My Baldies.
As time goes on, it is often found that each World Race develops a quality unique to that specific squad that is often used to identify them in comparison to the other squads. Some squads are the squad that everyone got malaria. Others are the ones that everyone goes on crazy adventures at every opportunity. The first month, my squad was the tattoo squad. This month, we are the bald squad. By the conclusion of our time in Malaysia, the rapid spread of lice throughout the squad confirmed seven girls to shave their heads. This blog is dedicated to their stories and decisions to take down the chains their hair held over them.
Sophi Lutz
Holy cow Sophi Lutz is incredible. I have gotten the privilege to get even more close to this amazing woman of God this last month (as our teams were together in Penang). When I first heard Sophi’s testimony back at launch, I was in complete awe at her faith. Not growing up in a consistently church-going household, she accepted Christ her senior year. Not long after this life-altering decision, she decided to embark on this crazy adventure called The World Race. Sophi didn’t just dip her toes into following Jesus, she dove head first – and the results are beautiful. But the crazy thing is that even in setting out to preach the gospel, Sophi didn’t want to stop there. She recognized that she often found her identity in her outward appearance and would frequently catch her self judging others – leading her to also judge herself. The Lord called Sophi to shave her head to remind her that beauty is so much more than what is pleasing to the eyes. He reminded her that her beauty is found from her heart and the way she loves those around her. Above all else, she learned the power and weight of the words the creator of the universe uses to describe her. Despite being the original baldie, and despite being called a boy by a homeless man, Sophi is the epitome of embracing inner beauty and resting in His opinion of her and His alone. She is steadfast in His truth.
Sophi, I love you and you are beautiful.
Amanda Casillas
Using the same words often spoken by Amanda, “I just really wanna squeeze her because I love her so much.” Amanda was the second baldie, shaving her head the same night as Soph. When I think of one word to describe this dear friend, the word “strong” is an understatement to this warrior. Amanda has a testimony that wrecks my heart at the unfairness of life, yet from it her beauty shines so radiantly. She doesn’t let her past or her circumstances define her, rather she is the thermostat of her life – setting the stage for a life pointed back to Him. Her story screams triumph and victory. God called Amanda to shave her head to remind her that she is worthy beyond reason. Her inner worth is more than rubies. Her compassion for others melts your heart. Her passion for the Lord crushes the world’s view of religion. Through shaving her head, she is learning that “God does not make trash, he does not make mistakes, nor does he make a ‘waste of space.” Even more, she is learning that she is “already enough because God made (her).” Worthy beyond comparison, she is His masterpiece.
Amanda, I love you and you are beautiful.
Hannah Acevedo
Hannah is the first of my two teammates that shaved their heads. This girl is a rebel for the Lord. She doesn’t care what others think of her because she knows only the word of God contains the truth of her identity. She is rooted so deep in His love for her, she isn’t swayed by passing waves. Hannah’s journey after the Lord’s heart has been a quest to bring her to deeper waters. He has called her to the difficult parts of her story, and in doing so, He’s creating a redemption story. God called Hannah to shave her head to remind her that He is worth shouting His name from the rooftops. He is creating boldness and courage in her to fearlessly proclaim the Gospel. At the end of it, He’s making way for her to share her powerful testimony of love and triumph with the entire world because her story carries weight that can change eternities. Hannah is such a steady rock on my team, and it has been such a refreshing relief at times; I love it. However, I love watching her learn to let Him be her rock way more and the beauty hidden in her heart is exponentially shining through her life. Hannah is the type of woman of God that fights to hear His voice and, no matter how difficult at times, won’t settle until His truth finds its way into her heart. She is a chain breaker and rests in the freedom that the cross brought.
Hannah, I love you and you are beautiful.
Ashlynn Kinnett
This girl. Adventurous. Driven. Rebellious. If there’s one thing about Ash, it’s that she will single-handedly go against the norm just for the heck of it. She grew up in a very small town in which everyone always does the same exact thing. The very idea of going on a gap year mission trip was unheard of from where she’s from. And it was for that very reason that God brought her to the race. And it was for that very reason that she decided to shave her head. God called Ashlynn to shave her head to remind her that she is not defined by the opinions of others because so is so valuable in the Lord’s eyes. She is the second of my teammates to shave her head. Ashlynn is a trailblazer. She is the one jumping at any opportunity to create a new path for others to follow. The best part: every single new adventure, path, journey she goes on that many follow, always leads back to the Lord. Ashlynn has this super rare ability to recognize when relationships with the Lord are becoming stagnant – and just how to reignite the flame of salvation. She goes against norms because Jesus isn’t normal. It’s not normal to sing as loud as you can and to dance like a fool in worship. Yet, if God calls her too, she is the first to raise her hands to the King. Its not normal to love when times get difficult. Yet, she perseveres with a love so deep, it carries His passion so well. Ashlynn loves to remind everyone around them who they are and that there is literally nothing that anyone can do to make them less worthy for God. Ashlynn shaved her head to remind both herself and everyone around her that following Jesus brings freedom from the chains of rejection and expectations. She is a world-changer, and in Him alone she is found.
