One of the biggest surprises about squad leading has been all the things the Lord has been bringing up to me and wanting to continue growing me in. For some reason, coming into being a squad leader I obviously knew I would grow in leadership, but I mainly thought I would be focusing on the growth of my squad. While that is true, I’ve been so surprised how the Lord has been wrecking me (in a good way) with all the ways He’s wanting to grow me more.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I have everything figured out at all, but I just wasn’t thinking this would be a huge time of spiritual growth for me. I thought all the spiritual growth was for the people I would be leading. The Lord had shown me how to begin walking in my identity in Christ and freedom on my race, and now it was my squad’s turn.
But boy was I wrong, pretty much since day one of squad leading, the Lord has been showing me that He has SO MUCH more freedom for me to be walking in. He also wants me to be walking even more boldly in my identity in Christ. At first I was like “wait, God, You have things to teach me? I thought I was the one who was supposed to be helping to teach the squad?” I was wondering how I would be growing on my own while also helping others to grow. But the Lord gave me peace that He would help me balance both.
I am so excited for all the Lord has to teach me. I feel like I’ve already grown so much because of being in this position and how it stretches me out of my comfort zone.
Some things I’ve grown in during the first two months:
-public speaking (I’m always speaking in front of all 44 of them every day). This is something I typically do not like doing at all.
-being confident in the giftings the Lord has given me in order to use them to benefit my squad
-using my discernment to make decisions that are best for the squad as a whole. Sometimes these are tough decisions that not everyone will like.
-learning to rely on the Lord even more than I was. I could not be doing this without Him!
-being further reminded that my worth does not come from what I accomplish (in this case, as a squad leader) but from who God says I am
I know the Lord has so much more in store for me over the next 7 months (I can’t believe we are already 2 months in)! I’ve just been blown away lately at how He is constantly drawing us closer to Him more and more and taking us from glory to glory. He loves us so much and only wants the best for us. He’s so incredibly intentional and gives us everything we need and more, if only we choose into following Him.
I figured I would let you know what a typical week squad leading can look like for me. This is kind of hard to do because each week brings new things and it definitely completely changes when we switch countries, but here’s kind of what it’s been like here in Swaziland:
Well there’s six total teams on my squad. I’m technically over three of them and my co-leader, Samuel, is over the other three. We’re both squad leaders to the whole squad, but having assigned teams helps us to better make sure everyone gets individualized attention. So each week we focus on one of our assigned teams. We have one-on-ones with each member of the team and their Team Leader plus the Team Leaders of our other two assigned teams. We go to ministry with that team, do team times (a daily occurrence where the teams individually meet up and do bible study, worship, etc), and just try to spend time with them.
A typical week here in Swaziland can look like this:
Monday- this is the squad’s sabbath day- a day for them to rest with the Lord. It’s not Samuel and I’s sabbath day though, so we are available to the squad all day for them to ask us questions or to have one-on-ones with us. We also do all squad worship this day. We have women’s time at night where some of the Team Leaders lead the girls in some teachings specifically for women.
Tuesday- wake up around 5:30am or 6am. Sometimes I’ll wake up earlier to do my own quiet time with the Lord before doing it with the squad. Do morning devos with the squad from 7am-7:30am. Cook breakfast (typically eggs and toast for me). Try to fit in one or two one-on-ones with one or two of my team members for that week. They usually last around 30 min to an hour each. Change for ministry (all the women have to wear long skirts and have shoulders covered). Leave for ministry at 10am or 10:30am (depending on which team I’m with). For ministry, my squad serves at carepoints, which are places where kids go to get a meal for the day. Nsoko, Swaziland has one of the highest AIDs rates, so some of the children rely on this meal to get by because they don’t have parents to take care of them. We are there to make the kids feel loved. We stay at ministry until around 4pm and then go home. Shower. Give announcements to the squad. Eat dinner typically around 5:30pm. Team time (Tuesday is the Bible Project). Possibly have another one-on-on. Maybe hang out doing something fun with the squad then go to bed anywhere from 9pm-10pm.
Wednesday- this is Samuel and I’s work day. We don’t go to ministry with our teams. We go to our field mentors’ house to do a leadership call with our mentor, Deborah, and our coaches, Drew and Marie. On the call, we discuss the squad and future things coming up. We spend all day there until dinner answering emails and doing our weekly logistical work we need to get done for the squad. We go back to the team house for dinner, then have team time, then go to bed.
Thursday- looks very similar to Tuesday’s
Friday- my sabbath day. I spend the day until the squad gets home from ministry, with the Lord. I read my Bible, pray, worship, listen to sermons. This day is very important to me so I can be filled up by the Lord to serve my squad.
Saturday- this is the squad’s adventure day. There’s not much “adventure” here in Swaziland so this pretty much includes going to a gas station or this one restaurant. I will hang our with some of the squad and also try to make sure I have some one-on-ones. We also have team time this day, too.
Sunday- the whole squad walks to church which is about 2 hours long. It’s from 11am-1pm. We walk back, have lunch, then the whole squad cleans the team house which takes a couple hours.
**throughout the week, Samuel and I also give teachings to the squad. Our field mentors, David and Jenna, also come and give teachings.
That’s the general gist of things, in case you were curious!
Thanks!
Jillian
