When I am fundraising, I feel much like Mona Lisa from Parks and Recreation.
No one every really tells you how hard it is to raise money. As someone who has never had to raise money for anything, this has been quite the eye opener.
Don’t get me mistaken when I say I’ve never raised money. I have never specifically had to sit down and plan out ways to make thousands of dollars in less than a year. On a much smaller scale: I have saved money for shoes, clothes, prom/homecoming dresses, my car, and a variety of other things.
This. Is nothing like that.
I also stink at asking for money in general. Two of the sweetest most precious humans I know are my constant companions for Sunday afternoon trips to Passion City Church and/or Grace Midtown. I have made this drive with them every Sunday since July 2nd. It’s about 100 miles round trip. While this is the absolute highlight of my week, gas is EXPENSIVE. Being who I am, I have never asked them for gas money (until gas rose to $2.75 and I very timidly asked for $5 from one of them). I just simply could not bring myself to ask people for money– even if they owe it to me for a job or service.
Part of the reason I have never been good at asking people for money is because, by nature, I am a very hardworking and independent female who D E F I N I T E L Y does not need a man (except for Jesus of course). Therefore, I have had a job from a month after I turned 16 until present day, almost two years later (unless you count babysitting).
However, a 17-year-old cannot physically make $18,000 in 11 months, even as a waitress.
Part of our requirements for the trip is that we have to go through a 9 step training “program” on the best way to raise funds. The first part of the “program” is to learn why we have to do fundraisers.
Fundraising is God’s way to humble us and make us depend on Him.
I have truly had to suck up my pride and trust in Christ. I know in my heart that He will provide for me in every way, but goodness gracious $18,000 is more than my car is worth (love you though Ferdinand the Ford Focus). The important thing to remember is we are not supposed to be able to provide entirely for ourselves. Especially in times like these.
This is a calling for those without money to ask and trust in God’s response.
This is a calling for those with money to accept that their funds are not their own and trust in God’s use of them.
This is also important to show humility in these times. The giver must realize that their funds are not their own and humble themselves to give it away. The receiver must humble themselves in realizing this money is not their own and that we sometimes have to ask for help- wherever God may send it from.
All this to say it was not easy for me to muster up the courage to send out my first fundraising letters this Thursday (no matter how cute they were). But I know that this is God’s wish for my life, my fundraising, and my means of getting to those in need of me.
