Hey everybody! Our squad is finishing up our time in Swaziland and we are headed to South Africa for our next month of ministry. This trip has been more than I could have ever imagined, and we’re not even at the halfway point yet! God has been doing so many cool things through our ministry and we have been extremely blessed to be a part of His work. He also has been doing a lot in me personally. He has walked me through a lot of growth, put me in uncomfortable situations where I can only rely on Him, and taught me many lessons. Many of those lessons can be put under the same category: becoming a better leader.
I started this trip as the team leader for my amazing team, the Freedom Runners. Through four months of leading that team of seven I learned a lot about what it takes to be a man who leads with humility, respect, gentle authority, and love. That team was full of great men and women who made it easy for me as a leader, and there were many lessons that the Lord taught me during our time together. After those four months, team changes occurred and now the squad is divided into five new teams. Along with team changes came role changes, which means that leaders, treasurers, etc. all got switched up and many people are in new roles. With that being said I have stepped into a new role as a squad leader!
I know that the World Race has it’s own made up language and most of you probably don’t know what a squad leader is, so I’ll explain. We have had two leaders with us for the first five months. They do a little bit of everything and have their hands in planning certain things, logistics, check-ins with team leaders and other squad members, and a whole bunch of other stuff. The main role however is to be a spiritual leader for the squad. Our two leaders, Alex and Marissa, are heading home next month and the leadership team has chosen three people from our squad to step into their role as the new leaders. So my friends Madison, Stella, and I will be taking over as the new squad leaders!
I am super excited and very honored to be chosen to lead these 37 amazing people. It’s cool to see how the Lord has brought me to this place of leadership. I can look back and clearly see all the steps He has taken to prepare to lead this group full of powerful men and women. This is definitely another aspect of that plan that is preparing me for even bigger things! This squad is full of spiritual powerhouses. Seriously, these people are impacting the kingdom of God in such incredible ways. They are all leaders, and that is something that God has been teaching me a lot about lately, leading leaders. I pray to be able to bring as much wisdom, encouragement, and love into their lives as they have brought into mine. I am excited for this new season and can’t wait to see what growth the Lord will bring next. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement, you are an important part of this mission. Love y’all!