Ashlynn, I love you and you are beautiful.
Joey Filo
Joey has a fire for the Lord so deep in her soul its uncontainable. The past few months on the race, I have been able to watch her step into her true and genuine identity as Abba’s sweet daughter. One by one, the Lord has been stripping away every lie and label placed on her and replacing it with the truths that she is wanted and pure and loved. Her story is one of struggle and adversity, but the work He has done in her is a masterpiece. Joey is always the one to tell you things just how they are, and the way that she passionately loves those around her sets the tone for an atmosphere of family on her team and our squad. Amidst loving everyone around her, God called Joey to shave her head to remind her how loved she is. Having put a lot of power in her hair, between the recurring dying and straightening of it, she chopped it completely off. The removal of this symbolic mask has allowed Joey to be so much more free in her ability to love herself. Since taking the step and going bald, she laughs harder. She smiles wider. But most importantly, she loves herself so so much deeper. The vastness of His love for her is astounding, and getting to watch her journey in welcoming that love has been amazing. She is a gem, rare to this world and priceless in His eyes.
Joey, I love you and you are beautiful.
Sydney East
Sydney has a unique reason for shaving her head. For every other girl listed, the main reason for shaving their heads was the symbolic removal of a wall put up to keep people out and/or to find their identity and beauty in the Lord, rather than their outer appearances. While the Lord is definitely reminding Syds just how beautiful her heart is, that wasn’t the initial reason for shaving her head. Sydney has wanted to shave her head ever since she was about 10 years old when she lost her aunt to cancer. Syd looked up to her aunt more than almost anyone. She was a warrior for the Lord, steadfast in His truth, a woman after His own heart. For years, Sydney looked at her life as an example of how to chase after the Lord. For years, she found herself fighting to live up to the incredible life that her aunt lived. Sydney had this predetermined mindset that she could only bloom if her life looked just like her aunt’s. However, what began as a tribute to honor her aunt, God called Sydney to shave her head to remind her that she is already enough and equipped all by herself. It was on that night that she lost her hair that she stepped into what it meant to flourish in her very own destiny. On that night, she began to bloom. She is a pure-hearted servant of the Lord who is just getting started.
Sydney, I love you and you are beautiful.
Lilly Son
Lilly is the third of my team of six to shave her head. We are now a 50/50 ratio of bald:hair. This girl is a complete rockstar. She leads our team from such a humble place and has so much compassion for every single person. Behind her servant’s heart, one would never guess the story behind her sweet smile. Her story has involved a lot of pain and this has led her to make a habit of putting up walls. To prevent herself from getting hurt again, her defense mechanism has often been emotionally hiding. A physical example of this is her hair. During team time one day, our team recognized her tendency to hide behind her hair and cover her face. We lovingly called her out on it and encouraged her to start wearing her hair up to prohibit her from hiding. We reminded her that she is seen behind her hair and that her voice matters. Though she just shaved her head a few nights ago, it is so evident the freedom that she is resting in knowing that the girl behind the walls matters so much. I can’t wait to watch Him tear down every last one of those walls. She is a steady fortress that the Lord is calling to stand higher than the lies of this world.
Lilly, I love you and you are beautiful.
All of these incredible women of God continue to awe me at their faith and obedience. They have all stepped into an appearance not of this world, but rather one so much more beautiful and reflecting of the Lord. I have seen first-hand the transformation that that razor did on each of their lives and I am so blessed to have gotten to be a part of it. They are steadfast in truth. They are worthy. They are free. They are found. And they are destined. I love them all with my whole heart and I would encourage anyone and everyone to check out their journeys of baldness via the links provided.
Also some honorable mentions of baldness: Zach Gregory and Ben Taylor. These two men of God shaved their heads completely just for fun, but still rock the baldness.
-A
