I’ve fundraised plenty of times. Sports, school events, community service events, even for fun. Fundraising has simply never been one of those things that made me nervous. Until now. Now it’s not just fundraising for someone or something else. Now it’s for me. Now I have to abandon this massive fortress I’ve built around myself that safeguards me from asking for help. I’ve spent my entire life building that fortress. I mean we’re talking like armed guards and a moat here. . not some wimpy little thing. It always let me bypass anything and everything that required me to ask for help.
I know people may read this and think “Woah this girl is crazy. Who wouldn’t want help with something?” Me, that’s who. In soccer I prided myself on learning apart from my team and then coming together to see how we could mesh with what I had learned on my own. With school, let’s be real, I’ve picked one of the most obscure majors possible (shameless plug for zoology majors). Not as a direct choice but as a side benefit, it’s allowed me to avoid asking my peers for help. When I was placed in a leadership position as the community service chair of my sorority, I tried to shoulder everything and only asked for assistance when I’d reached my breaking point. Clearly this isn’t the healthiest route, but it’s served me relatively well if I’m being honest.
My entire life, I’ve heard people say over and over again to ask God to place opportunities in my life that would make me step out of my box. Are you kidding? Why would I purposefully ask for God to place me in situations that I clearly don’t feel comfortable in? So with that mindset towards every aspect of my life, I didn’t ask Him to do any of that. I didn’t want to venture out and I didn’t want God to get the slightest notion that any part of me was even contemplating it. (That statement is more comical typing it out than just thinking it.) Of course He knows. He knows every aspect of my heart way more than I ever will, and it’s MY HEART. With my leadership role as a community service chair, the Lord started His work on my heart, and I fought it every step of the way. I did all the work I could and still tried to avoid asking for a helping hand. I was exhausted and burnt out by the end, but who cares right? Because I did it. Wrong again.
Let me explain the emotional roller coaster you go through once being accepted onto the Race. You fill out the application and you go through all the steps thinking how awesome this is the entire time. Then you get that first call and you accept the fact that this is getting real. Then you hit it big time. You get the call telling you of your acceptance. Party right?! Yes. . and no. My initial reaction was one of such elation that I burst into tears on the phone with my roommate. I couldn’t wrap my head around anything. I took two weeks to decide if this was what I wanted, if this is what I felt called to do. Then the financial truth of it all hits you. Like. A. Brick. Wall.
On that note, I must say that God has humbled me incredibly, and I’ve only been accepted into this jig for about a month now. Repeat: I’ve been accepted as a racer for a month now (1 MONTH) and in that one month I’ve had to face something that I have been complacent in for almost 10 years. Now I HAVE to ask for help, but the thought doesn’t scare me so much anymore. He knows where I am, and He knows what I need and when I need it. Simple truth.
I feel like I’ve been rambling to get to the point of this post which is, in fact, to ask for help. I have to raise a little over $16,000 to go completely through my September Route 5 Race. Currently I am at about 3% of my goal (WHICH IS SO AWESOME! Seriously I cried when I logged on one day and saw that people had donated.) I’ll post my deadlines at the bottom of this post in case anyone wants specifics but. . .
IF you feel led to help me financially:
1. I CANNOT thank you enough
2. You can go to the support me tab on the left side of your screen, and it will lead you through the steps to donate!
3. You can add me on Facebook or Instagram where you can keep up to date with smaller fundraisers I will have going on! (Shirts, events, etc.)
4. Know how awesome you are and how incredibly grateful I am for you! Please continue to join me in prayer over this entire process!
As cliché as it sounds I want to challenge all who read this post to do the one thing that has taken me so long to do. Ask God to place in front of you opportunity. If you’re afraid of sharing your faith, ask that He place in front of you opportunities to grow you in that specifically. If you hate asking for help (raises hand) ask for opportunity specifically for this. We aren’t made to be complacent; we are made to be brave.
“David said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.’” 1 Chronicles 28:20
DEADLINES:
Due June 12th, 2015- $3,500 raised and in my account
Due August 21st, 2015- $10,000 raised and in my account
Due October 31st, 2015- $13,000 raised and in my account
Due December 31st, 2015- fully funded with $16,267 in my account
