So it’s been 2+ months with this new team & I realized that you really only know about Coleman, who is now home & starting med school. So please forgive me & let me give you a little intro into my second team — SPK — before we change teams for the last time.
It stands for Sour Patch Kids. We’re…special.
Anyways, first there’s Ryan. He’s our team leader & he definitely is one of the most positive people I know. Not in the kind of way that makes you want to slap him, just in the way that makes you a little more confident in situations you’re feeling iffy about. He was my partner for coordinating feedings back in the Philippines so I already knew he’d be a great fit to lead us. Plus, he’s amazing at ping pong.
Ryan is a lot of fun & he does this eyebrow thing that cracks me up & makes everybody feel like they’re in his inner circle. He is pretty goofy — which I love — but he is also hard core on mission to do whatever we’re doing to the very best of his ability. I remember having a very telling conversation back in the Philippines about his heart for the community there. He might be goofy but his heart for people is huge. & now since he’s been my leader I’ve seen that same heart over & over.
Our first month together Ryan really stepped up to show our team that he had our backs when there were some uncomfortable situations. He worked so hard to make sure we followed through with everything our host was asking of us & he was really encouraging when we had hard days.
Then in Bosnia I watched Ryan mirror our awesome hosts in the way that he never stopped serving. He volunteered for things often & was the first to step up when there were needs. He set a really good example & tone for our team & his efforts did not go unnoticed by our hosts — they knew he was completely reliable & he honored them with the way he put his heart & soul into everything we were doing. I was really impressed with him & I loved serving with him because he had so much joy & energy no matter the task.
Basically, this guy is a rockstar & I feel pretty honored to be on his team. & he’s also already had job offers from hosts because they see it too, so…yeah — that’s our leader 🙂
Then there’s Ryan’s wife, Megan. I have to smile when I write about her because I never really thought I could adequately appreciate Megan for who she is because we are so very different. But. I was so wrong. I am frequently just in awe of that difference & how good it is for me to see her use her talents to honor God & bless so many people.
To explain our differences, basically imagine the opposite of me & you’ve got Megan. Great dancer. Super creative. Good dresser. Married. Not very emotional. You know…the basics.
The thing that constantly surprises me is the creativity, because I’m just not that at all. She is super brilliant at coming up with ideas that are out of the box & I am so thankful that she sees things in color when I am so black & white. Megan really makes things fun for our team, but she also definitely adds to ideas of how to better do ministry.
In Bosnia Megan got to use her creative skills as we helped host 2 parties, 2 “cafe” lunches, & she even helped decorate the church’s balcony & a few walls in need of some love, because that’s what Megan is awesome at. As someone who wouldn’t even begin to know how to decorate for a party, I was happy just to do whatever Megan had in mind because I knew without seeing the vision that it would all turn out spectacularly.
Something else that surprises me about how much I appreciate Megan is how nice it is that she doesn’t overanalyze things or need to be very emotional. Because I’m a frequent transgressor in both of those categories, I’ve realized it’s nice to have a girl that doesn’t need a lot of taking care of. She can handle herself & her own emotional needs & it makes things pretty easy because she’s a straight shooter, & that helps things happen.
She’s also phenomenal with kids — makes them feel like they are the coolest & like everything is so exciting. & she’s just super comfortable open arms for them…it’s pretty precious to see.
Oh, & I know this is weird, but I think my favorite thing about Megan is that she is still madly in love with Ryan. He’s the only one she’s ever loved, & she still looks at him like that 15 year old kid he was when she first knew he was it 10 years ago. She can tell him when he’s wrong, but she is always so respectful of him & she has his back. I know so many people who complain about their boyfriends let alone their husbands, but Megan completely respects & loves her man, & I think it’s fantastic. I hope that if I ever get married that I will always look at my fella the way she looks at Ryan.
Elizabeth is a former pastry chef who is still in school to get her Bible degree. She is passionate about doing the things that God puts on her heart & she isn’t afraid to share difficult things when they need to be said.
I have met so many funny people in my life, but Elizabeth has a sense of humor that still catches me off guard sometimes. I honestly don’t know how to explain it, but the things that come out of her mouth sometimes are just so funny & unexpected. I love how easily she can laugh & make others laugh…we have some really difficult things that come up on the race at times, & having somebody with such a quick wit can really lighten the mood when it’s desperately needed.
Another thing Elizabeth is good at is just taking the plunge when it’s needed. When somebody has to talk to people, she has no problem just putting herself out there even though she’s uncomfortable. It’s something I hate doing, so having her be bold helps me have a bit more “umph” in my own efforts.
Though she spends a lot of time being goofy, Elizabeth is also someone with a really big heart for the needs we see on a regular basis. She wants to do things well & calls herself out when her attitude doesn’t reflect where she wants her heart to be. Her compassion compels her to love the very best she knows how, & even if it’s inconvenient, she will work hard to accomplish what she thinks will best help our team & the people we are serving.
One final thing about Elizabeth is that she doesn’t give up. She has the biggest deficit of anyone on our squad when it comes to money still needed for the race, but that doesn’t keep her down. She could easily be discouraged or just scared, but she knows God will provide, & I admire the way she continues forward even though she still has a long way to go. That is some serious faith & it’s a good example to me.
