There were times I was working during the day and God would show up in the office. One in particular was in a conversation with a donor. He was giving to racers he didn’t even know because he believed in Adventures and what they were doing around the world. He gave the amount needed for kids to stay on the field. This might have been over $4,000 or around $2,000. He didn’t just give to one, but to several. I was expressing our gratitude and he said to me, “Well, I’ll tell you what Aubree. You’re support raised to aren’t you?”
“I am actually thinking about going on The Race…”
“Well I want to support you.”
He didn’t even know me! The Lord inspired and allowed himself to be used. I was so encouraged! It was another sign that I was supposed to go in July.
So, I applied for The World Race. It was a September route I applied for, that’s all that was available. I had my interview that week and asked about July routes. None were open, no one had dropped. It was a week when I heard I had gotten accepted for The Race in September. The next step for me was to get $150 to show that I was committed to The Race and they would commit to me. I asked once again about July, if anything had opened. They didn’t know and hadn’t heard anything.
The next morning, a Wednesday, during my time with the Lord, I asked him to provide the $150 for me. I knew I could probably dish it out or even ask my parents to, but since He had called me to do this, I wanted him to show up and provide for me. That’s how I began my day, with a peace and trust that God was going to show up.
I was having a normal day in the office, didn’t really think much about what I had asked the Lord that morning for. I ran into the girl who is in charge of the July and January routes. I had stopped to ask her about the January routes because that’s when I wanted to go. I expressed how the Lord told me I was going in July and I didn’t know if it was really this July or next. She believed in what God told me and said she could get me in on July, I would just have to show that I could meet my deadlines, which some had already passed. These included having $3,500 by May and $6,500 by June. I was already behind, so I would have to show I knew people or a church that would support me in this.
Fortunately, I had already spoken with people and shared with them what God was teaching me and doing in my life. I had 3 verbal commitments of $1,000. I knew I could do it. Then she asked about the $150. I knew I wasn’t going to give it, God was. So we prayed. We asked that God would provide the money that day. I had peace, an overwhelming peace and comfort from him.
The day continued on and still nothing appeared. I got a call from my mom later. She was at David’s Bridal about to pick up the bridesmaids dress for the wedding I was going to be in. But if I was really going on The Race in July, I wasn’t going to be here for the wedding. Once you buy the dress, you can only get store credit… Well, I already bought it.
I got discouraged after that conversation. I didn’t know what God was doing, what he had up his sleeve. It was already 3:30 and I was going to leave soon for the day. I was in my cubical about to cry. I didn’t understand why God didn’t show up, why he didn’t answer me with the $150 when he told me he wanted me to go, why my peace had gone away. Talia, working next to me in the cubical, turned at that moment and asked how I was doing. I didn’t know what to tell her, I wanted to cry. So we prayed.
