Hello everyone!
As promised, I can finally tell you all where God is taking me this fall! I will be going to Guatemala, Cambodia and Eswatini! I am so excited for what is to come. The first six weeks we’ll be a training period for my squad so we will spend time in Gainesville, Georgia preparing our hearts and minds for the time we are abroad! That time will include extensive training for the young men and women I will be leading! Two weeks ago, I had the absolute joy of meeting my H Squad. I am so excited to get to know more of who they are. I do not even know the half and I already love them all dearly.
The second they all showed up, I knew I was in the right place. God gave me so much comfort and peace and I knew I was made for this. He gave me confidence I did not even know I had. I knew I was made to give back to those who are fighting for their faith. I knew my heart was passionate about discipleship but actually living it out, I feel it even more! My squad is filled with fighters who are hungry for the word and truth of God. They desire to know more of who He is and what faith looks like for themselves. Due to my own wrestling I have dealt with in my past, I felt so much confidence that I would be a shoulder of understanding when they need it.
I saw God show up in different ways through all of them. Whether it was exploding out of their shell toward the end of the week, in the middle of worship, or through comforting one another, they were willing to allow Him to use them and step out in boldness. This is what gets me excited for the year. Knowing I have a team filled with people who are willing to be vessels to the Lord no matter what it looks like. They not only want to be each other’s family but they want to let others know that being a follower of Jesus makes them a part of the family too. Yesterday at church, my pastor talked about 1 Thessalonians 3. Paul makes many bold statements that show that being a church means being a family. He says multiple times that He wishes to be there with the church of Thessalonica because he longs to be in their presence and uplift them face to face. Just as you love your family, you should love your church. For the next eleven months these people are my church, therefore, they are my family. They are the ones I will lift up and also be encouraged by. They are the ones that will be there alongside of me as I am for them.
I know I am leading a group of strong individuals wanting to celebrate one another in victories and be there for one another during hardship. They proved this during that week in Georgia when they prayed for one another their first night meeting each other. They proved it again as I watched the men huddle up and encourage and uplift and pray together. Then once more when I watched during worship as some went to pray for others on our squad. I am excited for them to be my family. I am honored to serve these young men and women over the next eleven months.
I am so excited to see what God will do in them and through them as well as in and through me! He is always faithful time and time again. I feel as though this is not even half of what I could say but I am choosing to keep it short and sweet for today!
Thank you all for your support. Please prayerfully consider giving financially toward this adventure I am taking. I am only three thousand dollars away from my goal! It has been awesome to see how willing friends and family have been to give to this journey financially. If you are one of those, thank you once again!
Peace and blessings,
Hannah
This woman rocks