Calling out the best…
Our Raised Up Squad Leaders
Ekow: A man who oozes peace and joy, a confident leader, humble and honest, respectable and trustworthy. Willing to be taught, willing to share. Ekow loves well and has favor with God and man. A visionary. Is going places. Needs some help keeping tabs on his belongings;)
Kalah: Is like that saying “live well, laugh often, love much”. A smart and wise woman, bold, confident, honest, gracious, down to earth but has a Heavenly perspective. Is also going places. When tagged by challenges, she chases them down and overcomes them.
My team leaders over the Race:
Team Sozo: Rachel Slama: “Slama” will do anything. She might literally be the best person to play “what are the odds” with. Laughs with me, runs with me, drinks coffee with me, calls me on my “ish”, is willing to humble herself, is confident, looks good in jeans, is wise, is competent, and has taught me what true empathy looks and acts like.
Team Pneuma: Rachelle Bull. “Bull” calls me “Van”, in relation to our last names only ;). She is wise beyond her years, but screams and parties like it’s 1999. She cooks, cleans, leads, laughs, will not back down from any personal challenge or corporate dare, and will drop everything to make sure you and God are sorted out. Rachelle teaches me her inborn rhythm and how to do black hair…too bad I’m so white.
Team Abide: Rachael Gardner. Queen of the quotes. Rachael, Celena, and I hid out on the periphery of our camp site at Training Camp. Has a very good reputation, especially as a leader. Layed back, fun, joyful, peaceful, composed, and beautiful in any circumstance, including the most random events you can imagine.
Squadmates/Teammates
Kat: First person I talked to at training camp, has this donkey pillow she dresses with clothes. An incredible artist, stands up for what God asks of her, an encourager, fills the unique shoes God has given her. A lover of righteousness. Able. Kind but fierce.
Leah: Gives the best hugs and massages. Kind, caring, frequently shares and encourages us at squad debriefs. The kind of friend who will truly want to know how you are doing, will remember, and will be there when it matters.
Eric: Funny, sarcastic, has many admirers, the kind of person you want to be friends with. Willing to do what needs to be done to get to where he and people need to go. A leader all around, not just because of the title. Has a huge purpose for his life.
Lindy: Has done the most ridiculous things for the sake of humor, and is therefore immediately respected because of these stories. Loves photography, intellectualism, fun, and the color yellow. Strong in all the meanings of the word.
Ben: Helped me set my tent up at Training Camp – I learned a couple months later that Ben set up his tent in the dark because he was busy helping the rest of us. Ben is very good at acknowledging people, he is thoughtful and kind, is easy going and has the patience of Job, works hard, loves Jesus and loves us, is possibly the squads best secret-keeper, has the best stories, has really necessitated a lot of care and trust on the squad, is a good friend, and is really looking forward to his mom’s cooking.
Cara: One of the funniest people I know. Is the same person around any kind of person, a conversationalist, entertainer, good communicator, an encourager, and will make memories that you will love and cherish. Reliable. Caring. Honest. Good with any age group. Is ready for all the plans God has for her, and there are many. She’s influential and will live up to this.
Jenn H: Has the most beautiful hair. Smiles when she speaks and is very endearing. Articulalte. Brave. A good friend. Loves fun and adventure and acting on things that require bravery. Very brave. Very courageous. An excellent shananaginner. Flew home for a wedding and came back again, which I think deserves a round of applause.
Karen: Also an excellent shananaginner. Funny. Ballsy. Endearing. Good at conversations with anyone about anything, even with language barriers. Makes friends wherever she is. Loves adventure and making memories and finding fun. Loves Jane Austin and is equally as dramatic.
Tanner the Tall: Is respected by everyone. His words are valuable for humor, for wisdom, for life experience. A secret favorite of a lot of people. Calm, collected, and consistent.
Meghan: Has these expressive sparkly blue eyes that captivate you, and a kind and happy face that engages you in conversation. She’s a welcome place, she feels like home, she enriches your life, she softens hard hearts, strengthens weaknesses, listens well, intentionally loves, and is an excellent friend.
BreAnna: Made my Training Camp experience more bearable. Bre is strong, smart, confident, sure of herself, competent, funny, honest, and intriguing…she taught me what spider hunting is. She loves to salsa.
Brad the Beard: A quiet voice with a lot of thought behind his words. Seems to know the most random and interesting of facts. Enjoys conversations, coffee, and man jewelry. Prioritizes God as always first in his life.
Jill: I love doing her hair for the fancier days of the Race. A person you intuitively know you can trust, you can be honest with, you can pray with, you can laugh with. Jill is genuine, authentic, and down to earth. She won’t judge, but she has the strongest of moral compasses. Always knows where true North is…(God) in a situation.
