Nearly one year ago, I was added to a group chat entitled “Fam Bam Around the World”. This group chat consisted of the incredible people I now get to call my World Race Squad. Although our squad has lost people, gained people, and gone through many a title change (right now it is “The Golden Warriors”), the Lord has taken this group of goofy internet friends, who only knew each other through skype calls and text messages, to a church that yearns to represent him and help bring the kingdom to nations all over the world.
What happened came suddenly for all of us. Despite our excitement that surrounded our meeting, not one of us knew that God was going to form such tights bonds within us so quickly. I walked into the first of our ten days at Training Camp expecting to meet a bunch of awesome believers that I could bond with a good bit. Although that stands true, the Lord showed me fairly quickly was that he had chosen each one of us to play a specific role in our squad. It was incredible to see how our personalities, though vastly different, meshed together so perfectly. We found common ground in the little things such as love for baguettes or the enjoyment found in having dance parties before worship. Our blatant weirdness somehow complemented one another to form a beautiful coalition of steady hearted believers.
In a normal friendship, conversations generally begin with simple questions such as ‘What is your favorite color?’ or ‘What do you like to do?’. But this was different. Each of us wanted to move past the getting to know you stage and decided to do so quickly. This resulted in asking questions about one another’s testimony and his or her life up until the race rather than going for the delicate, easy questions. Because of this, we had to learn what it looks like to be vulnerable with one another for the sake of the kingdom. In order to make space for God to prepare our hearts for what is to come, we had to let go of whatever baggage we were carrying. We did this through humbling ourselves enough to be real with one another about what we are going through. For me, this perpetuated a tear filled worship session where I was able to let go of the fear and anxiety that comes with leaving behind my friends and family. This space that opened up upon releasing our burdens to the Lord was filled with a recognition of the love that Christ has for his children. He loves us so much that he provided us with confidants within the church that will be a source of encouragement when we feel weighed down by the world. This is what my squad and I found in one another as we dug deeper into what the Lord had prepared for us.
From having silly fun playing made up games, to sitting down and hearing one another’s life stories, it was apparent that God had gone before us to place each and every one of us on J-Squad. I so look forward to more time with my once internet friends who I now recognize as my brothers and sisters in Christ (or, if any of my team members are reading this, my fellow WOGs and MOGs).
ANNOUNCEMENT TIME:
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I have a team! Out of the 50 or so people on my huge squad, I have been grouped with 6 fantastic people who I will do ministry with for some time on the field. We have named ourselves Team Charismata but you can call us Team Nug Lyfe, we answer to either.
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This Wednesday 8/31, I will be having a Fundraiser at the Zaxby’s on Firetower Rd. This will be from 5-8pm. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to my trip! So come out and put your receipt in the box! Hope to see you there.
- Jesus is so cool! You may have known this one, but a reminder never hurts.
