Just like Gumby, who is made out of clay, God is going to mold me like crazy in these next 8 months!
Challenging changes and a new season is ahead of me…
We just finished our 3rd month on the World Race
in Vietnam and are now a week into our 4th month in Cambodia. At the end of last month, our squad came together
for our mini debrief. I’ve mentioned
debriefs before – they are a time to catch up with other teams, reflect on the
ministries we’ve been a part of and reminisce on the memories made and the
struggles we’ve faced that have made us all stronger. This debrief wasn’t quite the same. Nerves were high, anxiousness was apparent,
questions were pondered, and a mixture of excitement and sadness were all
bottled up into one big emotion. At this
debrief, big changes took place…
Team changes.
The thought was bittersweet, as it meant that our teams
would be getting switched up, but it served as an opportunity to rely on the
Lord, trust Him with the unknown and learn to let go of expectations and the
need to control our situations. The last
three months have been some I will never forget with Team Consuming Fire. Morgan, Hannah, Emily, Celeste, Heith and
Brian became my family and we experienced an endless amount of memories together. The times we’ve challenged and encouraged one
another are the times that have pushed us to change and become stronger
individuals, confident of who we are in Christ.
Serving with one another at the hospital in Malaysia, YWAM in Australia
with the homeless, and at orphanages in Vietnam are memories that will be
forever imprinted on my heart.
It was such a wonderful opportunity to grow in my leadership
abilities with Team Consuming Fire. They
blessed me like crazy and taught me so much. I have been forever changed in this season of
the race through leadership and without this team, I wouldn’t have experienced
as much growth as I have! I am forever
grateful.
Being a team leader was never something I desired, but with
God as my focus, obedience to His calling is ultimately what mattered
most. It has been one of the most challenging
tasks I’ve ever had to take upon and it would take a month long of blogs to try
to explain what God has done through me and in me during the time I served as a
team leader. I finally started to get
the hang of team leading, but just as I did, things have changed. I’m entering a new season, one that will be
even MORE stretching and daunting (at least to me) than the last. And with this next season He’s trying to
teach me boldness, a trait I’ve always avoided in strengthening!
I have been asked to become a squad leader with two other
squad mates, Alicia and Tommy!
(Pictures to come soon!)
(Check out their blogs! www.aliciahoughten.theworldrace.org
www.tommylepke.theworldrace.org)
Squad
leading changes the way my Race looks.
My ministry will no longer be specific ministries in each country, but
will focus more on discipleship and pouring into our squad of 56 people
alongside Alicia and Tommy. We will have
the opportunity to visit the teams during the next 8 months to hang out and
encourage/challenge them. As this next
season starts, we will be traveling with our current squad leaders, World Race
alumni, Patrice (Mama P!) and Justin (J. Warren!), as they teach us what squad
leading is and how it works. They will
use this next month to equip us and build us up to prepare us as much as
possible to lead the squad starting in January.
This is their last month with us, so it is a huge blessing to learn from
them!
Looking back at training camp in July when they asked me to
Team Lead and so hesitantly accepting, I would have never in a million years
thought that I would be squad leading during my 11 month season of the
race. I’ve learned you can’t escape the
Lord’s desire to change us. We can’t run
away from the hard things that He wants to use to strengthen us and equip us
for future endeavors. Sometimes change
and being obedient to God’s calling means making yourself press through the
uncomfortable and often painful things. Squad
leading will not come easy to me, but it is a chance to increase my faith in
stepping out in boldness and confidence in the Lord! I am so thankful for this opportunity and the
challenging journey that lies ahead with Alicia and Tommy!
I have raised $11,100 in the last 9 months and am only $4,400
away from being fully funded!
If you are
interested in helping to support me as I continue to serve around the world
these next 8 months, a tax-deductible donation can be made online. Just click on the “Support me” tab underneath
my picture. Thank you to all of my
current and future supporters! I am
thankful that you have chosen to be a part of the journey. 🙂
