When I first got accepted to the World Race, I immediately began to pray over the hearts of those I would be embarking on this trip with. I knew so much of my experience would depend on who I was doing life with for the eleven months I would be abroad. After a few short days of training camp in June, crammed with trying to get to know forty other people while being thrown into various team formation exercises, I suddenly found myself at a white, plastic picnic table staring at six strangers. Although I felt a bit confused and apprehensive at first, within minutes I was flooded with an overwhelming sense of peace. There was no doubt in my mind that these were the women I was intended to walk alongside as we began our ascent to unknown corners of the world together.
As we began our journey, my initial idea of what “ministry” meant on the race was very focused on the eleven countries I would be traveling to, the people I would meet in each cultural context, and the ways I would be using my hands and feet in the kingdom. However, the Lord very quickly redefined what he intended “ministry” to be during this season. While I have passed out bibles, laid hands and prayed over people, braided little girls’ hair, sang many children’s songs, and stood in front of the church to share pieces of my story, I believe the Lord has called me to an even greater ministry that lies to my left and and to my right. Quite literally, I do sleep just inches away from these women, and we do just about everything together. While it might sound quite terrifying to be tied to six other introverts at all times…well, yes, it can sometimes be rather overwhelming. But it does not even begin to compare to the beauty that has unraveled from the Lord intertwining seven uniquely created hearts to declare truth over each other, speak life into each other, and pour out the love of Jesus upon each other.
In that same breath, I have learned that every time I think I have something to offer in ministry, I walk away realizing how much more I gained from whom I sought to extend just a fraction of the love of Jesus to. These six women are OVERFLOWING with gifts from the Father and I have gained an ineffable amount from them. They are six reasons I love ministry on the race and I would like to attempt to share just a glimpse of what these stunning souls have imparted to me thus far:
Elizabeth: Faithful One
Liz is faithful and full of faith. She is dependable in what she commits to doing and who she commits to loving because she loves and does with her whole heart. If you are loved by Liz, you will be loved with utmost devotion. She is also going to make the most exceptional mother to her children one day.
Liz is full of surprises and every so often announces knowing or photographing yet another famous person and acts as though it’s casual. She is also unintentionally responsible for much of our team’s laughter.
Liz walks not in a spirit of timidity, but of boldness in declaring her faith and the ways she expects Jesus to show up. Elizabeth gives me courage to have greater faith.
Vivian: Chosen One
Vivian is one of the most genuine people I have ever met. She brims with generosity and often overwhelms me with her kindness.
Vivian is chosen by the Father for very specific tasks and has the gift of connectedness with others. She is often found missing because she got lost in conversation with a complete stranger that she made feel like a life long friend.
Vivian thinks of all of the details that would have inhibited us most often from getting from point A to point B. Our team would quite literally still be back in the Atlanta airport without her. Vivian is also an expert in anything with the word “google” in it.
Vivian is gifted in service and is regularly seen breaking down the cereal boxes that the rest of us threw at (and probably missed) the trashcan.
Vivian makes me want to love people more like Jesus.
Diamond: Captivated One
Diamond is a kingdom-shaker. Her heart breaks for the things that breaks the Father’s heart and she is a bearer of light in the darkest places of the world.
Diamond embodies her name so naturally in that she is a dazzling stone that is treasured by all. The Light of the World so beautifully refracts inside of her, travels through her, and then radiates out of her. She cannot help but beam with the face of Jesus!
Diamond is gifted in working with little ones and wins their hearts as soon as she picks them up and spins them around.
Diamond also has the gift of sleeping and can feel fully refreshed after a 13 minute power nap. I’m still holding onto the hope that I can acquire this skill from her.
Diamond is captivated by the Father’s heart for the world and longs to make a difference in the hearts of the afflicted. Diamond makes me want to stand firm in the wholeness that can only be found in Jesus.
Emily Holland: Valiant One
Emily is a fierce fighter for the kingdom. She is an advocate for those who are wounded and searching for restoration.
Emily carries a gentleness in her spirit that puts those around her at ease. She is quick to claim truth over lies and verbally affirm others in the way the Father sees them.
I thoroughly enjoy getting to obsess over literature with Emily and share in our love for words. She is also afraid of birds, which I have yet to comprehend, but I appreciate that she is willing to observe their beauty from a distance.
Emily is valiant in the way she advocates for restoration and longs to guide people through the healing process to pursue true life that is Jesus Christ.
Emily makes me want to stand up for truth.
McCrea: Daring One
McCrea is full of grace. She is clothed in humility and bursting with ambition. She is a woman of influence and a woman who urges others to pursue their biggest dreams and will take it even further to help you achieve them.
McCrea craves adventure and often dares herself to do things that might terrify her, but she knows will draw her closer to the likeness of Jesus. She longs to climb to uncharted territory to seek more and more of the Father’s love for her and for the world.
McCrea can also quote most YouTube videos and she does so often enough to make the rest of us feel like we have seen them all too.
McCrea and I have matching hairstyles and sleeping bags and I believe I have finally met my match in someone who loves peanut butter and mountains as much as I do.
McCrea makes me want to walk in fuller freedom.
Emily McIver: Hopeful One
Joy, joy, joy. She simply bursts with it! Emily undeniably carries the joy of the Lord deep within her spirit and she does not keep it locked away. She flings it as if it were confetti at the world’s greatest New Year’s party.
You can always, always count on Emily to laugh with (or at) you and boost your self-esteem a bit. Emily also has the most eventful childhood of anyone I have ever met and willingly shares stories that create equally uncomfortable and uncontrollable laughter.
Emily highly encourages tears and will often be found crying for those who can’t produce their own. But she might make you unexpectedly burst into tears yourself when she boldly claims truth over you.
Emily is a bearer of hope. She carries this hope with open hands, ready to share it when the Father prompts her to. Emily makes me want to dance.
These are just a few of many beautiful things I see in these women of God, and this is only a drop in the Black Sea of how the Father sees them. I am so truly humbled that the Lord chose me to walk alongside them as they continue saying “Yes!” to Jesus and his calling on their lives. It has been such an honor to pray and intercede, and be a witness of the wonders the Almighty One is weaving into each of them. The Lord’s favor is so sweetly upon these anointed ones! They have given me such life by pointing me to the truth of the Father and continually reminding me of the power of the Spirit. They often overwhelm me with their words of affirmation and make me want to know Jesus more intimately. I am overcome with breathlessness by the way the Lord has intertwined our hearts and entrusted us to be his disciples, his branches; bearers of his name together. And it is in this that we abide in one accord with the Holy One, and our joy is made FULL.
He is the Vine; we are His branches. We who abide in Him and He in us, we are the ones that bear much fruit, for apart from Him we can do nothing…By this our Father is glorified, that we bear much fruit and so prove to be his disciples.
Abide in His love…These things He has spoken to us, that His joy may be in us, and that our joy may be full.