Kasey: A strong voice and a soft heart. Kasey is loyal, dedicated and devoted to God. Willing to be honest, willing to ask herself hard questions, loves kids, and knows her strengths. She is LSU’s biggest fan. Purple and yellow. Yellow and purple.
Faith: A conversationalist, a maker of friends and dare I say family. Loves people. One of those rare people who will go to the hard places with you, spend time in the trenches, but always sees the way out and helps you get there too.
Jenny: Jenny will never flaunt her strengths or her seek her own way, but she is incredibly creative, resourceful, caring, and lovely. She has taught me how the point of anything in life has to do with people. She is very good at nesting and blooming where she is planted.
Em Kroll: A smiling face, someone who follows through on her goals, a taker of courageous steps, a good friend, a valuer of people. She sings beautifully, writes intellectually, and appreciates quality food, quality time, quality moments.
Em Kon: Is many things – she is present and confident, brave and beautiful, and glowing from the inside out. She is great with kids, a good friend, an honest opinion, and a happy heart.
Chelsey: Sociable, fashionable especially in her specs, a consistent friend, a contributor of wisdom, a spiritual leader, and a contagious laugher.
Saige: We find each other funny. Down to earth, loves to sing, values friendships, puts God first, does what’s right and not what’s easy. Bases her decisions on her conversations with the Lord. Saige is fun, easy going, committed, and focused.
Helene: “Ene”. The most legit, solid, woman of God I know. I will be friends with her for a long long while. Love our conversations, love the fun we have together.
Johnna: Gives the best hugs. Have many memories together involving tents, wild dogs, and honesty. Loves her family so much. Loves us so well. Has good things to say all the time, is present during all the parties and get togethers, is comfortable in her own skin and is an example of goodness to me.
Bailie: Strong, knows a lot about a lot, loves laughing and fun, values friends, values art. Able. Kind. Can literally pull the best out of a person. Has read almost 100 books just since being on the Race. I cannot figure out her taste buds.
Dara: Will never have any wrinkles, very collected and confident. A smart opinion, a broad perspective, an admirer of cultures, a conossiour of knowledge, an incredible sense of humor, a silly presence, an appreciator of humor, a loyal friend, an amazing person to know and to cherish.
Ashley Lobe: Introduced me to the idea of adoption on a 4am bus ride in the Philippines. Loves to cook, have people eat her cooking, to talk, and to be around kids.
Angie: Favorite of many. Funny, to the point, wise, honors God, does what He asks, and doesn’t put up a fight about being obedient. She is the type of person who you can trust with information, to do the right thing, and to have a good conversation with. Have loved getting to know her and wish I could’ve been on a team with her.
Skylar: The “fun friend”. This girl is the kind of person you want at every single social event, give her a topic a living object and she can pull out an interest. Endearing, hilarious, understanding, loving, and a safe haven. Servant, encourager, confident, honest, and will make sure you know you are loved and appreciated.
Liz: Liz and I somehow end up on adventures together that always involve the outdoors, being active, and her lovely admiration for horticulture and my learning from her. One of the most photogenic people I know. Forever humble, surprising, and beautiful. Peaceful, gentle, and strong. Has many hidden talents, is good at many hobbies, and braids wild flowers into her red hair with ease.
Celena: One of my favorite roommates. Forever put-together, is full of smiles and peace. A restful person to be around. Very true to herself and consistent in treating all people equally. An example to me of beauty in all forms.
Kaleigh: Loves to narrate life. Funny. Bold. Enjoys public speaking. An excellent friend. A go-getter, but also is layed back. Honorable, respectable, endearing. Will take ordering at a restaurant seriously and has a knack for describing in enthusiastic detail the ingredients and execution of any desert.
Jacob: Funny. Dynamic. Down to earth. A great friend. Smart, wise, caring, kind, bold, strong. A great leader of himself and others. Unique, dependable, honest, values people.
Em Lundy: Has her own signature dance move she used to win a competition at Training Camp with. Has this sweet, calm, kind quality about her. Is respectful and strong. You can trust her to know God and know what He says. Relational.
Ashley Beaudin: My fellow Canadian whom I’ve nicknamed “Shleboh”. A dependable, consistent strong spiritual warrior, prays with her authority in Christ, will be present and encouraging in times of crisis or calm, and is a lifelong friend. Anointed. Specialized for her purpose in life which she is actively living out. See her blog: www.brightandgutsy.com
Secrets are out!
But these are only some of them. The secrets, the greatness, inside of each of my squad-mates, me, and each of you, are many.
May we tell our loved ones and our acquaintances, the greatness we see in them.
Onwards and upwards.
