All I can say is WOAH!! I just arrived back in Colorado from Training Camp yesterday and is was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I met so many wonderful strangers who became family and dove deep into the goodness of God. I danced, I cried, I laughed, I sang, I prayed, and I let go of so many of the worries, doubts, and misconceptions that have been holding me back for so long.
The last couple days of camp I was placed on a team with 6 other incredible women of God, and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce them to you all! These are the people that I will be traveling to India with in 45 days, and these are the people who will carry me through the good and the bad times in (at least) my first few months on the field. I’ve only known them for a grand total of 10 days, but I can honestly say that I love them like we’ve been friends for years and years.
So without further ado, meet my team:
This is Jess, our fearless team leader! She is kind, gentle, and passionate. She leads worship like an angel and loves better than the best of us. She shows everyone around her what it looks like to be a leader at the front of the pack, but more importantly how to serve and lead from the back. As you can tell from the picture above, she is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, but her outer beauty does not even shine a dim light on how beautifully the Lord has crafted and shaped her heart. I am so privileged to have the opportunity to serve alongside Jess and learn from her humble leadership.
This is Taylor, my first camp friend. I actually met Taylor once last year because we go to the same church and Young Adults services in Denver. Even from that first encounter I could see the gentleness in her spirit. She isn’t always the first to speak up in a big group of people, but she has such an amazing perceptiveness in her eyes. She accepts people as they are, and eagerly waits to journey alongside them in their processes of growth. Taylor is not afraid to step into new and unknown adventures because she knows the Father’s heart is for her, and with His help she can do much more than she has ever dreamt of. She loves with her whole self, and I cannot wait to see her blossom into the amazing woman that God has created her to be.
This is Alex, a rockstar athlete who is also a rockstar at seeing people as Jesus sees them. As if our own squad of 50 people wasn’t enough, Alex started making friends with people on other squads too! The way that she fearlessly walks up to strangers and gets to know their hearts is inspiring. She is spunky, hilarious, and has some of the best dance moves I’ve ever seen. Not only that, but she has a deep love for scripture, and there was rarely a time that I didn’t see her with her Bible in hand, digging through passages to hear what the Lord wanted to say. She is BOLD! She yearns to see the Holy Spirit move in powerful ways, and believes 100% that he can and will do so through her. The more time I spend with this girl the more excited I get about life. Her lightheartedness and dedication will be such a blessing to the rest of the team on the field.
This is Stephanie. She has an amazing depth of knowledge about God’s word (I mean A TON of knowledge) and is not afraid to ask the hard questions. She trusts that God is who he says he is, and that he is not scared away by our frequent doubt. Stephanie is practical, and brings such a grounding to our team. She is organizational, and loves logistical puzzles. She is responsible, and, get this, SHE LOVES FUNDRAISING!!!! It takes an amazing heart to see the beauty in inviting friends and family into this journey through finances even though it’s awkward 97.46% of the time. I am expectant for the faith that is going to grow in Stephanie’s heart as God shows his character throughout our time on the Race. He is so faithful, and I believe whole-heartedly that He will show that.
This is MC (yes like MC Hammer, but also like Mary-Claire)!!! Wow I don’t even know where to start. I LOVE THIS GIRL!!! She is so fun to be around, and she loves people. I have never heard a negative word about another human come out of her mouth, and I think that is so admirable. She sees the beauty instead of shortcomings and speaks life over everyone she comes into contact with. Her story is one of redemption and beauty, and it shows all over her life. MC just met Jesus a year ago, and she is already so dedicated to sharing Him with the world. That is incredible!!! She loves indie-folk music, and brings peace everywhere she goes. MC is also incredibly vulnerable. She takes her life, and what God has shown her, and is not afraid to share it with others. It will be a treat to watch her story of God’s redemptive love change people’s lives all over the world.
Last, but certainly not least, is India. From the first time I met her in the Atlanta airport, I knew there was something super special about her. She is so passionate about the Lord, and is assured that she can do nothing apart from Him. I so admire this because I so often believe I can do things on my own strength and in my own power (it never works out if you were wondering…). Her singing is, no joke, one of the top 5 most beautiful things I have ever heard in my entire life. I wish I had a recording of it so that I could share it with you all. India, like MC, has such an amazing testimony of God’s endless love and desire for redemption. Have you ever started to love someone more just because of their story? Yeah, that is how I feel about India. I am super excited to watch her grow in confidence this next year, and truly step into the strong, beautiful, passionate, brave, and intelligent woman that God designed her to be.
So here we are: team i61 (for Isaiah 61). If you have a spare minute, read Isaiah 61 after this, and pray those things over this team. We are declaring that these next 11 months will truly be a year of the Lord’s favor.
Thank you all, so much, for your undying support. I am blessed beyond measure to have people in my life who support me on this crazy call God has put in my heart. I am SO thrilled to have the chance to share part of this walk with such amazing women of God.
