This week absolutely flew by! It feels like every day is packed to the brim with sessions, teaching times, and moments where God is speaking, but there’s also been so much time to grow with our teams. Our squad has 31 people total, split into five smaller groups by gender. My team is made up of Jaydin, Carlee, Averi, Karen, and Naomi and we’re led by Abby (who is seriously the best leader we could ask for). I’m so grateful for these young women, and I can already see how God has intentionally brought us together.
One of the highlights of the week was squad wars (basically every classic church game you could imagine crammed into one big competition) We had such a blast! And yes, our squad won the dance portion of Squad Wars. It was so fun seeing everyone laugh and just enjoy being together.
But the week wasn’t just about fun it was also deeply spiritual. God moved in some crazy ways, and I GOT BAPTIZED! Now, you might be wondering, “Wait, Kynsie, haven’t you been baptized before?” And the answer is yes, I was baptized back in sixth grade. But if I’m honest, I did it then mostly because all my friends were doing it.
For the last seven years, I’ve had a real relationship with Jesus. I’ve loved Him and walked with Him, but I’ve always struggled to fully grasp the love of the Father. I couldn’t wrap my mind around how the God who created the heavens and the earth could truly love a girl like me. These past two weeks, God has completely shifted that. He’s been showing me His gentleness, His mercy, and the fullness of His love. It’s a love that doesn’t just tolerate me, it delights in me. That truth wrecked me in the best way, and stepping into baptism again felt like saying, “Yes, Lord, I am yours fully and forever.” He is so good. And what a way to step into this next session as a sign of commissioning!
Outside of sessions and big group moments, a lot of this week has been about one-on-ones with our squad leaders. These conversations have been so intentional and healing. It’s one thing to sit in a session, but it’s another to have a leader look you in the eye, pray with you, encourage you, and call out the gifts they see in you. Those little moments have been just as life changing as the big ones.
Our Sabbath was also a gift this week. We slowed down, rested, and still managed to have lots of fun. A group of us went to a coffee shop downtown, wandered around the Gainesville square, did some much needed laundry (praise God for laundromats), and even ended the day at a high school football game. It was simple but so life giving, a reminder that rest can also look like having fun and filling up your cup!
And the relationships!!! It’s crazy how quickly we’ve grown close. In just two weeks, these people already feel like lifelong friends. I can’t imagine doing this without them.
Two weeks down, one to go and I know He’s not done yet. T-minus 6 days till we leave for North Carolina to do a week of domestic missions with a Hurricane relief ministry!
Leave a Reply