There was one question I was asked repeatedly on the day the racers arrived at Training Camp: "Are you getting excited to meet your squad?!"
The honest answer was that I wasn't so much excited as full of anticipation. Would they like me, would I be able to lead well, would I be able to fight for them and alongside them in the ways that I wanted to were all questions I'd been wrestling with for days.
And then they showed up….
It was a slow trickle of racers, all carrying their packs and wearing their brand-new, just-out-of-the-box Chacos and Tevas. For a few hours we were busy setting up tents, asking names, and introducing ourselves. Suddenly, Training Camp was underway.
As the week progressed, I fell more and more in love with my squad. We slept in tents together and went on morning hikes to the waterfall, we crammed into the bus and had dance parties, we jumped in the creek and worshiped the same God under the stars. I can pinpoint that the exact moment I knew they had captured my heart was when we stood in a circle before session and started playing an energetic game of Funky Chicken. I was sold. Later that week, I looked around at my squad as we sat on the tarp by the fire eating dinner and my heart almost burst with affection and deep love.
The only way I can think to describe it is that for the first time, I feel like I have the smallest glimpse of what it must be like to be a parent. I want to protect and nurture them, fight beside them and for them, care for their broken hearts, and rejoice with their victories. I want to see them grow and mature into the powerful men and women that God is calling them to be.
We have 37 days until everyone shows up in Atlanta for the beginning of Launch on September 7th and we fly out to Guatemala on September 10th. My focus between now and then is to ready myself and my heart for this coming season, as well as continue to build relationships and dive into community with this incredible, crazy, wonderful, beautiful squad.
As I'm getting ready to leave for a season of intense leadership and discipleship, I want to be preparing myself for whatever may come. What advice would you give me? What lessons have you learned that I can benefit from?
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