God works in some pretty amazing ways. Lately I’ve been feeling a little discouraged about fundraising and letting my fear of being vulnerable get in the way of asking people for their help. I’ve doubted my capabilities not only in this area, but also my capability to surrender and let God do work through me. I’ve been praying for God to provide me with the right words to write my fundraising letters so that people can truly see my heart in all of this, I’ve been in need of some encouragement. Man did he answer those prayers yesterday! I was sitting in a cute little coffee shop around Asheville working on my letters feeling more at a loss for words than ever, when I over hear a girl next to me talking about a trip to Uganda and she pulled out these journals that she had been customizing as a fundraiser. After about an hour of me trying to work up the confidence to talk to her and ask about her trip, I finally did and we ended up talking for over an hour. We talked about dogs, coffee, hiking, all about our upcoming trips and just how crazy it was that God brought us both to that coffee shop knowing that we would meet each other. McKayla explained to me how she will be traveling to Uganda in June through the organization Beauty for Ashes. She told me about how the organization is centered around Isaiah 61.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes…”.
McKayla is selling these really cute journals that she writes anything you want on it in calligraphy. I asked her to write “radiate light” on mine. The words are from one of my favorite songs right now, Rise by Danny Gokey. One of my favorite lines goes like this
“So Rise
Breaking the dark, piercing the night
You’re made to shine
An army of hope
Bringing the world
A radiant light
A radiant light
You were made to rise, rise.”
Up until yesterday I really liked the tune of the song and the positive message behind it, but today gave those words and the song a whole new meaning for me. McKayla radiated light, she radiated encouragement and love and I could hear God saying that this was my purpose for going on the World Race. He wants me to radiate the goodness and the power of his love and to share it with the people I meet. I hope and pray that will be an echo of Isaiah 61, that I can ‘proclaim freedom for the captives’ and lead them to God who will ‘bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.’
God gave me McKayla yesterday to encourage me and to remind me that He is in control of this journey. She reminded me that God is always walking with us and working in us even when we don’t realize it, and He knew a simple encounter in a little coffee shop is all I needed to be reminded of this. I may feel stressed out and anxious at times, but these are the moments where God is showing me that I am not focused on Him and am not trusting him to guide me. I know that God will provide and equip me for this trip. The money that I raise is not for me, but for him and the work I get to do to grow his kingdom. He is reminding me that all the money that I raise is to serve for his purposes and that can only be raised through him.
When I parted ways with McKayla and got in my car, Rise by Danny Gokey came on the radio and tears came pouring out of my eyes. God is so amazing and so so good!
I just ask that you keep McKayla in your prayers and that the people she encounters while in Uganda will feel the love of the Lord just as I have today.
Also, I will be sending out my fundraising letters here in the next week or so, so if you’d like one don’t hesitate to contact me! 🙂
