Wow. Month one just ended and I have already been blown away by the Lord’s faithfulness and the lessons he has taught me. Even if I wrote ten blogs, I doubt I could tell it all. I am beyond blessed by the generosity of family, friends, and strangers who have given to this trip. One of the most intimidating parts of signing on for the race wasn’t leaving behind life in the States, or the dangers of working in the 10/40 Window, but fundraising close to $18,000 USD. But praise the Lord, because he is so good and faithful- As of this week I AM FULLY FUNDED!!! I do not believe that there are sufficient words to express how deeply grateful I am to all those who have been praying for me and donating to me, but I am going to try.
Your investment in this trip goes beyond me. It is an investment in the kingdom of God. Thank you for investing in transforming lives and facilitating Kingdom work in many, many nations. Thank you for believing in me and my walk with the Lord as He teaches and guides me into a life fully surrendered to quick and spontaneous obedience to His voice. Thank you for continuing to pray for me and my team as we walk out this journey we spent so many months preparing for. Honestly, I give you my sincerest Thanks.
If you have interest in continued support of the Race, there are a couple options. You can give to my personal account, so that I have spending money on days off to take personal adventures (for information comment below with your email, and I’ll send the details). However, an even better option is to give to some of my other teammates and squadmates who have yet to meet their financial deadlines. To see my teammates blogs, look to the sidebar of my blog home page. Or click here to visit the blogs of my entire squad. On a logistical note: if you are set up for automatic monthly giving, please stop your auto-withdrawals. They will not stop on their own, but now that my goal is met they will no longer go directly to my trip; instead, they will go into the larger “World Race” fund. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the AIM office and ask to speak with someone from Donor Relations: 770-983-1060
The Lord really is good and awesome! Yesterday, I was baptized for the first time. I wrote in my last blog about my encounter with the Holy Spirit, if you haven’t read that yet, maybe read that one first. The reason I had never been baptized before is because the Tradition I was raised in (Evangelical Friends- Quaker) does not preach or teach baptism often. It is not something that is necessitated to be grafted into the kingdom, but and option to express outwardly inward faith should you so choose it. When I really claimed my faith as my own in High School, I wanted to do it, but the Lord made it clear that it was not time. Not yet. I was not ready and my heart was not entirely in the right place. God still had some refinement to do in me. Again in college I wanted it. But again I felt like the Lord was telling me to wait, and that I was not quite ready yet.
It was precious. Not because I went under the water and came up a new person- the Lord has already been making me new over the last couple weeks- but because it was a public declaration of that work, and because my whole squad was there to witness it and will be walking with me as I begin to live this new reality, this new normal.
Which is a not so subtle, totally planned segue to my next point. As a squad last night, we declared that we will be operating in a new normal as we walk forward in the next ten months- it is not a phase, and we declare that it will not fade. Here are just a couple examples of what we want this to look like:
We will walk in gratitude that overpowers grumbling.
We will uncover strength through vulnerability with one another.
We will stop for the one, because Jesus is in the one.
We will sacrifice [time, sleep, health, money, and more] to love [friends, enemies, family, and everyone].
We will bring acceptance to the rejected, see the invisible, and listen to those who go unheard.
We work from favor, not for favor.
We will not let our surroundings dictate what the spirit tells us to do.
We will be kingdom warriors- not wimps.
As we step out as a squad into our new normal, please pray that we are able to move powerfully in the world and in the kingdom. All the prayers you offer do make a difference, because we have seen the Lord moving in us and through us, and we can see the ways that your intercession has been working. So thank you, and please keep them coming!
I am grateful for each of you, friend or stranger.
Shalom.
