So we are in month three and this is the first month that I am alone with my team of seven powerful bad a$$ women (lol can I say that word on here idk??)
At training camp we were given team building exercises to test compatibility between people while making teams. They did not take it lightly. These are the people you were going to be doing ministry with for the year and also eating, breathing, sleeping, sweating, and making huge crucial decisions with. As I was put in different groups I kept telling the Lord whoever you want me to be with I will invest. I was ready for lessons in being patient or seeing the Jesus in people when it was hard.
On one of the last days of training camp I was put in a group where we had to “cross a pond” (the floor of the auditorium by only stepping on the “lili pads” (blocks of wood.) The catch was that once a lili pad was in the water someones foot had to be always touching it. I looked around at the six of us and my first thought was okay, this is a pretty cool group of ladies. Then once we started the exercise and I SWEAR TO YOU it was like we were an Olympic triathlon team who have worked together for ten years. We finished that exercise in about two minutes and just sat there speechless like did we just do that?
Ever since that moment it has been nothing but divine communication and connection with my girls. I am obsessed with the fact that I couldn’t of even chosen a team this good and God had a plan for me to gain six best friends to travel the world with. Here’s a lil breakdown of my home girls.
Bails
This is my firecracker, beach blonde babe, energizer bunny whose sprinting full force into the plan the Lord has for her. An image I have of Bailey is when the waves were insane in Costa Rica we were all kinda hanging back just getting completely pummeled by them. But Bailey was charging forward and every wave she took on head first, either flipping into it or diving deep below…absolutely unafraid. That image has stuck with me as I see her speak out in boldness and put the electricity into our team to get us buzzing AND HYPE!! Also, Bails is competitive and unafraid to play 6 foot Nicaraguan men in street basketball.
Hannah Rachel
(Read this in a classy southern accent) Cause Hannah Rachel is my sweet & sassy southern belle who I am almost positive is an actual angel. Most definitely a sassy angel but Hannah speaks and it makes you certain that Jesus is real because of how clearly she can hear from Him. Her wisdom gives me chills and there is no better a time then blasting Khalid and doing dishes with her as the sun sets. Hannah brings clarity, wisdom and divine encouragement to the table. A quiet riot. Also, Hannah makes great chicken salad.
Kris
Kristi Smith was a much needed pleasant surprise team leader who decided very last minute to do the race. I admire her ability to drop her job and life to lead us. Kristi loves coffee more than I do and we bond over being the some of only people who actually enjoy physical touch on our team. Kristi is a woman of few words but her words are powerful and her hugs bring instant peace. She explains the heart behind the guidelines that are set extremely well for people like me who don’t like rules and doesn’t beat us with Bible verses when we mess up but instead meets us where we are. Also, Kris is a human cat.
Mads
Madeline is my hipster, beanie wearing, sarcastic & cool BA boss lady who I’m pretty sure has the capability to run the world. She is relatable and tells the best stories. Mads is a great listener and she’s even so good that I wish she would forget some things I would tell her so she wouldn’t hold me so accountable 😉 I love doing life with her and she inspires me to embrace the parts of life that I wouldn’t normally enjoy. I know she wasn’t a big fan of the beach but I watched her wake up at 6am everyday to go for a swim and really start her day off with the Lord. Mads stands beside loyally and creates a lot of trust on our team. Also, Mads has perfect posture cause she has metal rods in her back.
Meg
Megan is my encouragement, ice cream lovin’ absolute gem of a best friend. We share a bed this month so every morning I get to wake up to one of my favorite people on the planet. Megan is a complete joy, someone who I have felt comfortable around since our first conversation. She sees ways to bring Jesus into the conversations where we forget about Him. She has such a heart for people even when they don’t show her love in return. Her persistence inspires me to press into the things I’ve given up on. Also, Meg can sleep anywhere!!
Macklemore,
Mac is my steady, creative and low-key incredible dancing queen who I have known since day one that I wanted to do life with her. We slept in a one person tent practically on top of each other the third day we met and from then on it was history. Mac has the biggest heart and fills us up daily and still has room for the strangers we meet along the way. She is clever, brilliant and inspires me to make smart decisions 😉 Mac is a great companion and doing life with her feels natural like she’s just a forever bud. Also, Mac is able to rap in Irish.
That’s my team! Click on their profiles on the left to get to hear their stories more!
