A few weeks ago I got the idea to interview my squad members as a way to introduce those who are close to me to the people I will be serving with for a year, and I immediately got excited about the idea! So this is the start of a new little blog series where I’ll post about 3 interviews per blog post of each of my squad mates. I’ll also link their blogs so y’all can read more into their hearts. I hope each of you who read these can enjoy getting to know a little bit about the W Squad. This one includes my own interview since I’m trying to go in alphabetical order!
1. Where are you from and how old are you?
“I live in Austin, TX now, but I’ve lived in a few different places growing up. I consider Austin home, though. I am 23 years old.”
2. When did you become a Christian?
“I became a Christian when I was about 7 years old. I prayed to accept Jesus in my heart with my mom in our living room.”
3. What is one difficult thing you are proud to have overcome?
“Having moved around a lot when I was younger, I dealt with a lot of readjusting. Every time the Lord was faithful, but it was quite difficult to start over again multiple times!”
4. Why did you decide to join The World Race?
“I just felt the Lord calling me to go!”
5. What are you passionate about?
“I am passionate about people from other cultures. Might be an obvious answer, but the Lord has always put me around people who are quite different from me. I want to know everything about them!”
6. What is your current life verse?
“This isn’t a verse, but it’s, ‘From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations but only the world.’ Oswald Chambers said it in his devotional. He and Charles Spurgeon consistently show me Jesus’ heart.”
7. What is one thing you want people to know about you?
“I’m better one on one than I am in group settings. Also, camping has never been my strong suit, but me and Jesus have already talked about it, so I’ll be fine. I’m just mildly concerned, but the best place is to be out of our comfort zones, right!?”
Laura Franklin
1. Where are you from and how old are you?
“I’m from Gallatin, Tennessee, and I’m 24 years old. I’ll be 25 on May 20th.”
2. When did you become a Christian?
“That’s a sticky question to answer. I prayed to accept Jesus as my Savior when I was 10, and I was baptized as well, but I never truly dedicated my life to Him. I went through a lot before I finally surrendered my life to Him in March of 2018, and I was re-baptized on Palm Sunday 2018. I don’t consider myself saved until then.”
3. What is one difficult thing you are proud to have overcome?
“I’m proud that when I felt my entire life collapsing after a break up that I didn’t give in to my old coping methods. I finally responded to Jesus instead of turning my back on Him again. It was through His love that I was healed of my wounds.”
4. Why did you decide to join The World Race?
“I decided to apply to the Race because I was looking for something greater than myself. I was looking for an opportunity to serve God and serve people, and to step out of my comfort zone that I had been stuck in my entire life. I wanted to do something radical.”
5. What are you passionate about?
“I’m passionate about the persecuted church. I have a huge heart for those who are suffering for the faith, and who are being oppressed and attacked because they worship Jesus. I’m heavily involved with Open Doors USA and I donate to them regularly. I’m also passionate about the Jewish people and Israel. I believe they are STILL God’s chosen people, and we are tasked with trying to bring them to Jesus Christ.”
6. What is your current life verse?
“The one thing I ask of the Lord, the thing I seek most, is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His Temple.” Psalm 27:4
7. What is one thing you want people to know about you?
“Because of my past, I can be pretty hard on myself. I feel shame and guilt deeply, and I now seek to be balanced. I seek perfection, I guess. I know it’s impossible, but I seek to be as good as I possibly can be. I want everything I do, say, and think to be pleasing in the Lord’s sight. It’s not enough for me to accept that my sins are washed away, and that’s that. I want to improve. I want to be better. It’s exhausting, but I feel like this is part of my sanctification.”
1. Where are you from and how old are you?
“I’m from South Florida and my family is from Colombia. I am 29 years young, lol.”
2. When did you become a Christian?
“I became a Christian in college when I was 22.”
3. What is one difficult thing you are proud to have overcome?
“One thing I am proud to have overcome is an addiction and abuse.”
4. Why did you decide to join The World Race?
“I decided to join The World Race because I have a heart for the nations and the lost and a spirit of being sent. The Lord has been preparing me for this, and I am very eager to see what He has in store to teach me.”
5. What are you passionate about?
“I am passionate about the children/youth and women, and letting women know their true worth in their Father’s eyes.”
6. What is your current life verse?
“Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me, now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Psalm 51:8-10
7. What is one thing you want people to know about you?
“One thing I want people to know about me is that I’m tougher than I look and that I am still getting to know who I really am, so that’s a loaded question. I am very shy and reserved, but once you get to know me I am an open book. On a lighter note, I’m a huge movie buff.”
Thanks for reading! Until next time! xx
