductions. These are just a few people who really exemplify traits I think are important. None of them are perfect, but most of them are single…

Shameless? Perhaps.
But it's true. 🙂

This is Allison.

Character trait: Compassion.

This girl is the definition of "beauty on the inside and out." 
When I first started getting to know her, the word that people most often used to describe her was loyal.
Yeah, she's loyal, but she's so much MORE.

Allison's a lover. You might not guess it, looking at her dark hair and perfect outfits, knowing she's from NYC- not exactly your rainbows and butterflies city. She demands your respect with just her presence, but what she gives you in return is unconditional love.

Allison has sat next to me as I tried to figure out what to do with my life even as she's dealt with the drama of what to do with hers. I remember a particular conversation where I realized why she would be great at one of her career options:

"It's because you actually care about people, Allison."

Allison will laugh with you, cry for you, take you out to celebrate or mourn or even just sit. She won't do what you tell her to (dance monkey, dance!), but she'll care about you even if you've long since forgotten how to care about yourself.

This is Charlotte.

Character trait: Wisdom.

When Charlotte and I were first put on the same team, most of the squad was concerned that we'd end up eating each other alive. Literally. Both of us are strong willed, not afraid to speak our minds, just a little bit stubborn and not afraid of a fight.

So those concerns were valid.

But Charlotte's one of my best friends.

Charlotte is one those rare people who can walk into a room, discern what's really happening, call people out on things no one else is willing to admit, but do the whole thing with love and grace. One day she looks at me and says, "Natalie, you're being especially argumentative today. What's going on?"

When we got our new teams, she told me, "Bring challenges to these people, but pray through all of them." This girl knows that I often speak out of my emotions rather than what the Lord wants said, and as she's walked the path of learning how to censor without filtering, I respect her advice more than anyone else on the squad.

This is Amiee.

Character trait: Joy.

Meet Amiee. One part squad leader, one part faerie, one part serious, all parts fun. This girl can sit down with you over a cup of coffee, ask questions that get you thinking, lovingly touch on really tough subjects and she expertly speaks love and life over you… because she's been there. She's walked the broken roads, she's seen pain and suffering, she's learned how to reconcile the truths that God is good and all powerful and loving with the realities of sin in a fallen world.

But, as deep as she can be, she's ten times lighter than any of that. The girl exudes joy- a hard earned joy that depends on the Lord but lightens the very room around her. To know Amiee is to love her, and to love her is to laugh with her. Some of my favorite moments on the Race have been with her, being sneaky and silly and giggling about nothing because she knows how to find joy even in the darkest of circumstance… which the Race is certainly good at producing. 😉

This is Ruth.

Character trait: Honesty.

Let's get one thing straight: Ruth Wilson is a World Race celeb. This girl knows what to blog and how to blog, she speaks words of great wisdom and also posts words that expose her for who she really is.

She's also incredibly cool ON the field. Ruth walks into a room and people lighten up, because she'll walk in, find the oldest, wrinkliest, loneliest old woman, sit next to her, call her "sweet girl" and "deedeedee," and become instant besties.

Ruth walks her talk, but almost as importantly, she talks her walk. If she's struggling with something, you know, not because she's verbally dumping, but because she's not going to hide behind the preacher's kid façade that she's perfect. And, because she's willing to let people in to her struggles- both in person and online- people can relate to her because she's real. The things she's working through are universal, and a lot of people aren't willing to talk about them. 

But Ruth will.

This is Annie.

Character trait: Courage.

Annie was the first roommate I had on the Race in Hyderabad, India for launch. I didn't know just how awesome she was then, but there were definitely signs, and since then we've gotten together at most debriefs to catch up (because, seriously, this girl is a gem).

Last month we finally got our first chance to be together for a month, and we had so much fun pretending we were living in Narnia, making friends with animals and Daisy and quoting Ever After obsessively. But, even amidst the fun, Annie wasn't willing to let us forget where we were or what we were doing.

There were many times when we were getting a little out of control, and she piped up saying things like, "I don't think we need to be talking about this," or, "Natalie, I wish you wouldn't do that," or even just a look. For those of you who know me, you know I'm stubborn as an ox and will not stand to be told what to do. That scares most people away from ever pointing out my (many) flaws.

Annie, however, can call me out on these things, and even though I'll be a little frustrated that she's 'ruining all my fun,' the girl has more courage than most of the people on the Squad who wouldn't dare to cross me, and because of that, I listen and respect her.

This is Roberto.

Character trait: Chivalry.

Some little boys grow up to be big boys in business suits- very few mature into men. Roberto is that rare mix of innocent joy (do you see his superhero cape flapping in the wind?) and knight- of- the- round- table. 

Roberto is the one who you can always count to be helping carry packs, opening doors, fighting off the bad guys (even if they're just pushy salesmen) and making sure everyone's safe. He has no problems putting everyone ele's needs ahead of his own, whether or not they recognize it. Roberto is a manly man to his core, and he loves his sisters in a way that honors and respects us while he clearly cherishes and protects.

And it's not just holding doors or bags. Roberto's the guy who will give you a hug when no one else knows you're crying, who will pour you a cup of coffee when you're losing a battle with the morning, or will secretly wink at you when no one else picks up the funny thing the contact just accidentally said.

There are still super heroes in the world today, and Roberto is living proof.