Hello dearest friends and neighbors! First things first, I am new to this whole blogging-about-my-life deal, so I ask that you bear with me. Second things second, WELCOME!! From now to May of 2019, this will be your main stop for learning about what the heck is going on in my life, as well as what the Lord will teach me in the next season.
Speaking of… I have some HUGE, HAVE-A-DANCE-PARTY kinda news for you!! If you haven’t heard yet, I will be taking 9 months following my senior year of high school to serve the nations and be His hands and feet through a program known as World Race: Gap Year! AHHHHHHH! Even reading that still seems like such a crazy reality. The mission is through an organization known as Adventures in Missions, and I literally don’t think I could be more ecstatic about it.
From September 2018 through May 2019, 54 other world racers and I will be sent out to Thailand, Malaysia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, spending a little less than two months in each country. While there, we will be serving the people there in a variety of different ways. Whether it be teaching English to kids, painting/building houses for families, praying over and reading scripture to the sick, or just simply spending time loving the elderly, our main mission will be to show each and every person we come in contact with the love, compassion, and selflessness of Christ. Each day will look different, and there will even be days spent just asking the Lord where we should go and how we should serve.
So I know a few questions may be running through your mind:
Why would you want to take 9 months out of your life to travel during such a pivotal time of your life? Why not wait?
Well, if there’s one thing Jesus has taught me, it’s that if He is not in something, it’s not worth doing. And vice versa. Even though 9 months is a long time, and it’s super scary to think about being away from my friends and family for that long, I am 100% confident that this is something He is calling me to. I know that some people may not understand, and that’s okay.
Story time: A few nights ago, I was watching the Polar Express (because ya know, Christmas spirit). We’ve all seen it; the three kids get separated from the rest of the group, and they are trying to get back to the group for the celebration, and they are following the sound of the bells. At one point, the Hero girl tells the other two that she thinks they should go down a tunnel because she hears the bells coming from that way. The main character asks her, “Are you sure?” because he himself cannot hear the bells. She turns around, looks him in the eye, and says, “Absolutely.” I always love that part. When I watched it most recently, I felt a really strong connection to this girl. Even though some cannot hear the bells, she knows what she heard, and she doesn’t care that others think she’s crazy. In the same way, I know that Jesus is calling me to this. I know it doesn’t make sense to everyone, and I don’t care. I live to please Him, and if that makes me look a little crazy, then so be it!
To answer the second half of that question, I also know that the Lord’s timing is perfect. He is calling me NOW. Not in a year, not after college. Now. If I were to tell Him that I think His timing is wrong, that I need to wait a while, I would be being disobedient. And chances are, I would probably never go. I also see an incredible importance in letting him guide me into the next seasons of my life. By intentionally taking 9 months to grow, serve, and know His heart, I am giving Him the time and circumstances to grow me in wisdom and discover my purpose and what to do following these 9 months.
Another question you might have is: How are you going to be able to afford this?
Ha! That, my friends, is where you come in. The total cost is $15,800. This trip will be totally funded by the generosity of others and the grace of my Provider. Part of the beauty of this process is how challenged I will be to trust the Lord and rely on Him to provide for me. I will also be challenged to rely on others, something that God himself calls us to through giving and receiving.
Luke 6:33 says, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you into in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
While you are giving up money for the sake of the Lord, acknowledging that it belongs to Him, I am learning to receive it in gratitude and humility, accepting the fact that it is not by my own power that I am raising this money, but only because of His.
Now I have a question for you: Will you prayerfully consider giving the resources you have been given for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom of God here on Earth?
I physically can’t do this on my own. Not by my own finances, willpower, desire, or persuasion. So I am submitting to the one who is more than capable of providing my daily bread. I understand completely that giving financially is simply not always doable. But great news!! There are other ways to help. I will need P R A Y E R. Prayer for faith, prayer for protection, prayer for steadfastness, prayer for growth. It is just as important that I am supported by a team of prayer warriors as it is that I am supported financially. If you do, however, feel called to give financially, I am asking that you consider in lots of prayer, the amount that He is calling you to give. If you can’t afford to donate a huge amount right up front, there is an option for giving a set amount monthly. Super cool stuff! Even a donation of $5, $10 monthly adds up to a LOT over time. Whatever he leads you to give, I will be eternally grateful. I am praying that through both you, the giver, and I, the receiver, He will lead us both out of our comfort zones and into intimacy and reliance on Him.
SPEAKING OF DONATING: here’s how it’s done. There are 3 options:
1) Check/Money Order- must be made payable to Adventures in Missions with the person’s name in the memo line. Mail to: Adventures in Missions, PO Box 742570, Atlanta, GA 30374-2570. Please mail only one check per envelope, as checks are processed mechanically.
2) Credit card/Bank transfer-Probably the EASIEST way to donate. On the homepage of my blog, you will see a button that says “Donate!” You will then be directed through making a one-time, monthly, or quarterly donation through a credit or debit card.
3) Electronic Funds Transfer (Dynapay) – Go to adventures.org/dynapay to fill out an online form for a monthly Electronic Funds Transfer from a checking account. No transaction fee will be charged for donations made through EFT.
That’s it, folks! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for taking the time to read and for considering supporting me. It means the world and I cannot wait to see how the Lord will amaze me with his faithfulness this time. Your generosity will go on to touch the lives of thousands of people here on Earth and will go on into eternity as treasure in Heaven.
In love and gratitude,
KT
(p.s. P L E A S E hit me up if you have questions, want to know more, or just wanna talk
Adventures In Missions is a tax-exempt organization under IRS code 501(c)(3) and is a member of the ECFA. (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). Due to IRS and ECFA regulations governing the administration of tax deductible donations given in support of a particular trip/program, support contributions given on behalf of an individual will be used to offset the costs of the trip/program you are involved in. All contributions are non-refundable regardless of the participant’s success in completing the program.