Someone everybody needs to know is our Jenny. I say “our” because I feel like she isn’t just the team Jenny, but the squad Jenny — our sweetheart. Everybody is just a little in love with Jenny because how can you not be? For years now I’ve maintained that I’m the cutest (as a joke of coarse, but still! I’ve proclaimed it!) & now I can’t believe it but I have to abdicate that particular throne — our Jenny is the stinking cutest. I mean seriously…she is just all kinds of sweet & wonderful. The only person in the world who beats her out is my own Momma who is ridiculously sweet. & she might tie my friend Brandy who I just call “buddy”, but still…that’s some serious sweetness, & it just makes her so dang cute.
I have had the honor of serving with Jenny for the last couple months & watching her not just love our team well, but I’ve gotten to see her tender heart for the people we serve. Bosnia was especially sweet. The way that her heart aches for those in need is really special…she doesn’t let anything make her heart hard. Jenny is just real & tender & she’s just the kind of person who loves people really well & makes you want to do the same.
& she’ll do anything for anybody pretty much at any time…selfless is the name of her game.
Alright, bleeding heart aside, one of my favorite things about Jenny is that sometimes you get sidetracked by her sweetness so you have no idea what’s coming & then the next thing you know — bam! She is so so funny! I mean, I think the best part is just how unexpected it is, but when she says sassy things with that innocent face — you can’t help but laugh 🙂 Even the way she pushes her glasses up cracks us up sometimes.
Jenny also takes us off guard by how adventurous she can be. When we were in Cambodia she bought this rice wine
***Mom!! Stop reading this paragraph!! You will hate hate hate this story!!***
with a cobra preserved in it. As in, they stun a cobra, put it in the bottle live, & then it drowns when they fill it with rice wine & it makes it coil up & get in striking position. Jenny bought one of these bottles, & guess who was the only one on our team with the guts to take a sip with her?? Gross — I can’t believe it was me. I drank something with a dead carcass in it. Sick. & I did that why?? For stinking Jenny cuz she’s just so lovable that anything she says sounds like a good idea.
Pretty sure I’m gonna have nightmares from that experience.
Anyways, that nastiness aside, Jenny generally has pretty great judgment. She’s a thinker & she makes sure before she speaks that it’s something she really needs to say. She’s pretty wise in that respect, & I very much admire this quality. Her heart for our squad is so big & she’s always thoughtful of people. She says the hard things in love because she always wants more for us. We are just super blessed to have our Jenny around.
& finally there’s my buddy Logan. That guy. Oh man, I love him. He was added to our team after Coleman went home & has fit in brilliantly, but I do remember meeting him back on the first morning of training camp. We didn’t really get to know each other until we first arrived in Indonesia when our whole squad was still together since it was our first country.
(^this is in Indonesia before we went to our different locations!!)
That very first night in the hostel he & I & our friend Chelsea stayed up so late just talking & I got to see his heart. We dubbed ourselves the “best friends club” in jest, but we actually did end up getting together again month 2 & having more great conversation. It’s always been really easy with Logan, & I love that. & though I really do love just hearing his heart & talking with him, now that we’re on a team together I’ve come to appreciate Logan in a much more holistic sense.
Before I only knew the part of him that I’ve engaged with on a primarily spiritual level. We talked about some pretty intense stuff & I have been so grateful to have him around because it makes discussing uncomfortable topics so much easier. But now I’ve gotten to actually be around Logan & see how he interacts with people.
It makes me smile just typing it because he really loves people pretty equally — like he’s actually everyone’s brother. When he’s around, you really feel like someone cares that you’re there, which is something all of us need sometimes. He gives everybody a hard time including ridiculous voice impressions & just teasing us for the wildest things. Yeah, I’ve seen his heart, but he is also such a huge goofball & I love it.
He’s also always good for a hug & sometimes just gives them out because.
Something else that always makes me grin is how good Logan is with kids. He loves them & it comes so naturally to him to reach out for a high five or play goofy games with them just to get a smile. They always love him immediately & I can’t help but think that he would make a fantastic elementary school teacher, sleeves of tattoos & all 😉
Overall, I can’t say enough good things about this guy who has become a brother to me. I love how he serves — just jumping in wherever he’s needed. In Bosnia he was always the one who was called on for heavy lifting, & that might sound less exciting than other things but it was a huge blessing to many people, including a lady from our church who needed to get up multiple flights of stairs in her wheelchair & Logan helped make it happen. His natural response is to do what’s needed & he is just so easy to be around. We love this new addition to our team & it’s like he always belonged with us. Great guy, great friend.
Oh, & one more thing about Logan — it’s about his heart. It’s totally tender toward what God has for him. He wants to be better & I’ve watched him work hard to make changes. This is a guy who wants to know God more & will be honest about where he’s at so that he can actually make progress & I love that about him…sometimes it really inspires me. He really wants to be a man of God & just keeps making steps toward it, & I am so proud of him.
& that’s round 2 of my world race teams! Hope it helped you know my team a little better so you can imagine a little more who I get to do life & ministry with. I know God chose us to be on a team together & I think there’s still some really great things ahead for us. If I don’t die from the snake wine I drank 😀 Thanks for meeting my team.
