It is hard to believe that only over eight weeks ago the Lord opened the door for me to go on the world race. The world race was not in my plan or even on my mind even just days before. Before that day when He intruded and intervened my thoughts as I was getting ready for the day with the idea. So with little thought I started a prayer, okay, Lord if this is where You would have me…show me.
Before I got the official call that I was accepted onto the team I had another discussion with Him. I knew time would be tight, two months to raise the money for this trip. My faith was tiny and shaken when that reality hit me. So I heard Him asking me, “do you trust me as Provider?” I believe my response was that I do but I was still unsure. Yet I asked for Him to show me that He is provider and even asked for all of the funds to be raised before I left. To be honest I felt a little crazy in my asking. In that moment I knew I would be getting the call to be accepted and I knew I had the choice to either say Yes and trust or I to fall back into fear and possibly miss out on Him showing up in a huge way.Moments later I got the phone call to welcome me onto the team.
I would be lying if I didn’t admit that as soon as I stepped into support raising I was met almost day in and day out with questions and swirling doubts. In it the Lord beautifully met me with bringing me to my knees in prayer. Some prayers were big and faith filled prayers while others were prayers that brought me to my knees begging the Lord to help me in my unbelief and fear that He maybe wouldn’t show up or come through. Even in my lack of faith and times of being fearful He still met me where I was and started to gently teach me to trust in the midst of chaos. Through these past two months He has taught me to pray again as a child even prayers that seem foolish to my own flesh.
I have learned to pray for ultimately more of Him. This journey has been more than just numbers on my fundraising bar. However lets not overlook how insanely and abundantly He has blessed me in that. It goes much deeper though. This has been a journey of redeeming some things lost over the past year…it has been a journey of pursuit. I had my fear that He may leave me hanging after a public anouncement of what was to come with the world race. I had my fear of what if’s. But our good, good Father always,absolutely always pursues and provides for His children.He pursues even when I loose trust that He will come through. He lavishes because He sees it as fitting in His most perfect timing to release His good gifts. I don’t deserve the way God chooses to love me or lavish His provisions. I don’t yet comprehend how He promises and secures every circumstance for my good even the most painful ones. I am in awe of how He takes away yet gives much more then what my human mind can contain or see even now.
I sit here in awe, just two days before leaving for training FULLY FUNDED and even more! Here are just some of the details I had the honor of watching as He has blown mind over the past couple months in the way His provisions have come through. In the first month of support raising He allowed there to raised a little under $3,000. The first week of March I was hit with the reality that I would really be going with my team in April when I saw the funds jump to $4,500. Two days later my jaw dropped, after a prayer prayed for $1,000 (which was given anonymously) I was funded at $6,000. I missed the first deadline until the next week when the funds jumped from $10,000 to $11,000 in a matter of a day.
Finally last week Saturday in one room I saw Him move in a huge way. As we had a fundraising night filled with worship music, coffee, and good fellowship. In just one room full of people I think it is safe to say that not just my faith was stretched but everyone in the room. In a matter of 45 minutes $6,000 was raised in one room in less than one hour. This has put me over my fully funded goal for the whole trip. I am currently past the goal of $17,600 !
I am so honored and humbled to see the way that the Lord has come through and not only pursued my heart to be here but how He has provided abundantly more than I had thought to even ask ! I am humbled by those of you who have partnered with me. The ones who I know had barely anything to spare yet you gave generously. The one who gave even though I know you are in a season of being unemployed. The one who gave abundantly more than you had thought but its because you felt a deep peace to do so. The ones who anonymously gave and through it answered some big prayers that were prayed even just moments or days before. God has used you to stretch my faith in a deep way ! You are a part of this, a part of His goodness, and all that He will do over these next 11 months ! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!
