This month the World Race is honoring men. I must admit that the men of W squad are more than worthy of honor and recognition. Here are 5 reasons why I love ’em!
- They are deeply in love with another man. I am constantly in awe of the ways our men pursue the heart of Jesus. They are truly men after His own heart. This is first evident by the fact that they are on the World Race. It honestly takes a special man to walk away from “life” for a year to serve the Lord. As a man, I can only imagine how different their decision to step away from career opportunities and earning money for a year may have been from us women. In a culture where it is expected of them to seek power, position, and security, these men have done the complete opposite by submitting to Jesus’ authority, humbling themselves as servants of Jesus, and abandoning stability as defined by society’s standards. They are loving on kids, building stuff, and encouraging the body of Christ. All for the glory and fame of God, not their own. And for this, I say, Dub Men, you are great men. You are the kind of men the world needs and it has been such an honor to serve the Lord alongside you!
- They are always up for anything. No really, always. They are the first to volunteer for the dirty work. Okay, maybe they just like the dirt, but they know us women aren’t excited about doing certain things, so they do it. It’s challenging to me to see the men on our squad so willing to do what’s needed whenever it’s needed. It always causes me to do a heart check as they so humbly do what they came to do: serve and show the love of Jesus.
- They are actually really fun. Our men are straight up fun and I appreciate it so much. Some of my favorite memories on the Race come from the pranks and games with the men. A recent memory I’ll share happened just last week. Some of us ladies were trying to get our squad leader Ray to use a feminine cleansing cloth. You know, just wash his hands. Of course, he refused even after telling him it was just like a baby wipe or KFC towelette. So, we took matters into our own hands. We grabbed his arms and wiped his face with it as he repeatedly screamed “I hate girls!” We know the truth Ray..that was the best thing that happened to you!
- Their strength is in their weakness. Most people see vulnerability as a form of weakness. I completely disagree. It takes courage, humility, and risk to be vulnerable. Again, in our society, I think this is harder for men. Yet, in another display of being followers of Jesus, Dub Men aren’t afraid to share where they’re at, when they don’t have the answer, or ask for help when needed. This display of surrendering to the process and trusting others with some of the most fragile parts of self is both admirable and appreciated. It is just one of many ways the men lead us into deeper places with Christ.
- They Are Good Stewards. Last, but definitely not least, our men don’t let anything go to waste. I mean it. Especially when it comes to food. Seriously, our dudes can eat and it’s great to know that just when you’ve had enough, they can always eat more. It’s to the point now that every meal has several of these conversations until the food is gone: “I’m full” (girl) ”Find a guy” (another girl) “Guys! Who wants my food?” (original girl) “I’ll take it…” (guys) For me, I now sometimes just walk over to a guy, look at him, dump my food on his plate, and walk away. No words necessary.
There is much more I could say to lift up the incredible men I serve with this year. I hope that this blog gives you a small glimpse of what life is like with strong men of Christ. And to Dub Men, thank you..for being you. Thank you for allowing the Lord to use you. Thank you for willingness to step away from the paths designed for you and deeper into the hands of the one who created you. Thanks for the laughs and memories.
