As I step out in Faith and break away from my "normal" life. God has been teaching me confidence. Especially over the past few months – specifically since Thailand, God has been working on me about being confident.
In the last month God taught me confidence through two experiences:
First of all with the Japanese bathhouse, I was very hesitant at first (showering in public) but I really felt God teaching me to be confident in who HE has made me to be and to enjoy the experience.
The second way God is calling me out in confidence is in stepping out in faith. This is speaking out more in team time, in public, praying for people as God leads and in venturing out on my own. Well not really on my own since we always have to be in two's. On our last free day before the Japan debrief Alli and I decided to go on an adventure, we hadn't been into Osaka and we really wanted to go explore. However, both of us are a bit directionally challenged, but we made it. As we went into Osaka, God brought two people across our path so that we could share HIS truth with HIM. One to show us the way to Starbucks, and one to join us for dinner and challenge us in conversation.
(To learn read more details about this adventure you can read Allison's blog: http://allisonbraun.theworldrace.org/?filename=they-met-jesus-at-starbucks-and-sunset
Being able to share with our new friends built up my confidence as I openly shared my faith with these two people. Sometimes even on the race it's easy to fall into the pattern of treading lightly when sharing our faith, so as to not step on any toes. God works in and through us when we trust HIM with our words, which is what we did that day. By the end of our adventure day, we made it back safely a little late but we found our way, and the chorus to Kelly Clarkson's song Breakaway were running through my head. A reminder that God is building me up, I just have to continue to step out in faith, and HE will make me into a more confident woman of God.
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
I won't forget all the ones that I love
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
(Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson)
I am still $1170 away from being fully funded by March 1st. (This includes monthly contributions- Thank you monthly donor for your faithfulness) Would you prayerfully consider partnering with me in this final push to raise the rest of the funds needed for me to stay for the rest of the race? You can go to the support me link to the left to give online.
