Prayer Requests!
I have said it from the beginning… Support through prayer is equally as important as financial or referral support! So PLEASE, join with me in prayer because I am approaching major preparation for this journey and need you to help lift me up to accomplish all God has in store for me.
1. Financial blessings – I am almost 35% funded. My next deadline (July 22nd) will be here before I know it and I have $4,025 to go! Aside from the finances directly to the World Race, there are a few more gear items I need purchased and major savings I need to set aside for. Since I am asking you to pray for me, I think it is important to be transparent about this. There is one student loan I will have to pay while I am gone totaling over $3,000 throughout the year. As I mentioned in my first blog, there will also be some personal expenses that I will need money for throughout the year, which is an additional $500-$1,000. This can include shipping items, souvenirs or post-cards home and to supporters, or experiencing new adventures on days “off” from visiting new coffee shops to exploring the African safaris and more. Finances have always been a stronghold in my life so this area REALLY gets me anxious when I think too much about it. There are things I need to keep doing, like brainstorming new fundraisers, sending letters to more supporters, and keeping everyone informed of my progress. Feel free to share ideas! But ultimately I have to trust that God will provide, so please, pray with me for complete trust, and that he WILL provide everything that I need. If you haven’t contributed yet financially, please continue to pray if/when you may be able to do so.
2. Focus & Organization – Mid-May I had a garage sale which caused me to totally tear apart my apartment in sorting/packing. Two weeks later my apartment lease ended so I had to completely pack up, sort, donate, move, etc. That weekend, my parents were also in town to help transport some of my stuff… My friends, Kate and Josh, are so gracious and have allowed me to move in, pile up clothes bins and boxes in the corners of their guest room for the time being, and prepare for my 10 day training June 8-18th! (See picture below and embrace the piles I am living from)… It is tough to pack for a trip when your things aren’t in the place you were use to them being for the last two years! I am still working and trying to assure things are in order there for me to leave, not only for training but for the year ahead. If you haven’t gotten the jest of this ramble, it’s to say, my stuff is everywhere! Physically and mentally it seems. My brain is constantly running, creating and marking off checklists! Will you pray God helps me stay organized and not forget anything important in all this beautiful craziness?!
3. This leads us perfectly into the next request: peace and the ability to find stillness! With all these to-do’s, sometimes it is hard to make my brain stop! Sometimes I feel like my spirit is suffering, my quiet times are not so quiet, I am forgetful and easily anxious. I pray I can be more diligent with my quiet time, to set that time aside first – My church always says, when you give God your first, He will bless the rest. Please pray I can practice and master this! We may face some challenging days on the Race, so it will be good to get in the habit of finding peaceful moments and letting my brain have time to truly rest, now.
4. Lastly, I ask for your prayers for health and wellness. In all these transitions, it has been tough to “diet and exercise”. Moving often calls for drive-through lunches or pizza delivery dinners. Boy do I LOVE pizza… but veggie pizza does not count as a healthy dinner. My body feels the impact of my poor eating, irregular sleep schedule or little sleep, and little to no exercise. Not to say I was a regular gym attendee before but I enjoy taking walks on Bayshore, riding bikes or getting out on the water with friends. Like mastering quiet time now will benefit me while away, the same goes for this area. My body may face some culture shock considering our different daily routines and the food we will eat. If my body is already weak going into this, I will be more likely to experience illness. I’ll be far from my Mama so I can’t call her for help! This isn’t to say that I will never get an upset stomach, experience pains, etc, but I desire to prepare mentally, physically and spiritually, to the best of my ability so I can focus on the missions at hand.
THANK YOU in advance for your support if prayer, sending positive vibes and just lifting me up in thoughts with positivity so I can be prepared to succeed in the weeks to come! Feel free to shoot me a quick message or text if you find the time to pray for me. It is so motivating knowing people are praying for you. AND if you are praying for me, I would love to be able to do the same for you.
“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10
P.S. I had some fun pictures to include but I recently acquired a new laptop & not sure how to upload them. LOL Other blogs will be more visually promising, xoxo
