Welp. Britney said it best… (Shout out Jilli!)
Oops, I did it again.
Took a-nother squad.
Stayin’ on the field.
Oh World Race, World Race.
Oops, you thought I was done.
That I was staying ho-o-o-ome.
But I’m. Squad. Leadin’.
A job so nice, I’m doing it twice.
I could really keep going but I’ll spare you the pun.
I’m here to say, it’s official! In just a short while, I’m heading back onto the mission field as a Squad Leader with a new Squad of World Racers! And I’m pretty excited. I’m going out with E Squad! They are just starting their 11 month journey as World Racers and I get to come alongside them as an Alumni Racer and do all that I can to love and serve them and help them through their Race so they can discover all God has for them this year. (It’s a pretty sweet gig.)
I’ll stay with E Squad for the first 5 months of their Race. During that time, I’ll travel team to team, much like I got to do as a Squad Leader for Q Squad, serving, encouraging, and discipling the teams as I go. After those first 5 months, we’ll raise up some new leaders from E Squad to take over when I go home. (That’s how I got my role of Squad Leader with Q Squad this last go-round.) Once I return home to the States, I’ll have the opportunity to head back out to the field a couple more times during the year to visit the Squad as they finish up their Race and see them to the finish line.
If you’re curious, our countries will be Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia (these last two are repeats from my Race which is great because I loved them) and I’ll end in Vietnam. E Squad will continue on into Europe and Africa without me and the other Alumni Squad Leaders but we’ll be together again when the other Alumni Squad Leaders and I visit the Squad on the field throughout the year.
And this time, it’s different. You may remember from my blogs this last year that leadership during my Race was NOT on my radar and it was a big decision for me to say yes. I struggled with taking on the role at first and it was definitely an exercise in obedience for me because frankly, I didn’t want it.
But boy, does God reward obedience. Being a Squad Leader for Q Squad was one of the best yeses I’ve made and I’d do it again in a heartbeat…. Well, I am!
So this time the yes was a WHOLE lot easier. Because I’ve actually known in my spirit that I’d go out again right away with another Squad since before I even left America the first time. (Maybe that was part of my confusion when I was asked this last year to lead – I knew I would, just not then.) At that point, no one had talked to me about it or suggested I do it; I just had a gut feeling from the Holy Spirit that I’d Alumni Squad Lead… so here we are. The decision to say yes was a no-brainer after how much I loved serving Q Squad and it was already confirmed by the Lord long before the option presented itself. Thank you, Jesus!!
I know this is a brand new journey with brand new people in brand new countries and cities. But thankfully, it’s the same wonderful, faithful, gracious God we’re serving and sharing with people world-wide so I have the utmost confidence he’s going to blow our minds and expectations yet again. Let’s do this!
