I didn’t know it was possible to love 50 more people all at once.
My heart is a strange place. If you have known me for any period of time, I’m sure you know this by now. I love with big love, I buy into people and their lives pretty quickly. I love hard and fast and generally without regret. I would rather love people well than have people need to question it. Sometimes people think it is fake until they get to know me, then they realize it is a real thing. I wasn’t even sure if I could love this many more people… because I love a lot of people. I mean, my own squad has a special place in my heart and I wasn’t sure if this new D squad was going to try and shove out some of the love I have for my first squad to try and win. But it’s not like that.
I don’t even know if I realized the magnitude of it until this recent training camp. I showed up not knowing anything about any of the people on D squad. I didn’t know any of their names or their faces. I didn’t know their stories or their hearts. I had no idea who they were. And yet, I stood in the open field near the sign that said “Squad 1” (indicating where they were to set up their tents), anticipating their arrival, already loving them with this HUGE love. As they trickled in, I began recognizing faces from blogs and instagram. I didn’t think they would appreciate me overwhelming them with this strange love right away, so I toned it down a little bit and shook hands and just smiled a lot. My insides were bursting though. Bursting with joy and love and overwhelming excitement at the process they were about to go through at training camp and eventually the race. I could see the big picture.
When I got up in front of them for the first time and told them I loved them, I think they were sort of weirded out. Some of them accepted it, some thought it was creepy. As the week went on I did my best to live out this love I have for them in my heart. The more I loved them, the more they let me into their stories and they lives. Moments would happen when I would just come up to them and ask “Have I told you lately that I love you? Because I love you.”The more they let me in, the more my love grew. Suddenly in just a few short days I loved just about 50 new people. It was an all of a sudden situation, and in the same breath a feeling in my heart like I have known them my whole life.
D Squad is an amazing family of daring, bold, intricately created, unique people who are full of depth, joy, and the Spirit. They have wisdom and discernment and are just beginning this crazy journey. They are unified and full of love for each other. They are crazy and fun and love to dance. Together we are going to seek a new side of the Father’s heart, we are going to bring the Kingdom in this earth, and we are going to throw a giant wrench into all the plans of the enemy. It took 7 days to have them intricately woven into my heart, and they aren’t going anywhere.
Beloved D Squad- Have I told you lately that I love you? Because I do very much. I am gonna be bragging about you guys to anyone who will listen to me about you. I can’t wait to see your faces in just a few short weeks. I am so proud of you guys!! Keep pressing in and seeking after Jesus at home. All in!! Love you so much!!
Please consider helping me continue to love on these amazing people by supporting me financially for Squad Leading. Just click the link over to the side if you would like to help me out with that.
Much Love,
-A
