A Must Read for All Future AND Current Racers!

 

There have been many blogs posted for future racers to prep them for their race, based on what they need to bring, what they need to prepare, what they can expect out on the field. This blog is to prepare all of you for what you need to be aware of so that you can work effectively as a team, as a squad. I hope you will find it helpful from a racer's perspective of each of these roles.

First of all to my fierce squad Leaders Mike, Denise and Tamica. Thank you for serving us! You did not sign up for 7 months of squad leading so your race was completely different from the rest of us. But you continued to say "Yes Lord". Thank you for pouring into us, even when you were running empty. You had different challenges than the rest of us in ways that we were not able to support you but you kept running. The Lord will honour your service. You are probably exhausted but I'm sure that the Lord will give you sweet rest and over fill you. All 3 of you guys have different gifts and God put you together so well. Mike, you have authority when you speak and it is a natural leader quality. Denise, your love flows out of you and I will not forget all the times that you pursued each one of us to spend quality time with us. Tamica, you are bold when you need to be, even if it ruffles a lot of feathers, you take it because you see the good behind it. You are a soldier, taking all the hit for the sake of the bigger picture.

Future SQLs: There will be days where you will hate being a squad leader. You are in a position to make the tough calls and have the hard conversations. And the squad may, or more likely, may not, support you at all. Just remember that God didn't put you in that position if He did not equip you for it. Be firm, stand in knowledge that you are equipped, in the same way that Moses was equipped, though he did not feel like it.

My current Team Leaders: Thank you for looking out for us and being patient with us as we each made this journey together. If I were to have a visual for this Race, I can see a group of us walking together on a journey, and team leaders, you are the ones that are always turning around to see if anyone is lagging behind and if they are, you go back to help them while some of us are trudging forward, and others stay with the one behind. You consistently do this for us, leaving no one left behind.

Future Team Leaders: You are not just disseminating information to your team in your role. You may be the point person for your contact but you play a much bigger role than that. YOU set the tone for your team - they will thrive in walking in the Spirit if you thrive walking in the Spirit. You need to have a keen awareness of how each and everyone on your team is doing, especially on bad days, so that you can challenge, encourage and support at those critical times. Understand the profiles of each team member: married couples, young guys, older(above 30) girls and be aware of their needs. Ask the Lord for discernment, you will not be able to lead on your own strength. You should learn very early on, each of your team members' strength and weaknesses and use that to help your team work as a unit. You NEED to be aware when someone is having a bad day and reaching out to them, even when you don't feel like it. Equip yourselves by being filled with the word of God, it will protect you and give you wisdom to handle situations.

 Finance Folks: Thank you for being the stewards of what God has given us this year to be on this Race. You guys have been so responsible and have made many investments along the way for our squad.

Future Finance Folks: The one thing I would say to you is that even though there is an emphasis on meeting budget and not going over, TRUST in the Lord that He will provide, especially in the expensive countries. Don't do the finances all in your own strength, watch how the Lord WILL provide for your team especially when you are over budget. We often try so hard to meet budgets on our own strength and fail to ask for God to intervene. I have seen teams who have been overbudget and the Lord blessed them with a month of free vegetables and fruits. Don't let the task of handling money consume your faith.

Finally but definitely NOT least, to Mads - i thank YOU for serving alongside me in our Logistics role. As 2 very different and independent women with very different working styles, God put us together to learn from each other. I thank you for always putting 110% when working for the squad. I have learned from your assertive ways and efficient ways of getting things done. You give it all for the squad and though you may feel that you have not been respected at some of the BEST work you have done this year, know that this little buddy of yours has always respected you in everything you have done, absolutely everything. There is no way I could have done this role without you, in more ways than one. I didn't think that at the beginning but I see that now. I am so thankful that Brian & Stacy heard from the Lord to pick you to work with me.

Future Logistics Folks: Some days you will feel "Life is Unfair". There will be days while the rest of the squad is out on their off days, you are stuck working hard to find a bus/train station to arrange for your next travel days for the squad, or arranging hostels for everyone. You essentially do the bulk of the work for your squad, more work than team leaders, more work than squad leaders but no one will see that. Take a deep breath on those days and remember what you signed up for in this role: To Serve YOUR squad. NO ONE on your team will understand what you go through or your frustrations, not your leaders, maybe your squad leaders. The only person that will fully understand what you go through is your logistics partner so lean on each other. You will see the fruit of the partnership because God picked the 2 of you. As an encouragement, being in this role, you will have sharpened many skills by the end of your race: research skills on the how to travel from country to country, negotiating skills because you will be always asking for discounts since you have the volume of business, networking skills because you will be the first one to touch base with each new contact in each country, patience and grace because you do a TON of work that no one sees only to get some disgruntled comments in the worst of times. Remember, take a deep breath and remember what you signed up for.

To all other racers not in these roles: support these people!!! Learn and be aware of what their challenges or struggles may be and help them, pray for them, support them. They need you but they may not always tell you because they are in a different role and don't expect you to understand. Reach out to them."

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ" 1Cor12:12