“Remember I am with you. Then follow them wherever they go.”
This is what I felt the Lord speaking to me on my first official World Race Work Day.
[SIDE NOTE]
As a squad leader, I get to spend time with each team on the squad, traveling between them to encourage, support, and come alongside them as they begin their journey on The World Race.
And this month, in Paris, the teams are working with refugees from all over the world who have settled here temporarily.
The refugee crisis in Paris is devastating, unexpected, and incomprehensible, but the facts about it will have to be saved for another blog.
Anyway.
We had been in France for two days, living with 16 people in a two-bedroom Airbnb, about a 30-minute train ride outside of the city.
I was itchy.
I was ready to be in the heart of Paris.
I was here to spend time with the homeless refugees who had been told they were unwanted by so many countries.
I was here to do the things.
Which is why I was so excited when the Lord told me to follow this team into the midst of it all.
We were going to sit under the bridges.
We were going to serve tea to the people living in this tent city.
We were going to play cards and have conversations and make people feel seen.
It was going to be great.
Until it wasn’t.
Until I found out that the team I had chosen to spend the week with was splitting up for their first day.
The men would be going to the city.
The women would be going to the market to buy supplies for the week, and then staying at home to pray for the men.
WHAT?!
Instantly, my heart sank and my brain reminded me of what the Lord said:
“Follow them WHEREVER they go.”
Which meant I couldn’t be the rogue female to head to the refugee camp.
I couldn’t operate out of my natural state of independence and desire to do whatever I wanted.
Darn it, Jesus.
I wish I could tell you that God had some big sign or miracle planned for that afternoon when I stayed home with the girls.
But, he didn’t.
Instead, he gave us a lovely afternoon at the market.
With free samples of all the fruit we could hope for.
I love free.
He gave us laughter and conversation and really strong coffee.
He gave us a quiet house to shower, pray, and rest in.
[if you need to remember why that’s significant, we have 16 people in 2 bedrooms right now]
And he gave me the chance to reflect and remember my purpose.
He is with me, wherever I go.
In the same way, I am to be with my team, wherever they go.
On my race, my focus was the ministry, the church, the nonprofit, or the people we were helping.
As a squad leader, my focus is the squad.
My job is to empower the new racers and facilitate their vision.
Chances are, I’ll spend more time talking with Americans than with refugees this year.
I’ll spend more time with racers debriefing and reassuring and challenging and hugging and supporting and questioning and answering and leading than I will spend doing anything else.
And you know what?
I LOVE THAT.
I am SO excited to shift my focus and my purpose and push the squad into theirs.
I get to call out strengths and gifts in others.
I get to create space for growth, love, and community.
I get to help people vision cast, goal set, and step into their identities.
I get to know 24 new people this year.
I get to say good morning to kind, faithful, men and women and feel inspired by their hunger for the Lord’s promises every day.
I get to ask the Father to allow me to see them and love them the way He does.
I get to hear life stories and understand where people come from, and then speak against the lies they’ve been fed for years and years, pushing them toward the truth of God’s love and intention.
The moment someone looked me in the eye and said “I trust you” was exhilarating and humbling and terrifying and so much sweeter than I could have ever known.
So Day One wasn’t exactly as I had expected.
But that’s because I couldn’t have expected it.
I am so looking forward to following these teams wherever the Lord leads them this year.
Because really, even though I’m one of the “leaders” of this squad, the best I can do is to know he is with me and to follow Him.
I need less than $1000 in monthly or one time supporters in order to finish out my time on the field and remain connected with the squad throughout the duration of their race.
Help me reach my financial goal by clicking the support link up top.
THANK YOU so so much to those that have already chosen to give.
Look for goodies in your inbox from me soon!
