By nature, I am COMPETITIVE. I thrive on the organized chaos of competition. It excites and moves me. The adrenaline rush; there's nothing like it.
I grew up an athlete, involved in competitive gymnastics for 10 years. Since then, I've stayed involved in athletics as an athletic trainer. I worked as a student athletic trainer at West Virginia University, an intern athletic trainer at University of Maryland, and I currently work as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Louisiana State University.
This passion for competition that drove my athletic success growing up and played a hand in the career path I chose has also found a way to wiggle itself into the fundraising process for World Race.
Here's the honest truth; stripping myself of my pride (because I REALLY don't want to admit this), when I hear about how great fundraising is going for a fellow racer, my initial immediate reaction is a pang to my heart of panic, anxiety, and jealousy. I am truly sorry for this.
The temptation of competition taken out of context can become overwhelming when you're trying to raise such a significant amount of money in a, debatably, insignificant amount of time. It's so easy to get caught up in the competitiveness of fundraising; not wanting anyone to get so far ahead of you that you feel like you'll never make it to the finish line yourself. You start racing the clock, second for dollar. Eventually, you lose sight of what it was all about to begin with.
While the enemy took this week to repeatedly tell me all about every other future racer that already had their fundraising t-shirts made and selling like wild fire in one ear (making my stress and anxiety rise higher and higher about mine not even being started yet), God took this week to whisper something else in my other ear…
It's not about you.
It's not about you.
It's not about you.
It's not about you.
KATE! IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!!
This mission is not about me. This mission has never been about me. This mission will never be about me.
By allowing this negative competitive attitude to creep into the fundraising process, I was not only disrespecting the blessings and favor God was pouring out on my fellow racers, and brothers and sisters, but I was also missing out on SO MUCH JOY! Sharing in the joys of my TEAMMATES' fundraiser successes is such an exciting part of this process! And REALIZING the joys of my own fundraiser successes is vital as well.
I was allowing myself to become a slave to my competitive nature; letting it make me feel like failure was even an option. Failure is NOT an option, because I serve a God that has already WON. There's such freedom in that, isn't there?
"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1 (NLT)
Thank you, Jesus, for pointing out the things in my heart that offend you; leading me to the abundant joy you have for me during this exciting year of fundraising and preparation.
I believe my passionate and competitive nature is a gift from God when it's used in the freedom of His love for His glory; in fact I believe God, Himself, is a competitor. A natural winner…
"But sin DIDN'T, and DOESN'T, have a chance in COMPETITION with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's SIN versus GRACE, grace WINS hands down." Romans 5:21a (Message)
So, if this mission isn't about me, what is it about?
This mission is about the greatest 66 book Love letter every written. A Love letter written to me, to you, and to everyone around the world. A Love letter written about Love itself. A Love so strong it gives site to the blind, heals the sick, and makes the lame walk; a Love so perfect it gives eternal life; and a Love so abundantly full of amazing grace that it moves those who experience it into action.
I have freedom in His grace, which has moved me into action. I pray it does the same for you.
One Love,
Kate
