Well friends, this post is long overdue… but better late than never, right?
For the first 4 months of the race, I was on a team of 6 girls. I wrote about them HERE. They were all great and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my time in South America or India with anyone else. But, once we arrived in Nepal, our leadership team decided to switch things up a bit and we were all placed on different teams!
Switching teams brought with it a mixture of emotions but looking back I am so thankful. I didn’t realize how much I needed a change of pace and new faces to be with every day, until I was placed on a new team with 5 new girls.
The 6 of us sat around lunch one day in Katmandu and talked about what we wanted from our new team and in these final 6 months on the World Race. We all talked about ways we wanted to grow and things we wanted to be challenged in. We wanted to love deeper, serve more, and be more intentional in ministry and with our teams. But the common thread throughout was that we all wanted a fresh start. We wanted to hit the “re-do” button on some things and start again. So, we decided on team fresh.
As a team, we are all super different. We grew up super differently, we work differently, we do ministry different. We all bring different things to the table. But it’s been neat to see how the Lord has used our differences to bring us closer together, to help us learn from each other, and to make us look more like Him. I couldn’t imagine being on a different team.
That being said, let me introduce you to my people.
When I first meet Aleesa, I thought she was fairly quiet…. and then we played a card game and I learned the truth. I’m so thankful to have someone on my team who enjoys card games like I do. Aleesa and I bonded right off, when we got the share the Gospel with 5 men in Katmandu. The theme continued throughout the month in Nepal as we got to share the Gospel several times together with Tibetan refugee. I’ve loved getting to do ministry alongside her and see her heart for Jesus and her passion for the Gospel. Aleesa loves Jesus, loves spending time in His word, and is a faithful friend to many.
In just 5 weeks of doing ministry alongside Laurie, I’ve already learned so much. Laurie is so full of wisdom. She loves others so well and she builds relationships with people so naturally. I’ve loved getting to watch how she loves others so well. Laurie takes every chance she has to point others back to Jesus and share the Gospel. Laurie is also so fun! She knows how to light up a room and make everyone feel loved and wanted. She brings out every ounce of the southern in me and has certainly brought out my southern accent more, which I’m not the least bit sorry about.
Maci is absolutely hilarious. If you’re having a bad day or just need to smile, go sit around her for a bit and your day will magically get better. If you need advice Maci, is equally as helpful. She’s full of wisdom and says it like it is, which is always appreciated. She fights for justice and isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Maci is so encouraging and always knows when to step in and say something to help brighten your day and point you back to truth. Maci is confident in herself and she carries herself accordingly. My favorite moment with Maci on the race is walking by the place she had breakfast every morning and watching her engage in a conversation with the man who also frequently ate there and share the Gospel with him, seriously so beautiful!
Is our team leader and I have a ton of respect for her because of it, team leading on the world race is not for the faint of heart my friends. McKenzie loves the Lord and it is so obvious in the way she loves and serves others on the field. McKenzie’s heart for women and women’s ministry is beautiful, she’s always looking for ways to remind women of their worth and remind them that they are loved. McKenzie loves quality times and deep conversations late at night… which made for an interesting combo when we roomed together in Nepal. She is organized, and it makes my fellow OCD heart, very happy.
Shondra walks to the beat of her own drum full of confidence and grace, with a smile that lights up a room. Shondra is bold, she doesn’t sugar coat the truth, but she carries herself with so much love and grace. Shondra is hilarious to be around and knows how to get a crowd of people laughing, yet she has such wisdom and discernment. She’s full of wisdom and she walks in it. She thinks deeply and ask the hard questions in life. I love Shondra, because she doesn’t pretend to be someone she’s not and she doesn’t go with the flow just for the sake of being like everyone else. Shondra loves people so well and therefore naturally points people to Jesus, opening the door to share the Gospel through the relationships she builds.
Overall, I cannot wait to spend the next 4 months in Africa living with these women, learning from them, and serving alongside them! Beyond thankful God placed us all on the same team this year!
