“so be honest, do you actually like this?”

I was asked this question day one of team leading. Let me answer this mystery for you. 

I showed up in Gainesville August 30th. wild time my friends. 

I spent two weeks in training – lots of different sessions on how to lead myself, how to lead others well, and studying how Jesus led.

Racers touched the red Georgia dirt (holy ground) on September 11th – with very little idea how that dirt stains EVERYTHING!

I wore my overalls and cowgirl hat as I welcomed in the racers into the line for registration. Some met me with excitement beyond words and we just screamed together. Some were relieved they finally made it after the long wait and just took a couple deep breaths. Others met me with tears as they were grieving their families as they just said goodbye for 9-months.

I had the opportunity to steward my large emotional capacity well and simply meet each person where they are at. They all had individual thoughts about arriving on campus and THANK YOU JESUS that He gave me an empathetic heart to live out romans 12:15 – weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice:)

don’t you think I love that?

One of our team times each week is an hour of time in gratitude. I gave my girls little gifts to show them I was so thankful for them and excited for the calling the Lord placed on their lives. We decorated envelopes and wrote gratitude notes to each other. We sat in a little room just full of thankfulness and celebration for each person! 

don’t you think i love that?

We interrupted team time debrief to pray over a girl on my team… AND SHE WAS HEALED OF AN INTENSE EAR ACHE !!

don’t you think i love that?

We studied “Jubilee“ in the bible together and dove deep into the divine meaning over our team. After we finished reading Leviticus 25 – I asked the girls to shout out the words that stood out to them from this chapter. One of the most tenderest things ever was hearing what the Lord was already highlighting to their hearts. freedom! liberation! celebration! provide! holy! restoration! and much more:) I read the list of words back to my team. I wanted them to hear it be proclaimed over them. I BARELY made it through without completely losing it to my tears. The declaration of the freedom that they get to walk in with Christ… oof! gets my heart every time. 

don’t you think i love that?

THIS SEASON IS AN HONOR —

AND I LOVE IT !

It’s an honor to sit in a culture of laughter during team times every night. It’s an honor to Uber eats Dairy Queen and eat it together as a post team time snack. It’s an honor to all have matching heart shaped sunglasses. It’s an honor to hear their questions and watch their eyes widen when they learn something new. It’s an honor to hear them speak truth over each other in feedback. It’s an honor to sit with them in their tears and grief. It’s an honor to let them all use my watercolors and pass around the paint brushes. It’s an honor to be challenged by them. It’s an honor to sit at the plastic folding table with them day in and day out. 

Don‘t mistake me saying that this season is all butterflies and rainbows. I thought my race was hard – and here I am setting myself up for the same discomfort and the same stretching in learning new things. 

…but the Lord has set a fiery passion in my heart for discipleship in the body of Christ. I’m so thankful that there were mentors in my life who didn’t stop at “oh she believes in Jesus or oh she comes from a Christian household – therefore she’s fine”. I remember when the pride in my heart was uncovered and I realized I needed Jesus just as much as anyone else.… THANK GOD there were women there to push me deeper into the Lord because they wanted me to also experience the Father in His FULLNESS. The FULLNESS of the Fathers love. The FULLNESS what Christ offers. The FULLNESS of freedom. The FULLNESS of the kingdom here on earth. 

Therefore, it’s also an honor to live in a tent. It’s an honor to flick spiders off me on the daily. It’s an honor to drink water from a hose. It’s an honor to use porta potties for months at a time. It’s an honor to shower in a shipping container. It’s an honor to solely wash my clothes in a bucket. It’s an honor to eat bland oatmeal for breakfast. It’s an honor to wear extremely long shorts. It’s an honor to live in a loud and crazy community of 47 people. It’s an honor. These are just small circumstances but I’m watching people RUN into the FULLNESS of the kingdom. 

Its a joy to be here – learning how to live out the passions the Lord had placed on my heart. I love doing life very closely alongside these six girls. just running after Jesus together.