My dad told me once that the best investment you can make is people. Today I learned about the most beautiful thing, the transformation of people.
There have been many days that I will remember for the rest of my life, today was no doubt one of those days. I was told two days ago that I was selected to be one of the new team leaders as God had decided to shuffle up teams and changes were being made. After prayerfully considering it for a few hours I agreed. It was something that I had been thinking about for a few weeks, and something that God laid on my heart as well as numerous other people. It seemed as if every week someone told me God was telling them I was going to be a team leader either through a dream they had or by other ways He had spoke to them. God had been speaking to me too, but reality didn't hit till today.
Although I agreed to become a team leader, I didn't know who would be in my team, I didn't even know who the other team leaders would be or the upcoming squad leaders that are being raised up to take the positions of our current squad leaders after they leave in 2 months. We had a meeting with all the new team and squad leaders at 8:00am this morning and I was delighted to find out my old team leader Paul was being raised as a squad leader among 3 other people I highly admire. I am grateful for this as Paul has become my best friend on the race and has continued and will continue to be someone I look up to and can bounce ideas off of and learn from. Our relationship has grown into a strong bond, and I truly love that guy. Along with myself there are 2 other new team leaders, but there will only be 6 teams now instead of 7. After praying for all the new team leaders, and new squad leaders I was expecting to find out our teams….nope. We'd have to wait till 10:30 and find out all together as a squad. Little did I know what God had in store.
The last few days have been stressful for a lot of people. We haven't known anything, literally we've been in the dark about everything and it was all a set up for a big unveiling that God had in store. All the teams have been really close and a lot of people didn't want anything to change, but sometimes in order to grow more we need to step out of our comfort levels and experience change. This is what God had in store. At around 11 o'clock this morning, everything would change.
We walked as a squad to the beach. We spent some last moments with our old teams and prayed for each other, then in a prophetic act we climbed over a sandy hill which symbolized the passing of the old and a moving into the new. We then gathered around in a circle, and faced outwards. With our eyes closed the current squad leaders passed out pieces of paper to us all, on the papers were the names of our new teammates. Once all the pieces of paper were passed out, we opened our eyes, opened the pieces of paper, and took a few minutes to process our new teams. I kneeled down and took this moment to pray….what I prayed was a prayer of thanksgiving. I was humbled.
Two days ago little did I know all that God had in store for me, and now here I was kneeling with a piece of paper with the names of 6 amazing people that I would lead in this next season of life. I am more than blessed, I am extremely humbled.
The names read:
TL: Andy
Kirk
Brad
Emma
Rachel B.
Jess M.
Rachel P.
What we do in this culture when we make new friends, or get new teams is we go out and make a memory. My team decided to go to lunch and hit up a local mall. I'm completely amazed and in awe at how much I fit and connect with my new team, they are all amazing people and for the second time with teams on this race, I can say that I am extremely excited about what God has in store for us in this team. We spent the afternoon at the mall, and enjoyed each others company before heading back for tonights session. Little did I know that God wasn't done with tody.
The train wreck
Tonights session was an open mic session, meaning anyone could share whatever they wanted to for the whole squad. They could sing a song, dance to music, share poetry, preach, etc. It was a train wreck. After I shared a poem God put on my heart and played a song call "Your love is strong" I lost it. One of the squad leaders danced prophetically to a worship song, and then 3 girls in a row after her. I was balling my eyes out. Months ago these girls wouldn't even stand up to speak in front of the group and now they are dancing in freedom for their King. Over half the squad brought their gifts to the Lord in worship. Music, poetry, acapella singing, songs they had written, dreams God encouraged them to share, people shared prophetic words with each other, words of encouragement…. I was undone. Gods love was so prevalent to everyone and through everyone. It was something I have experienced before yet it was a deeper love because I have formed relationships with all of these people and have watched them grow in front of my eyes. I'm no longer the only freak either, we're all a bunch of Jesus freaks refusing to allow what other people think to shape our relationship with the Lord! It's amazing, people who are free of themselves and wrapped in an intimate relationship with their Father God.
Tonight was one of those nights when I realized that there is nothing more beautiful than the transformation of people, nothing. Looking back at who everyone was 3 months ago, I could hardly recognize them tonight, they are completely new, walking in their identity and how God originally created them. I am humbled by the change numerous people have seen in me. The last few days at debrief I'm amazed just to see how differently I interact with peple and love to be around them all and share life with them. My squad leader Steven told me last month, "you don't need anyone in your life, you've proved that, and you could live your life that way. But you'd be surprised how great life is if you'd include people, they'd learn a lot from you, and you from them." I think in the last 5 weeks I've embraced that, and look forward to building deep relationships with my new teammates.
I don't know all that God has in store for this next season but I know this, we've got the ball, and we never lose. Christians never lose, we know how the story ends and we win, every time. Death has been defeated, sin is destroyed, the cross finished it all. In 2 days we head to a new continent, a new country, with a new team. India doesn't know what God has in store, but the angels echo the praises of Gods people tonight. Our bags are packed, the preparation has been made, our Visas are approved, and devil we're coming to take back the lives you've stolen. Those who've been freed are given the power to free, there will be a whole lot more free people roaming the streets of India in 3 weeks. Looking forward to whats ahead, the best is yet to come!
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