Over 350 students were accepted on the WR Gap Year program, 50 of them are about to be my newest best friends. 50 of them are going to go through spiritual warfare, homesickness, stress, brokenness alongside me. 50 of them are going to become the hands and feet of Jesus, the laughter, the tears, the love of Jesus with me. These 50 people are strangers, but I know all of these incredible things about them already.
We’re Squad U, baby.
We’re 50 young adults. 50 Jesus seekers, travelers, creating new friendships. We’re students spread throughout the United States with one goal: To serve the most faithful, loving, merciful God… together.
The word says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus calls us friends.
The creator of the Universe, Yawhee, King of Kings, my Savior, wants to be my friend, He wants to be OUR friend. I look at my new squadmates and I think, “Wow.” as I try to find the words to thank the Lord for the new relationships that are about to be formed through our friendship with Him. I try to thank Him for their hearts and their willingness to love on us, though friends, we are all still strangers. Willing to pray for a sick family member or pray for peace over a passed loved one. We are no longer, 50 students spread across the country. We are 50 God-fearing, Jesus searching, broken sinners, worshiping students who have given up a lot to serve such a huge God.
I look at these new friends and think, “Wow. This is a family in Christ.”
After months of talking in a GroupMe, we are all going to be face to face in the very hot, humid, yet beautiful Gainsville, finally able to love our Lord together, in person. For this time I pray for. I pray that we are all able to see each other’s flaws and love them. I pray we’re able to create raw friendships, opening real conversations. And lastly, I pray we’re able to do everything in our power to love our Lord to the best of our ability, as a team, as friends, and as a family.
Go squad U, baby.
