Friends, family, supporters, prayer warriors and various blog readers of any kind, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Team Frureo!
From left to right:
Elizabeth Shouse (from Los Alamitos, CA), Me (from Port Charlotte, FL), Andrew Chambers (from Memphis, TN), Jillian Kelly (from Lafayette, CO), Mikkia Gentry (from Cincinnati, OH), Clay Holst (from Davenport, IA), and our Team Leader: Zack VanderWall (from Kentwood, MI)!
I would like to begin by saying that this is not the team I would have chosen for myself. Truthfully, I do not know what team I would have chosen for myself. All I know is out of all the team formation activities and the different teams I was in throughout the week, this team was the worst. We did not work together well at all. I love each of my squad mates dearly and I love each of these teammates dearly, but I was less than thrilled about the possibility of this combination of personalities being my team for the next 11 months.
This group of individuals was put together for our very last team formation activity and the questions we faced told me this was going to be my team. When asked if we wanted this team, every single one of us voted a big 'NO'. The staff working with our team at the time told us, "This might be your team. We still may change it, but if we don't it is because we believe you have what it takes to overcome these challenges."
After our questioning ended, I went off by myself and cried. I was heartbroken that such a dynamic would be put together. I know the staff are for us and not trying to make life miserable for us, but I felt like God was. I like to lead and I like to follow if I have a strong leader. I like to have a say in the process and to be heard, but this team caused me to shut down and withdraw. I was angry and wanted to run. And then there was that still, small voice. If I could not submit in a team like this, how could I ever fully submit to God? After all, God had the final say and put this team together Himself. Who am I to criticize His decisions? All of a sudden, I found myself in a panic wondering what if they mix up our team again?! This WAS the right team! I can't tell you why I sensed that other than God put it on my heart.
A few hours later, we found out the final decision about our teams and every person that was a part of the previous activity remained on this team. There were no changes and a huge sense of relief came over me. A surprising amount of love flowed from my heart in that instant because I have the privilege to spend this next year serving alongside this incredible group of men and women.
- Zack is gentle, compassionate and meek. He has a deep love for the Lord and will be an excellent leader.
- Jillian is strong, bubbly and full of joy.
- Liz is strong and compassionate.
- Mikkia is strong, faithful and loves deeply. I feel safe with her. After all, she carried me 'unconscious' from a plane crash without dropping me once.
- Andrew is genuine and compassionate and will fight for everything the Lord has for him.
- Clay is thoughtful and fun and has a whole lot of wisdom and insight to share.
Now I would like to take a moment to explain our team name, Team Frureo. Frureo, pronounced froo-reh'-o, is a Greek term translated "we were kept". It is also the same term used in Philippians 4:7,
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
In this verse, the word more specifically means, 'to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard; to hem in, protect: keep.'
God chose this team, chose to keep us as a team EVEN THOUGH we all voted "no" and we believe God will protect us and fight for us and hold us together so He can mold us and use us for His glory this next year. How perfect is this term to describe our team?!
Now, let me take a moment to share how God answered my heart's desires for a team within this group of people. Let me just preface this with saying I did not know any of these details until AFTER we were officially a team.
Andrew loves to cook AND to cook on a budget. We will never go hungry. I don't particularly hate cooking, but for anyone who doesn't know, I feel so ridiculously loved and cared for if someone will cook for me.
Liz is an EMT. Really? I'm not going to die on this trip. I am clueless when it comes to first aid and knowing when, and when not, to be alarmed and how to care for people in illness. I didn't ask God for a nurse, but He knew this was on my heart and put someone with this knowledge on my team!
Zack, who did not bring one with him to Training Camp, revealed to us that he does in fact play guitar and will be bringing his along on the World Race! If nothing else, I wanted a guitar player on my team and was secretly very disappointed only one girl on our entire Squad brought a guitar to training camp. There were 56 of us! Didn't anyone know how to play a musical instrument? I could listen to someone play all day if given the opportunity and God also answered this desire of my heart!
To top it all off, two other girls on my team are lactose intolerant in addition to myself. I was genuinely concerned of how this would pose a struggle for me on the World Race and I now know I will not be overlooked for dietary needs from being the only one. I have two other voices who will gladly speak up and fight for our health!
The more God reveals, the more perfect I realize this team is and this only covers surface stuff. I have no idea what gifts and strengths we will all bring to the group and what kind of family we will become, but I am beyond excited to find out!
So there you have it. God formed the perfect team for me that at first glance seemed almost horrific. Please keep us in your prayers that we will continue to press in to the Lord and fight for all God has for us this next year. Please pray for unity and a bond that cannot be shaken. And most of all, please pray that the Lord will have HIS way in us.
