You know the saying, “if you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans”? Well. I don’t know that God is laughing right now, but He certainly has a thing about changing my plans. When I started this Race, I planned on being a part of Team Braveheart at least until the fourth or fifth month, when our new squad leaders would be chosen. And everyone who goes on the Race or knows someone who’s gone on the Race knows that team changes are likely. However, I don’t think any of us were expecting it in Month 2. It seems like we had just gotten to know each other and then BAM. Team change.
Unfortunately, one of the girls on our squad decided to go home, leaving her team with only 4 other girls, which is too small to be adequately prepared for whatever the Race throws at them. And because Team Braveheart was a team of 8 (the largest on our squad), I knew that we would be a target for potential team changes. I still wasn’t prepared for being pulled aside by my squad leaders and being told that I’m being moved to the small all-girls team, along with one of my teammates. I’ve struggled with homesickness this whole Race and now I was being ripped away from the only family I have here. And because my team had been split among three different host homes our first month, and lived with our whole squad the second month, we never got to know each other on the deep level that occurs when you live together. I feel like we never reached our full potential – which makes it even harder to leave. Now Team Braveheart will carry on and make memories without us. And it hurts more than I can say.
To say I was upset would be an understatement. I was devastated. I sobbed. I screamed at God. I was angry. Bitter. Disbelieving. And I kept asking God, “Why? Why would you take me from my family? How can this be good?”
And He said, “Because you need to learn that I AM YOUR HOME. You are home with me, no matter where you are or what team you’re on. And I have called you to sacrifice EVERYTHING for my purpose and what I have called you to. Even if that means the team you love.”
So I just have to keep reminding myself that this was God’s plan, way before I even had heard of the World Race. And yeah, it still hurts. I’m still upset. It’s going to take a while for me to process and grieve the loss of Team Braveheart. And it’s going to be hard to not think “I was supposed to be there” whenever we hear about the experiences they’ll have this next month. But I know that I’m where God wants me. He has a purpose and plan in putting me on this other team, although I don’t know it quite yet. I am excited to see how He plans to use this team change, but I’ll miss Team Braveheart like crazy. They have such a special place in my heart, and I have loved every minute I’ve been fortunate enough to spend with them. They have taught me so much in the past few months, and I know I’ll continue to learn from them, even though we’re on separate teams now. I’m so thankful for the relationships I have with them.
Once a Braveheart, always a Braveheart.
So without further ado, I’d like to introduce my new team: Team An Geadh-Glas (aka Spirit Chasers). Celtic Christians used the term An Geadh-Glas, “the Wild Goose”, to refer to the Holy Spirit. From Mark Batterson’s book Wild Goose Chase,
“The name hints at the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger and an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious at first earshot, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to pursue the Spirit’s leading through life than Wild Goose chase… I understand that “wild goose chase” typically refers to a purposeless endeavor without a defined destination. But chasing the Wild Goose is different. The promptings of the Holy Spirit can sometimes seem pretty pointless, but rest assured, God is working His plan. And if you chase the Wild Goose, He will take you places you never could have imagined going by paths you never knew existed.”
We’re ready to chase the Holy Spirit to India!
I’m excited to see how God works among this new team, and I know He has such great plans for us this next month. Please pray for us and this new transition, and pray for our time in India – we’ll be working at Sarah’s Covenant Home with abandoned special needs children. I’m excited, but also a little nervous because I don’t have very much experience with special needs. But God just needs us to be willing, and He’ll do amazing works through us.
