Hi, Hello! Meet the people that I get to spend this next year with! EEK Pretty exciting. Some of them I have been getting to know and chatting with since January and others I just recently met at training camp. But each of them I love so deep already. They all have a story to tell, and have been led to this journey just like me. It is beautiful to think that we have come from all over the country to be united. If one thing went differently in any of our lives, we may not be here together. Uh so grateful.

Anyway, this is L-Squad. 18 women all on the Global South route. There were other squads at training camp as well compiled of other men and women and they will be embarking on similar journeys just different routes (thus different locations).

Now different terms get a little confusing, but I am going to do my best to explain them. With my squad (all 18 women) I will fly into Costa Rica for my first month of ministry. Within each squad, we get split up into teams (these are smaller, about 6 women) where we will be dispersed within the country of Costa Rica at different hosts/ ministry sites. There are 3 different teams on L-Squad that will be in different areas of Costa Rica serving. Meet my team, team PINKY PROMISE, WOOT. Aren’t they cute?

The first month, I get to serve with this team on a farm, through a ministry that works with at risk kids. Potential work could be physical work on the farm, working at the church, hanging out with kids in the community and teaching different skills etc. I am excited! Now many are asking about training camp. I didn’t really get to write a blog about it, so I am gonna link one of my squad mates’ blogs here. She did a great job of summing up what our days looked like (Dana's Blog). So, if you are curious check it out :)  

I think the biggest thing I learned at training camp, was how to hear from the Holy Spirit, God’s voice (in a practical way) and then a lot about seeking God’s Kingdom. Ya’ll may be asking, well how do you know it is even God’s voice? (I have definitely asked these questions and still do) There is not enough room to explain that here though and I honestly probably wouldn’t do a very good job. BUT all I can say is God’s voice is full of LOVE, GENTLENESS, and TRUTH and it takes practice and time to hear it. If you’re curious, I would love to chat with you more about this! But in the meantime, these are the questions we should be asking:

1. Lord, who is on your heart today?
2. And then “Lord, what do you want me to do about it?”

Then, leave space for Him to speak, you’ll be surprised at what He does/says. Our only job is to listen and then act. Examples of this range so drastically. It can be as simple as making dinner for someone, buying groceries for them, sending that text to that friend you’re thinking of, maybe it is resting, maybe it is just praying for a friend, or going to a specific place to sit. These all are God’s voice and there are so many things He could say, and we just get to listen, act and then watch Him move. Asking these simple questions can do so much! That is a big thing I learned at training camp. Here are some other random thoughts, feelings, and things that I also wanted to share.

1. Saying YES to something good means saying NO to something else that also can be good. OOF hard stuff.
2. I was talking to God about my fears the other day. He told me “Do think you may be doubting my love for you, which is far deeper, and vaster than you can even imagine? I am gonna take care of your friends and family. I love them even more than you do. Do you believe me?” And then I replied, “I am gonna try God.” You know what God said after…He said “I am so proud of you, keep it up.” Naturally, I started crying. God just loves our YES and delights when we try.
3. I've said this before but I will say it again, beginnings are endings and endings are beginnings.
4. I am continually reminded that we never know the impact we are making or the impact someone else is making on our lives. Ya’ll we just get to plant seeds. And then sometimes we do get to know that impact and how fun is that?

Alrighty Folks, here is how you can pray:

1. I leave this Friday for ATL Georgia for Launch, where I will finish some training and prepare for departure to Costa Rica. Pray for safe travels, preparation (mind, body, spirit), soaking up information we need to know and anything else you think my team/squad and I will need.
2. Pray for emotional health. That we would feel the things we need to feel and then release those to the father. That my squad would enter this new season with our full YES, grieve our losses and step into boldness and trust.
3. Pray for the world. For healing, compassion, open borders etc.

As always thank you for being here!! I love you! Comment, and share, I would love to hear from you!

Cassady <3