Current Alumni Squad Leader: “We want to invite you to be a raised up squad leader”
Me: tears … falling to the ground… the Lord whispers to me, “I know your heart. I know you. You can trust me.” The Lord said yes. My answer is yes.
Wow, what a week! We are currently in Makassar, Indonesia. June is Month 6 of this world race journey with R Squad – almost half way. We currently left our mini-debrief in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. About two weeks ago, we were told by our squad mentor that team changes were coming at mini-debrief. We’ve been with the same team since January / last October when we meet up in Gainesville, GA for training camp. So yes…. change was coming with all the emotions.
In the last few weeks, the Lord has been with me through a lot of emotions and processing – adjusting to change, releasing control, watching my friends all graduate from Messiah, my sister leaving for a business study abroad for the summer, missing family, leaning into trust, stepping into celebration with our last month as team C3, anticipating team changes, holding my treasurer position loosely, experiencing “eternal summer” this year so far and missing the cooler weather, and almost reaching half way through this year. Wow!
In this time, the Lord brought a picture to me through a current leader and friend. A picture of me holding my hands in all these places and the Lord’s hands out in front of me. “What does it look like to place my hands only in His hands?” To release control and loosen my tight gripped hands on all these areas. To trust the Lord to take care of all of these people and to trust Him to take care of me. This picture has been so freeing to me. Through the change and unknown, the Lord has been here – His presence never wavering.
Fast forward to this week. As we arrived to mini-debrief, I felt peace- the Lord’s peace. He filled me with His peace to trust Him no matter what came with these changes. At this point of arriving to mini-debrief, I expected that all teams were created, and all leaders were notified of their new positions. Well, something again that I’m learning is to not rest on expectations because often things change and what happens doesn’t usually align with previous expectations.
When we arrived, one of the current squad leaders came up and asked to talk to me one on one. We have four alumni squad leaders who have been with us since month 1. They are here until the end of June and went on the race before this year. Squad leaders help give vision for the squad of 33, teach sessions at debriefs, are focused on internal ministry with assisting team development and being accessible for individual one on ones for the squad.
In being asked to be a raised up squad leader, I was moved to tears. The Lord has been preparing my heart for this upcoming season. When my squad leader invited me to this role, I felt the Lord was reminding me that He sees me, He knows me, and cares for me personally. He knows my heart in caring for the people around me and in His perfect timing He was inviting me to partner with Him in this new experience. I felt so at peace as the Lord told me yes to go for it.
This opportunity alters my race moving forward as I will be having training this month with the current alumni squad leaders and then rotate each month after that to be with a different team. I won’t be with my three fellow squad leaders most of the time because we’ll each be with a different team, but we’ll be a team from afar. Can’t wait for this next season and adventure!
So let me introduce you to the River Otters: aka Raised up Squad Leaders for R Squad (Josiah, Mady, Jess, and Madison)
River- constant and steadfast and we want to continually lead from a place of flowing from the heart of the father, a place of abundant life around it and in
Otters- are fun, friendly and come alongside of their friends and family float down the river with others, swim and play, they have a strong sense of community and unity with one another, they hold one another up
