Our Squad has been safely in Nigeria for a couple weeks now, praise the Lord! Our squad coaches Mike and Patti flew in for debrief in Lagos, Nigeria, and we had five AMAZING days with them and the squad. Just to give you an overview of how debrief looks, it’s a time for the whole squad to be together and pour into one another, with our squad leaders and squad coaches lovin’ on us and building us up spiritually. There’s a lot of group hang out time, sharing meals and having teaching sessions and worship time together. Of course, there’s always some light-hearted fun, which I’ve learned is the best way for me to let out built up stress! We played “who’s line is it, anyway,” “live mafia,” and of course we had a fashion show, where we all gave one shirt to be modeled and then guessed whose clothing it was! (7 months with the same clothes made this very entertaining!) I absolutely love my squad. I’m beyond thankful for the men and women of God that He made my family for this year; to learn from and love!
So, the biggest news since debrief is that our squad has completely rearranged teams. As shocking to my system as it was when I first heard, I had nothing but complete peace that this was the right decision. God has chosen new teams for each of us that make perfect sense for the new things He wants to pull out of us. I don’t know if I can adequately describe it, but basically each new team is grouped by a strong gifting, and I believe the next four months will be a season of pushing us into new territories of the Spiritual gifting, and learning how to encourage each other in those things!
It was heart breaking to have our last meeting as Team REV217; I love them SO much. Still, God showed each of us how much we’d been able to learn from each other, and how all of those things can be used to love on our new teammates. There weren’t any hard feelings or pressing issues that caused the team changes, just a Sovereign decision from God to push us further in our walks with Him. We had a complete 7 months together, and now we have a new beginning to press into.
If anything, the team changes have grown the unity of our entire squad. I would venture to say that our individual team covenants were probably stronger than our entire squad covenant before this month, and God radically changed our hearts during this time of change. It’s very stretching and we’re still working into it, but I have all the faith in the world that the Lord has massive plans for each of the new teams.
During the worship session right before the squad leaders announced we would be changing teams, God gave me a vision of the throne room in heaven. I saw the multitude of angels, and they parted down the middle to reveal the throne of God, and Jesus at His right hand. Both the Father and Son were standing, and Jesus began to walk toward me, but then knelt down on one side, and began praying. Then, there was a massive wedding ring that sort of floated over our whole squad, that filled up the room. It made me realize the covenant that our whole squad had with one another. I felt the love of the Bridegroom and us, His bride. It was so strong and tangible that it was breath taking. It wasn’t until Weston announced that we would be changing teams that I realized Christ was interceding for us, His Bride, from heaven as we felt the weight of the changes ahead. I realized He was praying for unity over our whole squad, that we would cling to the covenant we share squad wide as the teams would be rearranged within that bond.
My heart is overwhelmed at the thought that Jesus is still interceding on our behalf, even from the throne of heaven! What the heck?!?! How often do you realize that?!?! Even in His rightful place on the throne, He still falls on His knees and humbles Himself to intercede for our situations and circumstances. I don’t know what that does to your heart, but mine is completely changed.
Me, Michael Sanders, Allison Schwartz, Matthew Rock (team leader), Kelsey Sage and MaryAnne Yeary!
We are currently nameless… but I trust God will give us a good name! There’s some fire burning within us, and I’m pumped to watch God pull the inside out of us!
