Before we get started I want to thank you for checking out my blog page. I really appreciate you taking the time to visit the site and see what it’s all about. It has been a while since my last blog post so I want to take some time to share where I am with world race stuff and also to talk about what God has been doing in my life. Make sure to check the post below for details on some important dates coming up in the next few days and weeks!
Within the past couple weeks I have sent out the majority of my support letters to friends, family, and anyone else who was interested in receiving one. It’s been brought to my attention that a couple people have not received their letters, if you also have not received one please let me know and I will send you a second one. As of right now I have raised $1,675.30 from supporters! I am so thankful and have been really encouraged by people’s generosity, sweet words, and prayers. So many of you regularly ask about fundraising and how things are going which means a lot. I am taking some time off work this week to follow-up with everyone who received a letter. I am really excited about this but also anxious to begin. It’s something I haven’t really done before but I am looking forward to having personal conversations with each of these potential partners. My desire for these phone calls is that people are able to hear more about my story and what God has done and is continuing to do in my life. This will also be a great opportunity to answer any questions people may have. In terms of fundraising, my prayer is that people do not give out of guilt or obligation but that they would pray about how God desires them to partner in this ministry and that they would obey. That would be beautiful. I know God will call on some to pray, others to give financially, some to give non-monetary gifts, and others to buy a t-shirt or go to the Moe’s fundraiser on Thursday. I am not entering into these phone calls with any expectations but with a heart ready to see God work and call on his followers to give radically, sacrificially, and freely.
Last night at Vintage21, Pastor Tyler gave an awesome sermon on generosity. I encourage you to check out their website and listen to the podcast when it becomes available: http://www.vintage21.com/ (in the mean time check out the sermon from February 12, it's awesome!) Pastor Tyler reminded us that only at the foot of the cross can we learn what generosity is. And how living generously is only something we can do after having our hearts changed by the work of Jesus. We do not have a giving issue, we have a heart issue. This is something I have been thinking about recently because I felt super convicted last week with how I managed my money. On Wednesday I bought dinner for a friend of mine who doesn’t really have a lot right now. I wasn’t planning on buying her sandwich so it kind of threw me off when it happened and I was very conscious of the $7 I spent on her dinner. However the following night, when I went out to eat with friends I gave no thought at dropping $15 on a meal for myself. This shows a heart problem in my life. I view my money as my own, and at times I do this with all of my resources. I see them at my disposal and think I should be able to decide when, where, and how to use them. I think “Well I worked for this money, so I should be able to enjoy spending it. Since my friend didn’t work for this money, she shouldn’t have as much as me.” How wicked! God, please change my heart. Remind me that I am the steward of another man’s resources; everything I have is yours. This is your money, your time, your passions. Let me use them as you would have me. Let me steward what you give me well.
God has been doing a lot of other things in my life which I hope to share soon, but I will end here for now. I am praying for both of us and my potential partners, that our hearts would be changed daily by the gospel. That we would remind ourselves often of the redeeming work Jesus has done and continues to do in our lives. That we would reflect on the beauty of God and His character. And then having been changed by the gospel, we would be generous with our resources desiring to use them how God would have us. Thanks for reading!
