RADIANT

Disclaimer: This post is long, long overdue.  So.  Whoops.

One of the most intense, terrifying, enjoyable, and brain-consuming parts of training camp was team building.  A-Squad’s dedicated squad leaders and trainers created teams by throwing us together in random groups and then tweaking the groups from there.  Basically, they would observe a group interacting over some type of activity (everybody stand on a towel, and then flip the towel completely over without anyone stepping on the grass…OKAY), get some feedback from group members, then mix it up and shuffle everyone into new groups with new people.  Covered in prayer from start to finish, the process took a day and a half and it was NERVE WRACKING.  I kept reminding myself that Jesus is in charge, Jesus has the plan, Jesus knows what every individual on A-Squad needs from a team…but still.  Teams live and work and travel and do life together for eleven months — I was being assigned a family and I was kind of freaked out.

As we got closer and closer to the team announcement, I got more and more nervous.  When I looked around me, all of the groups started to seem like they were solidifying — only a few, random people were still being moved around, as if nobody knew where to fit them.  I was one of those random people.  By the last activity, I was pretty convinced that I was going to be tacked on to whatever group I ended with, which I had accepted as my first challenge to grow through surrender.   After all, Jesus is in charge.  He has the plan.  He knows what every individual on A-Squad needs from a team.  So it all works out.
 

It’s funny to me how just when I think I have Jesus’ plan figured out, He throws everyone for a loop.  Teams were announced Thursday after lunch and when I saw the lists, I actually laughed out loud — the eight teams of A-Squad were NOTHING like what I expected them to be and my team is so, SO much better than I could have planned it myself.  It’s as if Jesus was in charge of the team-building process.  It’s almost like He had a plan.  If I didn’t know any better, I would think that He already knew what each of us needed from a team.

So without any more rambling, meet Team RADIANT.  I am so thrilled and honored and blessed to be serving with these women — God has massive, crazy, terrifying, and beautiful plans for us a team, and we stand firm in our understanding of ourselves as Richly Affirmed Daughters In All Nations Triumphing (RADIANT).  Here goes nothing and everything, all at once.

Amanda. Nurturing, confident, calming presence.  Sweet and generous with who she is, takes care of the people around her.  Kind, down to earth, a blessing to serve with.  Infectous laughter, go-with-the-flow attitude, prepared to bring hope to the hopeless.

Angel.  Wide-eyed, excitable, 1000% genuine.  Powerful in prayer, willing to be vulnerable, brings everyone around her joy.  Sees the best in others, as tough as she is adorable.  Power and authority flow through her and she will shake the nations with her child-like, yet steady faith.  

Elizabeth.  Kind-hearted, servant, humble.  A constant source of encouragement, loves to know others and be known, pursues her teammates.  An irreplaceable member of our team, hears the word of the Lord and speaks that truth into those around her — into her teammates, her squadmates, and the nations.

Katlyn.  A powerful, powerful witness for Jesus.  Passionate, joyful, faithful.  Has wisdom and depth and strength when others feel dry.  Sees what needs to be done in the Kingdom and pursues Heaven on earth with everything inside of her.

Kelsey.  Faithful, faithful servant.  Consistent, dedicated, hard-working Harvester for Jesus.  A do-er — not a watcher, a leader — not a follower, a force to be reckoned with due to her rock solid faith.  Loves Jesus with every fiber of her being, loves to laugh, loves to serve.  

These women are my family for the next eleven months.  Please follow our blogs and our journey as we grow and serve together!!