Hey fellow supporters, friends and family. I’m sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve posted updates or a blog but here’s what’s been happening!
About a week or so ago, I started to feel very consumed by fundraising. That’s really all my mind could think about. How could I get more creative? What will draw people in? , literally I would wake up already stressed if no donation emails came in. That’s when God began to speak and kept repeating one thing “4.” Well I decided to ignore what I was hearing and that same day a friend had challenged me to go a little bit without posting any fundraing updates. I knew that was God’s confirmation and that’s what he was asking of me. To give up posting about reaching this deadline for the next 4 days. So that’s where I have been, alone with just God and myself, clmeaning my mind of all of the stress of trying to be funded.
Here is what ive learned in the past 4 days.
Day 1. Integrity. A situation had came up this past week that really challenged my integrity. I had to make some decisions on whether or not I was willing to compromise over who I was just to make people happy and bail them out of trouble. I asked my squad mates what to do, and then took it back to God. He made one thing clear to me. And that was.. Integrity is not worth the value of a compromise, integrity is worth our idientiy in Christ! Wow! Okay Jesus, I see you now, I hear you. When I go on the race, I don’t want to make any compromises to who God has made me to be, no matter how hard or difficult that might be.
Day 2. Failure. This was my second day in to not posting, or trying not to at least. I tried to go around what God had told me to do by focusing on other funds that weren’t directed to my deadline. I began to be disobedient and shift my focus towards money again and all of the things I still need. But being the good friend that I have, she called me out again. It was then I realized..again..(because I’ve had to learn this lesson a few times) it’s okay to fail. It’s what we choose to do in our failures or after our failures that will produce ether good or bad fruit. Failure is okay. You will fail. I will faith. But God will turn our ashes into his beauty.
Day 3. The Miricale. After waking up, feeling discouraged from still being far away from my deadline, day 3 was different. I woke up having more peace, trusting God more and knowing he was in control. That’s when it happened. “Brooke, check your email!!!” I checked it. $2,500 donated!!! WHAT?? I was speechless. But wait it gets better. A few hours later I get a message saying this coming Thursday a donation of $800 will be coming in! WHAT? I guess you know where this is going now. Yes with both of those donations combined I have met my $10,000 deadline for this month!!! But I knew there was still something God wanted to teach me on day 4.
Day 4. Expect. This was the missing piece. This was what I had not fully grasped the last 8 months or so since ive been accpeted. GOD WANTS TO BLESS ME! When I am faithful and obidient, he will and does follow through on his promises. HE WANTS ME TO GO. I knew God had called me on this race, but didn’t fully beleive he would actually send me. How selfish was I?? We serve a God who cares so much about us, he wants to take care of us. But so often we don’t let him.
I was starting to focus on fundraising more then why I was even raising the money. I was turning my head and eyes to the deadline, instead of remembering what happens after the deadline (going into the nations to make discipleships). I learned in the last 4 days, that through all of this, God already has the money for me to go, how cool is that?! But before he gives it to me, there are some things he’s wanted to teach me and has grown my faith more then I ever thought possible! So there it is, the last 4 days of what’s happened in the preparation process. Officially 30 days until we leave for Cambodia!!!
