The Q Squad Rebels

Tonight my father and I went to see the newest movie in the Star Wars franchise. It’s called Rogue One and it’s the story of Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor and their efforts to steal the plans for the planet killer, the Death Star. I realized after the seeing the movie, (it may or may not have been for the 2nd time) how much I loved the Star Wars stories, how much I just love stories in general. So i began to think of the reasons behind it and the story that is being unfolded in my life.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been enchanted by stories. If you know me, you probably know how much I love reading and seeing movies. I love the stories where good triumphs over evil. I especially love a good heroine, probably because I’m a girl. Maybe that’s why I love the Star Wars franchise so much. They are REALLY good at heroines. I mean Princess Leia, Rey, Jyn Erso and even Padme. I love stories interwoven with subtle romance and overlaid with awesome battle scenes. The stories of the triumph of good versus evil have always resonated within my heart and thoughts like THAT, that is something I want to do with my life. To believe in something so much that I would sacrifice everything for it. My life, if it came to that, included. The stories I love so much, if you didn’t catch it, point back to the Grandest Story of all time. And I am a part of it. The story of the Gospel. There are heroines and heroes, there are battles and romances, there is sacrifice and sadness, and ultimately there is triumph and victory.

Now, now don’t’ start worrying. I’m going on the world race, not likely marching to my physical death or martyrdom. However, in a different sort of way, I am marching towards death. I am marching towards the death of complacency, the death of self, the death of materialism, the death of apathy. I am marching towards the death of Christ and what that means for people living in physical, emotional, and spiritual captivity all over the world. I am not marching alone. I get to go with 54 other people suited up for battle alongside of me. We are the soldiers making up Q Squad.

The world race is going to be a game changer for me and Q squad. The Lord has so much in store for us. Just like in the Star Wars movies, we are the rebels. We believe so much in God that we are willing to give up our lives for a year and then for forever to follow Him. We are rebelling against societal standards telling us instead we need to get married right now or get the perfect jobs right now. We are rebelling against the desires of our flesh telling us we can’t sleep on the ground and eat weird foods and possibly get malaria and lice. We are rebelling against complacency and comforts and lukewarmness. We are giving up a lot and we don’t want sympathy or pats on the back for it. We want you to join in the march with us. We want you to march out with us by joining in the fight. You can fight with us by prayer, by sharing, by financial support. There are a thousand different ways for you to join this specific fight and we don’t want you to miss out on this story that is interwoven with the Grander story.

We are going to live out the Great Commission. We will march out into the world this week to show people and ourselves more about a God who loves them, who is fighting for them, who is battling every day on their behalf to try and win their hearts. We are saying that in the end, we know who will win the fight. Good wins. God wins. There is sacrifice and like any battle there are casualties and battle wounds and losses. The only difference in our war is that we already know the outcome. We have already claimed victory. We are saying that in one day, one week, one month, eleven months, we don’t want to be the same people we are right now. We want to continually work our way closer and closer to our creator and to the love that He has for us. We are a bunch of imperfect people, serving a perfect God who doesn’t sit idly by while His soldiers go to fight for Him. He is there among us, before us, beside us, within us. He is covering us. We are marching out on this week to further live out our identities as followers of Christ and like I’ve said, we’re not going alone.

The difference between us rebels and the Star Wars rebels is that we go not just in confidence of our cause but in the confidence of being victorious. We may lose battles but we’ll suit up and go back to the fight.

I can’t wait to spend 11 months and then beyond fighting for you, Q squad. I can’t wait to fight for myself. I can’t wait to fight for my future brothers and sisters in Christ. I can’t wait to fight for the Kingdom.

So long story short friends, I love love love that we have already won. I love love love that we already can claim victory. It’s going to be so hard. Don’t forget to pray for us and support us and encourage us and share what we’re doing and to join us in the ways that you are able.

We go boasting only in the confidence of the cross and we go together. 2017 is going to be a big year.