OK GUYS!!
I have some big news to update on you! As I mentioned in my last blog, I have a bit of a transition coming within Adventures in Missions (see blog post here).
I AM SQUAD LEADING A WORLD RACE EXPEDITION SQUAD IN AUGUST!!
I will be leading a group of 28 first time World Racers, focusing on ministry in the 10/40 Window among unreached people groups. In August (like 3 weeks people!) I will be going to Spain, Morocco, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel, and will return to the States in January 2019. Please keep reading to hear the story of how this decision came about. (Visit my GoFundMe page–I only need $1600 to be fully funded!)
For the past three years, I have worked with World Race squads in their preparation time before launching on their 11 month journey. I have encouraged, challenged, and journeyed with over 5 squads, that’s 150 people! As one of my participant’s described:
“You were the voice that let me know what this crazy thing was called the World Race. You talked with me patiently, gave me vision for what this journey looked like, and prayed with me while I was in a difficult place. Once I told you I was ‘in’, you became the person who was cheering me on step by step, challenging me, and celebrating victories with me. From that first phone call until now, you choose to invest in my life, and I’m so thankful. This year changed my life, and you were the first example to me of what the World Race stood for and was all about …” (Eric Musil, January 2017 Expedition Route)
This role stretched me and exposed areas of growth that I needed to walk through. A struggle that kept coming up for me was at Training Camp. This is the week that I would officially meet my squad that I had been calling, emailing, texting, and connecting with for months and months before (for some almost a whole year!). My role as an advisor focused on stewarding these Racers for their on field leadership, so my time at Training Camp was always full of conflicted emotions–excitement and true connection upon meeting the squad coupled with a release and sadness as I transfer the trust I built with the squad over to their leadership team.
Y’ALL IT WAS SO HARD.
And these feelings have been present with every squad I have worked with, starting with my sweet April 2016 Expedition all the way to O Squad, T Squad, G Squad, and M Squad. Each one of these squad showed me different things about acceptance, genuine love, creativity, gratitude, fighting for people, identity. I could go on and on! But even in those lessons and times with this squad I just wanted more–more time, more experiences, more ways to watch God move in and through these people.
God knows me. He knows me so much that He kept affirming those desires and feelings with my squads that I worked with. He knew they were there because He put them there for me to discover. With every new Training Camp, I would get a overwhelmed by desires for more with the squad, and God would gently reveal that He had things for me here in Gainesville or other experience for me outside of the squad.
Until this past Training Camp when God showed just how much He knows me with M Squad and their leadership.
This is M Squad when they surprised me with cards of gratitude, prayer, love, and acceptance at Training Camp. THIS IS BEFORE THEY KNEW I WAS SQUAD LEADING. They wanted to honor me, as their advisor. They paused the schedule and chose to actively bring the Kingdom of God in the room on behalf of me.
The leadership with M Squad are people I know. Like really know. Two of the other Squad Leaders are past Expedition Racers that I worked closely with. One other Leader has lived in Gainesville and is a part of my friend group. The Squad Mentor has been around the Expedition space ever since 2016, and I’ve desired to work more closely with him.
God knows me.
He always has my good in mind. Nothing is too big for Him to accomplish. Nothing is out of reach. He is the God of the universe, and YET, He knows me.
I will be fundraising for this trip!!! I currently have monthly donors that will cover $2500 out of the $3500 that I need for this 5 month trip. I have set up a GoFundMe page to cover the last $1000 plus extra funds (a one way ticket to ATL, small gear needs, personal spending for 5 months since I won’t have a paycheck).
I only need $1600 to be fully funded for this trip! Please visit my GoFundMe page to give toward this trip.
Can’t believe I am going back out on the field AND that I am going to these amazing places to share the Gospel!!
