FUNDRAISING. That one word has brought out so many ups and downs so far in the start to my journey with The World Race. There have been feelings of joy and happiness, and then feelings of anxiety and worry. The whole process has been so crazy, and yet so awesome! When I was accepted to go on The World Race there was so much excitement. I’m going an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries. What is there not to be excited about? I felt almost like God pulled one from Aladdin and basically said “I can show you the world.” I bet you never thought there could be a connection with God and Aladdin. Your welcome. I was so happy. Then came the sentence, “now time to start fundraising. Good luck and welcome to The World Race.” How in the world am I going to raise the money for a trip like this. In slips the anxiety. Slowly but surely funds start pouring in. Things are going great, I’m having people I never thought of start donating to my trip. Holy cow this is amazing! Funds are coming in and its the soaring above the clouds on the carpet moment, and then nothing for a few weeks. The magic carpet ride above the clouds has turned into a downward plunge to the ground.
In that moment I started to pray to God to bless the finances and bless this trip and my squad. I begin to pray to God about how I on my own can’t meet this enormous goal before me. In that moment I felt God holding his hand out and saying, “do you trust Me?” WOW! I was so focused on how I was gonna get to this goal, I was leaving out the most important part to the equation. GOD. On my own, I can’t, but with God I can. He’s like a tag team partner in a wrestling match. When you’re so worn down and tired from doing it by yourself He is stretching His arm out saying “let me in.” Sure enough I said God I am trusting you for this. You brought me to this trip and you will see it through. No lie after weeks of nothing, funds started pouring in. I had people I never$ met before come into my life and ask me about this trip. I had a spaghetti dinner for a fundraiser and I had no idea what to expect. 3 days before the dinner 15 people were coming. 2 days 30. The day of the dinner the room was almost full. I have no explanation for what happened that night except one reason, GOD. When I thought it was impossible, He showed me how it’s done. Where my abilities reach their limit, God says let me take over. It’s such an amazing and frustrating feeling I’ve experienced this whole time. I had to learn to let it go(as my squad saw in the dance off) and let God do His thing. It was so much work to try to take the full load of this on myself and the worry and anxiety would creep up and I felt I would never make it. Then I felt God reach out in that moment and say “do you trust Me?” That moment of letting God take over was such a freeing moment.
Another time He stepped in was when my teammate Linda said she needed $2,600 in 10 days. I don’t care who you are, thats insane. She believed and trusted in God and my team and I would encourage and pray for her and believe He would provide. Guess what? In 2 days alone she got almost half that amount! Linda has now hit her second deadline and it’s so amazing to see how God is working in our trip already. I believe this trip doesn’t start when we leave the country, it began the moment we were accepted to go. MY squad is already showing their faith and trust in God and it is something amazing to see God work through everyone’s life in the different ways He does. This trip through the fundraising process does get down and tiring sometimes, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Already my trust in the Lord has been strengthened. I know my squad has been strengthened in their trust as well. I am so ready to travel the nations with these guys and girls. The world is gonna be shaken by what God is gonna do through F Squad this next year. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, F Squad is coming y’all!
I have passed my second deadline and am on my way to the third deadline. If you would like to be a supporter that’s awesome! I am so blown away time and time again by the amount of love I’ve received so far. If you would like to be a supporter just click the support me tab and thank you so much. I would also encourage you to check out my squad and my team SOZO. These are some amazing people and I would encourage you to help them out as well if you feel God calling you towards that. Thanks so much for the support so far! I’m ready to step out into this whole new world and experience all God is gonna do through this trip.
