To say I've been stressed out about fundraising is an understatement. I know I have to trust God, but part of me just feels like I've been doing something wrong, whether it is not pleasing God, or mere terrible marketing tactics (which is ironic that I graduated with a BA in advertising and marketing). I've even reached humorous levels of stress, where my dreams consist of making out with Michael Phelps-solely for selling the story to the paparazzi for exactly $15,500. Ridiculous.
"Patience" is a word God has been repeating to me over and over and over. I am still waiting, hoping, praying.
One reassurance God did give me, as I hadn't received even my first donation, is that I cannot expect anything and that God will take care of me in the most unlikely of places. After praying because my fundraising tally for my $15,500 to raise was still at $150.00 (a $150.00 that I donated myself to secure my spot on the race); a friend of mine, that I met only one time for a few hours in the Netherlands, messaged me on Facebook chat and asked how I was doing. I barely explained my distress in a very vague and condensed version and he automatically stated he and his wife wanted to help me out immediately. They took the time to cross the international boundaries of funding costs, extra fees, etc, and donated not a few dollars but hundreds. Even now as I have received other donations, they are still my top donation.
By this, God showed me that my he uses ALL of his people, from the ends of the Earth to help each other out and care for each other. To think a very young, newly wed couple from the Netherlands would be my top donation baffles me. God has a plan for me to reach my fundraising goal, and it has nothing to do with me or what I do. It is all by His plan.
God is good.
