Months 1-4 of this journey I spent alongside an incredible team (Team Radical). We learned, through many struggles, how to fight one another and how to truly love each other well. We learned how to live in community together; we knew who loved pizza the most, who loved to cook, who our prayer warriors were, who was a morning person (and who wasn’t!), who the kids would always flock to during ministry, who loved to preach, who we could always count on to find us wifi, who enjoyed outdoor adventures and who preferred to stay in, who needed their own space, who sometimes just needed a listening ear, who hadn’t showed in a week, and who would always have Justin Timberlake songs playing in their head.
Then came month 5, and everything changed.
Team changes happened.
I became a team leader, and was placed with all women’s team (something I had been praying for since training camp back in October).
So naturally, I grieved for a while. Team Radical was my home… they were my family. They knew everything about me and knew how to love me well and how to challenge me and push me.
New teams meant new challenges, new struggles, new friendships, new love, new growth, new sisters, new experiences, new dynamics and a new season.
The night that team changes took place, I stood nervously in front of the entire squad waiting my turn next to the other new team leaders to announce my new team.
One by one, I said their names out loud… Crystal, Isa, Abbey, Jenny, Karli, and Laura. These were my sisters who I would be spending the next few months with, maybe even the rest of the year.
My new team! One of our infamous selfie-sevens… this time with on a slide at our favorite park in Ecuador 🙂
As I prayed for my team that night, the Lord assured me that it was His hand that had chosen each one of the girls on my team, and that He had great plans for us.
He spoke to me about Karli’s fun-loving spirit and her excitement and joy for life, and her deep compassion and understanding for others in need…
about Isa’s sweet and loving spirit and her burning desire to know the heart of Jesus, and her ability to dig deep and see others beyond the surface…
about Crystal’s joy and positivity and the wisdom, insight and beautiful heart for loving others well that He has given her…
about Jen’s humility, selflessness, gentleness, and unconditional love and acceptance…
about Abbey’s amazing heart for living out her faith and the contagious joy and love for life that she carries with her and her passion for Spanish and for women’s ministry,
and about Laura’s gentle boldness, sense of adventure, her love for learning, and her intentionality and deep love and care for others.
He told me that our team would be one of selfless service, of high consideration and high honor. One of deep spiritual intimacy leading to beautiful friendships. That we would be a team of learners instead of teachers, and that we would learn how to BE instead of just how to DO. That we would be bold prayer warriors. That we would be known for our joy and our deep love for one another and for those around us. Above all, He told me that our team belongs to Him, and that He was calling each of us to seek first His Kingdom.
Avocado masks and cooking making… our favorite 🙂
Rainy day together at the Equator!
I am so excited and blessed to be a part of this new group of women… The Movement. We hope that you will be partnering with us on this journey by praying for us as we seek to advance the gospel in the countries that remain… Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
I about $200 short of being fully funded! Praise the Lord! I have just about 2 more weeks until the deadline (July 1st), so if you’ve been wanting to give, I would absolutely love and appreciate your support! You can do so by following the link to the left that says, “Support Me!”
