It has been awhile since I last posted. A lot of great things have been happening. I have reached $4,695 which is 29% of my goal. I never thought I would get this far honestly. This whole journey in fundraising has been both hard and great. It continually shows me that God is providing in different ways that are unknown to me. He did the same thing in with the disciples in feeding the 5,000 men in John 6.
John 6: Jesus Feeding The Five Thousand
“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.””
The Disciples had no idea and even questioned how the people would be fed. In verse 7 Philip begins to say it is fiscally and financially impossible. But Jesus saw the way and knew what the future would hold. Then Andrew found a boy with a small amount of food and thought well this is a start at least. Even he was questioning what was going to happen next.
The even more mind blowing part of this account is that they only counted men, so the actual number of people was closer to 10,000-15,000 men, women, and children. Jesus overcame what these men thought and helped feed so many people. The people were all fed and there were 12 baskets of leftovers.
I am at a point where I feel like The Disciples. I see the crowd, the $16,000 total I have to raise, and I just want to run, hide, and say it is not possible. Then I remember that I am not the one raising money, Jesus has a plan and he knows the future. He has already spelled out to me that I will go on this trip and be able to see so much of his creation and his people. He knows it will work. Just like he knows the struggles you are dealing with and he knows how you will be delivered from them. It may not be full filled today or tomorrow or even 6 months from now. But Jesus does provide in ways we don’t even recognize could happen and there will be “left overs” whatever that may be in your situation.
I am running out of options to raise money and I am trying new ones daily. Please pray for this trip and the financial aspect of it. If you feel so inclined to share this post or donate to me that would be great. I need $10,000 by August, 18. And then the next $6,000 needs to be pledge to me. It seems far away but it is getting closer and closer every day. Please pray and help anyway way you can.
-Dr. Richard C Halverson, Chaplain of US Senate.
