I hate fundraising. I think it is one of the most awkward, annoying and difficult things I have had to do. Fundraising $16,561 seemed impossible, but I knew that God has called me to the World Race, so I channeled my inner Casey Jr. and kept saying to myself,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”
The more time I spent planning fundraisers, selling shirts and bracelets, and trying to convince people to give me money so I can go on this adventure of a lifetime, the more worn out I was getting. I was driving myself into the ground trying to get funded. But still I kept repeating,
“I think I can, I think I can… I think I can?“
After a few months of planning and working and chugging along, I didn’t have much to show for how much work I put into it. At this point, my confidence that God really had called me into the World Race was fading quickly. I saw the others in my squad and how much they have raised, which just pushed me farther down. It felt like God was really cheering them on, they were the big leagues, and I was the water girl. It really is amazing the lies that we believe about ourselves. I believed that I wasn’t really supposed to go on the World Race because I wasn’t very good at fundraising and other people were so awesome at it. My perspective had slightly changed from the beginning:
“I think I can…Maybe. I think I can…. Possibly…. Can I?”
The past month or so I have felt a shift in my perspective on fundraising. I was relying on myself to do all the work and to make sure I was funded. But here’s a secret…
I can’t do it on my own…
No matter how hard I try, I will NEVER be able to fund myself, or get fully funded, even with the help of friends and family. Nope. The only way I will get there is when my perspective is completely changed.
I know He can! I know He can! I know He can!
Only with the help of God will I be able to do this. God doesn’t provide for one person more than the other, He provides abundantly for each one of His children because He loves us! Instead of relying on my own strength, I need to rely on God’s strength and God’s power.
Fundraising isn’t about how much money I can raise and it’s not about convincing people they should give me money because I’m going to do great things around the world. Fundraising is about partnering with people, including them in this ministry, and being a representative of the people supporting me. Yes it’s difficult, yes it can be super (super duper) awkward, but it’s not about me being comfortable. We aren’t always called to comfort. And when it’s uncomfortable, weird, abnormal, difficult, trying, frustrating we can channel our inner Casey Jr. and repeat in our heads,
I know He will, I know He will, I know He will.
Funding Update: Our funding report has been down for the past couple weeks and it came back up this morning (that’s why I haven’t acknowledged any new donations) and found out that I am 42% funded! I am super excited because this means I met my first deadline three months early. Thank you all so much, I’m so excited to share this journey with you. =]
