Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I have the pleasure of introducing you to the fabulous ladies of Team R1:16. To understand our team, you first have to understand our name; naming something establishes mission and purpose, so we wanted to choose a name that we felt cast a vision for the time we have together. We chose our name for 3 main reasons.
Ruth 1:16 reads “But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” We love this verse because it shows sisterhood as a deeply rooted, strong bond that we as women possess with each other when we have Christ as our foundation. Ruth and Naomi actively chose and prioritized each other, and sacrificed to show each other the love of Christ Jesus. We aim to do the same.
Romans 1:16 reads “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” We want this team to be a group of women who are not ashamed of the Gospel, but who BOLDLY and with great JOY and LOVE tell the world about the things that Christ Jesus has done in our own lives and the things He longs to do in the hearts of everyone who believes in His saving grace.
The word “Radiance” was spoken over our team but a dear friend that we met in India and ran into the first day we spent time together as a new team. We strive to be a team of ladies through whom the love of Jesus RADIATES and whose fruit clearly displays our Gardener.
With that in mind… MEET ANNA BETH!
Anna Beth Cook (24)
5 of her favorite things: Banana pudding, rain on a tin roof, freshly cut Christmas trees, Bojangles, and coffee
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Birth order: Youngest child out of 3
Favorite Color: Anything but orange and red
Favorite Snack Food: Garden Salsa Sunchips
Favorite Flavor of Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo
Biggest Pet Peeve: Whenever people don’t replace the toilet paper after the roll is gone, loose hair left anywhere
Crunchy or smooth peanut butter? Crunchy
Strangest thing eaten on the Race thus far: Pig ears (Vietnam)
What do you miss the most about home? “My mom’s sweet tea (giggle). I mean, the most? There’s so much. I miss sleeping in my own bed… comfortable bed that’s not a sleeping pad. With lots of pillows and a fan and AC.”
What have you been reading lately? The Beginner’s Guide to the Gift of Prophecy by Jack Deere, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist, Never Unfriended by Lisa-Joe Baker, No More Faking Fine by Esther Fleece, A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Canon
What’s something that’s happened on the Race that made you laugh? “Whenever I got locked our of our apartment in India and I had to yell through our tiny bathroom window to come let me out so I could get to ministry that day.”
How has your faith changed while on the Race thus far? “Definitely learning how huge and essential the Holy Spirit is to our sanctification, and how I can’t sanctify myself but the Holy Spirit totally can and wants to (sanctify me). Also, it’s been an incredible time of the Lord just breaking down boxes that I’ve placed Him in… The Lord has just continued to challenge me to stop putting Him in a box and allow Him to move in the ways He wants to move and in His way and in His timing. And to stop letting my fear control me rather than my faith, because His character and His goodness is so much more powerful than my own fear. And I ‘m not there yet, but it’s a learning process; learning how to surrender and walk moment by moment.”
What characteristic of the Lord do you feel like you’ve been encountering and learning about the most? “Comforter. He’s a good God of comfort. Also, that He’s the ultimate pursuer.”
What’s one word you would use to describe your Race? Redefining
What’s something people can be praying for you? “Prayers that I’ll continue to stay present on the Race and not anticipate being home, because sometimes I just feel like I’m ready to be back there. But I know that the Lord has so much for me HERE and I don’t want to miss that by always just thinking about what life looks like or will look like when I’m back in the States.”
