At the beginning of Training Camp for the World Race, I stood in front of my squad of 41 people and introduced myself as one of their alumni squad leaders. At this point, a lot of them did not even know what that meant yet.
I am an alumni of the World Race, and for the first five months of their World Race, I will be on the field with them leading their squad with two other alumni.
Meet my leadership team: Seth Powell, Ali Watson, Stacy Povian, & Sara Shoup (Left to Right)
We are there to love and encourage them as they go through the new, exciting, and hard parts of the race. We are there as a leadership team to serve them in whatever way we can as we walk along side them and bring the love of Christ to the nations.
While I was standing in front of my squad, I told them that if there was one thing that I could give to them over this next year, it would be the knowledge that they are valued and worthy sons and daughters of a God who deeply loves them. I want them to know their identity in Christ. Not who society says that they are, but who God says that they are.
While I was on my World Race in 2014, I started talking to a man on the street about Jesus. After talking to him for a while, I told the man, “God sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.” His response was, “That doesn’t sound like a very good father.” I was speechless. I didn’t know how to answer. I don’t really remember what I ended up saying next, but that statement stuck with me for a long time.
As I thought about it, I realized he was right. That doesn’t make God sound like a good father. It works out good for me and you, but what about Jesus. I was stumped. I know God is a good father, but how is that an example of what a good father would do.
A few months later, as I was walking down the street, God hit me with a revelation. Yes, Jesus Christ is God’s son, but He is also God, three in one. God didn’t just send his son, He sent himself. God put on flesh, laid aside His deity, lived life as a human, and took on all our pain and suffering.
God became a man.
God died on the cross.
God took on sin and death.
God gave his own life,
…so I could have eternal life.
…so that we could have a relationship.
…so that I could be holy and blameless.
…so that I could be covered with His grace and mercy.
…so that I could walk in freedom.
God gave his own life, because according to Him, my life is worth His own.
I know that it is true, but how could my life be equivalent to the creator of heaven and earth? How could my life be equal to the one who doesn’t just do loving things, but IS love? This is a concept that I am still wrapping my head around, and everyday I believe it more and more. Discovering my full identity is a life long journey, but God is constantly walking me into deeper realizations of who He is, and what He says about me.
I am extremely excited to walk into this new season of squad leading. I know that it is going to be a sweet season with my father of living in full reliance on Him.
I leave in January with the incredible A-squad. We will be going to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Costa Rica, Panama, and South Africa.
Meet A-Squad
If you would like to support me while I am squad leading, you can partner through prayer or financial donation.
I am composing a prayer team to send prayer requests to while I am on the field. If you would like to be on the email list, please comment below or send me an email at [email protected]
If you would like to contribute financially, you can choose the Support Me! link above. I need to raise $6,500.
