**Make sure you read to the end! There is a big announcement down there!**
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
1 Peter 4:8-10
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”
Acts 4:32
Together is one of those words that’s much easier said than done. In order to accomplish something “together,” compromise and self-sacrifice is almost always involved. So I want to ask you, what sacrifices does Together ask of you? I’ll talk about mine below.
It’s not hard to see the division in society today, whether it’s via gender, race, or politics. However, I believe that one of God’s deepest desires is to see us come together as a people to pursue Him. Community is one of the most common themes in the Bible. Think about it, even Jesus surrounded himself with community!
Therefore, I want this race to become an opportunity to create a community of people with one common purpose – to share the name of Jesus and pursue him together.
On the Race, I am so excited to see people from vastly different backgrounds come together under one name. Though I will encounter people I have absolutely nothing in common with, we will be able find common ground with Jesus. And I think that’s pretty spectacular.
So this is my invitation for you and I to go on the World Race – Together.
My Together Sacrifices
I have mentioned a couple times by now that Jesus has already taught me so much through the fundraising process. He has revealed to me just how resistant I am to community and to committing to the sacrifices that Together asks of me. Specifically, He has revealed to me how prideful I am.
If I could, I would 100% fund this trip on my own. I’ve learned that I hate asking people to sacrifice some of their hard-earned money to my cause. That’s why it took me so long to actually begin putting actions behind fundraising. I decided to go on the World Race in October, but didn’t announce it until late December. I sent out support letters in late March. If someone asks how fundraising is going, my immediate reaction is to say, “it’s going great!” But in reality, fundraising has been pretty darn humbling!
As president of an organization this year, I have had to learn the skill of delegation. When asked to get a task done, I immediately want to do it myself. I’ve had to learn that asking someone else to complete a task is not only okay to do, but is beneficial for everyone in the long run. By doing that, I am telling myself to value my own time. But in my eyes, delegating is asking for help. This is how Jesus exposed to me one of my biggest flaws.
Jesus has showed me my pride and my resistance to ask for help.
But why is asking for help so hard?
Maybe because it means giving up control? It means trusting that others are following through? Because it opens up a chance for criticism?
On the Race, Together sacrifices are going to be something I face every day. I’ll be living, eating, and serving with a group of 6-10 strangers. Don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited to love on and develop friendships with these people (my extravert self talking here). But all this time with one group of people means that my flaws are going to be exposed, something else I seriously struggle with. I’ll have to make my Together Sacrifices.
One of my deepest, hidden desires to be someone that everyone looks up to. Obviously I fail at this every day, but it’s something I’m continuously striving to do. The only problem with this, is that the pursuit of this goal elevates and places my focus on myself instead of focusing and elevating Jesus. I have gotten into this mindset that if I’m not someone that worth looking up to, my worth is less.
WHAT?! This completely goes against everything that Jesus says! It goes against what I have preached about to those I’ve discipled!
This message communicates that my worth is based on my actions and successes. But I just said that I fail every day, do you see the issue?
Being completely vulnerable, this mindset affected me in a very negative way. I taught myself to push my emotions down, bottle them up, and hide them away. I needed to come off as this perfect person that has everything together. I need to be happy, bubbly, and funny because that’s what I’m supposed to be like. That’s how other people have defined me. But I never stopped to ask myself, how do I define myself? Better yet, how does Jesus define me?
Once again, Jesus whispers to me. Beloved
Despite missed deadlines? Beloved
Despite the wrong things I have said? Beloved
Despite the giant pimple right smack dab in the middle of my forehead? Beloved
Despite every little thing that is wrong about me? Beloved
Beloved
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
1 John 3:1-2
Woah. Deep breath. Instead of striving to be the perfect person, I need to refocus my efforts on pursuing Jesus because Jesus is the perfection that I was pursuing. And because He achieved perfection, I don’t need to feel that pressure. All that Jesus asks of me is to pursue an intimate relationship with Him.
Jesus is the perfection that I was pursuing
Easier said than done. What does it practically look like?
When I mess up, instead of instantly criticizing myself I need to remember that I am loved despite it. It means talking to Jesus about my mistakes and flaws, and giving them to him. It looks like being open about my flaws and struggles. Because Jesus doesn’t work through strengths, He works through weaknesses.
Jesus doesn’t work through strengths. He works through weaknesses.
Being honest, I’m still learning what exactly this means. I’m still working through this process and figuring what it practically looks like to get into the mindset that I am beloved and Jesus’ love is not something I earn through my successes. But it was through Together Sacrifices that I discovered that this is something I need to work on. Now I’d love for you to ask you to ask yourself, What are my together sacrifices? What journey will you allow that question to take you on?
Hey you! Thank you SO much for reading this blog! Would you consider joining me on this mission around the world? There are two main ways I am asking for help (lol) with this:
1. PRAYER. I firmly believe that prayer is the most powerful way to make change happen. Will you pray for my team and I as Jesus continues to prepare us for the World Race? That He will provide the funding? And that the Holy Spirit will begin working in those we will encounter while on the Race?
2. FUNDING. This one is 100% up to you. In order to go on the Race, I need to fundraise about $18,100 which is a pretty lofty goal. So any help counts, whether it’s $5 or $500!
It’s biblical that you take care of yourself so if you don’t feel comfortable giving, that is totally fine! I would love for you to still follow along on this journey by some of the methods listed below!
– Subscribe to this blog!
– Follow along on the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hannahsrace/
– Instagram: hannahnn_
**ANNOUNCEMENT**
T-shirt designs are finalized! Check out the photo and if you want one, message me on the Facebook page here or email me at [email protected] ! A large portion of your purchase will go towards funding the World Race!
