Dear family, friends, and strangers reading Patricia’s blog,
This blog is not written by Patricia, but by the members of her team. We, Team Centurion, have been with her from day one of the World Race. We have seen God move in Patricia’s life, and we have seen God use her to build his Kingdom in Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria. It has been an honor to watch Patricia serving the Lord, and we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of what we have seen with you.
Catie: During month two in Romania, I was able to get a peek into how Patricia see’s people and how much she loves others. I saw how her heart hurt for those who were hurting, and how full of joy her heart was when people were celebrating or when the Lord was doing something in their life. Here in Bulgaria, I have seen her grow so much in how she walked with her team through life. She has allowed us to walk alongside her through this journey, and it has been incredible to watch. Patricia is always pointing others back to Christ and always giving glory to God. She pours into others with all her heart, knowing that God is speaking through her to whoever she is speaking to. She allows God to work through her in the lives of those around her. I know I can speak for my whole team in saying that she has touched each of our lives and encouraged us in our growth with the Lord. Now, her serving is not limited to just our team. I can name a large list of people in Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria that she has created relationships with and encouraged in their walk. She loves people and loves seeing God work in their lives, and it is beautiful to watch.
Crystal, our squad leader: Patricia surprises me daily. Most of the squad will say that she has one ear constantly listening to Jesus…I would agree with that. She was so quiet at training camp when I met her, so I am glad I’ve got to live with her the past couple of weeks and see the real Patricia. She is funny, she is filled with joy, she listens to others well, she is full of discernment, and wisdom. She encourages people naturally. She is walking in new levels of vulnerability and allowing the Lord to heal her heart. Through that the Lord is giving her more light to shine. She is a true testimony of what it is like to have a relationship with the Lord. Her faith shines brilliantly through her.
Faith: Patricia is such a gift to this team. I am constantly amazed at her steadfastness during difficult times. She never fails to remind others of God’s faithfulness. She so clearly brings the light of the Holy Spirit everywhere she goes. God has used her in so many ways to love the people around her, especially our ministry hosts and the people in the churches we are working with. She loves people so well and is quick to give encouragement. She lives out the verse Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”. Patricia has taught me so much about relying on the Lord in every situation. Thank you to everyone who has supported her financially and spiritually!
Jon: If I could pick the person on Team Centurion who surprised me the most after The Race started, it has to be Patricia. Very shortly after our time in Serbia started, I could already tell that she is not the quiet and reserved woman that I believed her to be. She carries such power in her words and is constantly speaking life into others. Patricia has such confidence in who she is in the eyes of the Lord and it is an admirable thing. Her steadfastness in Him has been incredible to watch, as she clings to Him in every situation. There have been countless times on The Race when I have witnessed Patricia keying in on certain people we meet in ministry and pulling them aside simply to speak God’s truth and encouragement into them. Patricia has been such a vessel for Him in the last 3 months and it has been beautiful to watch!
Molly: From day one of the race, Patricia has been a force of wisdom on our team. I have never seen anyone model constant prayer and gathering strength from the Lord like Patricia. Every person Patricia meets feels loved and heard, and they walk away feeling empowered to live in more obedience to God. Patricia is a prayer warrior of our squad, and I have seen her provide wise counsel to nearly every single member of our group of 41. In Serbia, Patricia poured so much wisdom into our translator, and she preached amazing truth at that church’s womens’ meeting. Whenever I cannot find Patricia, I know she is off praying for the city we are in or praying for others. She has grown so much in allowing God to heal her past, and I have loved seeing her recognize how God is using this journey to equip her for His future call for her life.
Morgan: Patricia is a warrior. She has spent every day on her Race fighting for something. Some days she fights for her teammates, some days she fights for the locals, and some days she fights for herself. Even when she was ill to the point of zero lucidity, she made it a point to tell her squad how much she cares for each of them. This woman loves with a heart that is rooted so firmly in the Father and His love for His children. This woman is full of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and strength. This woman has filled herself with knowledge about our God and His word, and I see her using and sharing it daily. Patricia is so admired by her team and squad, and there is a reason for that. She looks to the Father for all, and is adamant about sharing what she finds. The children, elderly, teens, and women in prostitution experience the worth they have in the Father when they interact with Patricia. She is such a blessing to the people she encounters and such a blessing to this team!
Zach: What a beautiful faith Patricia has. Her unwavering desire to learn more about Jesus and discover new ways to experience and share His love is incredible to walk alongside. Since the beginning of our first month I have had countless conversations with Patricia and each time I am more and more impressed with the knowledge and light she brings to the Kingdom. She carries an incredible amount of wisdom given to her from the Lord and she knows just how to use it. Patricia is filled with Jesus’s love, kindness and strength and even people she is meeting for the first time can identify those characteristics. Patricia is a vital part to not only our team but our squad and we would not be who we are today without her. Thank you so much for supporting and sending her on this journey so that we would have the opportunity to learn from her.
Thank you to each person who has supported Patricia on this journey through prayer, encouragement, and donations. Our team would be lacking without her presence. She still has $2,552 to raise before the final financial deadline, November 30. We ask that you would pray and consider donating to help her reach the final financial deadline.
Thank you so much for praying for and supporting our team, through sending Patricia!
With gratitude,
Team Centurion
