Three years ago I felt the Lord calling me to go to Bible College in York, England. Tuition was $3,500 plus a plane ticket. I remember looking at the number and thinking, “How will I ever get that much money in two short months!?” I felt the Lord calling me to sell my Jeep in order to pay for school, but it sounded easier than it was. I had the Jeep up for sale for two months and only had about 3 calls on it. As the days grew fewer, I had to trust God all the more. Finally, I had one day left; the next day I was getting on a plane fly to England and was expected to have the check in hand. The Jeep sold that very day, and I was able to go. The money from the Jeep only provided enough money for two semesters, but God blessed me by giving me three. I learned that when God has a plan for you, He will provide the way for it to happen.
So when I heard about The World Race and saw the price tag of $16,250, I thought, “There is no way! That number makes the $3,500 look like pocket change. How will I ever raise that much money?” I considered not even trying to apply for the race, but I had forgotten how big my God was. The truth is, to God, it’s all pocket change whether it’s ten dollars or ten million; it’s no match to God. I realized that if God wanted me to go on The World Race, He would provide a way, and He did. It’s been less than a year, and God has already brought in $13,911, which means we only have $2,339 to raise! Can you even believe it! The cool thing is none of it was in my power.
I started my fundraising journey by sending out over a hundred support letters. I thought this is going to be easy; I have so many people that will want to support me on this journey. But to my surprise, I didn’t hear back from most of the letters that went out. I started worrying. I thought everyone I could have reached out to, I had. I started panicking slightly when God reminded me again that He was in control, not me; therefore, I moved on to the next thing I could do.
I held a fundraiser that was advertised on the radio, in newspapers and on fliers all over town. I worked day and night trying to make it the best fundraiser possible; I even brought in an awesome band. I thought for sure this event would bring in all that I needed. It was a disaster. A total of about 30 people showed up, mostly family, and all night they gave me the “pity smile.” You know, that smile that screams, “Maybe they will still show up,” or “You’re doing great,” or “Yup, no one else is coming…sorry.” I was so angry. Didn’t they know that I had put so much work into this night? Didn’t they know that I hadn’t slept in three weeks trying to make this the greatest event ever? God quickly reminded me that He didn’t need the people. He only needed willing hearts and that we had. I was so humbling that night when God still showed up and brought in a lot of money.
The next fundraising strategy was raffle tickets. Everyone in Montana needs a new hunting rifle, so we decided to raffle a couple off. I asked everyone I could possibly ask and then I gave up, but my mom didn’t. She would walk into a store, ask the employees if they hunt, then throw the raffle book at them. She even got a Costco employee to buy one after asking and reminding him three weeks in a row. If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t have sold nearly as many as we should have. In fact if it wasn’t for her I would have lost my mind completely.
The point I’m trying to make is, there is nothing I did that brought in almost $14,000 in under a year; it was all God. In fact, most of the money did not come from any of my fundraisers; it all came through customers at the restaurant where I worked, old friends from high school that I don’t even know all that well any more, and through people I don’t even know but heard about what I was doing. God used each of you, and I just want to say a big thank you to each and everyone of you! This life changing journey would not be possible with out you.
I am now drawing near to my final deadline. I need to have the rest of the money in by the end of June. I don’t know how God is going to chose to bring this money in but I know He has a plan and I’m so excited to see how He is going to do it.
