Three countries, twenty-three states, over 65,000 miles, nearly 180 performances, 17 songs, 8 microphones, 9 members, 2 directors, 1 God, 1 purpose. The Word of Life Redemption Team of 2013-2014 was a year that I will never forget. It was a year that God used to teach me so much about who I am in Him, what it looks like to truly live out a life of ministry, and how to live with and travel with a group of sinners with one mind and one purpose.

As a team, we learned from each other. We learned how to be unified in Christ and we learned how to relate to and minister to people even when it didn’t come naturally all of the time. I am so thankful for my first year on the Redemption team not only because it was a fun year filled with laughter, traveling, meeting sweet people from all over the world, sightseeing, singing, eating great food, and creating great friendships, but because it was difficult. I was pushed and shoved out of my comfort zone in ways that I never expected as I went into the year. Struggles and trials formed throughout the year that I didn’t know how to deal with and looking back I see how I handled so many things the wrong way. However, I wouldn’t change one mistake because I can see now that God used that year to completely transform my life. I am still me but in so many ways, I am a completely different person right now then I was a little over a year ago. It was a confusing year for me, I didn’t always understand why things were happening the way that they were, but I can see now that it all makes sense in reverse.

Amidst the craziness of a year spent traveling fulltime, I can’t begin to express how we constantly saw God changing lives through the ministry of our team. Even staying in people’s homes each night was a blessing and an encouragement. I can’t fully describe the feeling that one gets when they walk into a church building or into someone’s home to find the people drained, broken, tired, struggling financially, or just plain struggling in general. At first one feels helpless and discouraged by what they see or hear but then, you remember the Gospel, the real reason you are there in the first place. You set up the equipment, sing all of the songs, do the skit, just like you would at any other place and you get a front row seat to watch the Lord work in the hearts and lives of all the people. I can’t count how many times pastors have told us how God had used our team to minister to the church in just the way they needed it the most or how many times parents or teens have come up to one of us and said how they could relate 100% with a testimony that was shared. The feeling of being used by the Creator of the universe to bring people to the knowledge of who He is or to be an encouragement to a struggling believer is the most humbling feeling that I have ever felt.

Needless to say, I am so very humbled and thrilled to have the opportunity to travel for a second year with the Redemption team. It has already been an awesome first month and I am so excited to see how the Lord continues to do His work through ten sinners saved by His amazing grace.