This week is my spring break for school. It hasn’t been the greatest, since I stayed in Madison to work, but I did get to go home for the first weekend. It was so great, because I got to spend time with my aunt, go to my brother’s fiancée’s bridal shower, and go home to spend time with my parents.
My parents moved from the suburbs of Chicago to northern Wisconsin just over a year ago. Needless to say, it’s very different. As in, completely different. Instead of endless traffic and stoplights, there’s one stoplight, and it’s a good day if more than one car gets stopped by it at a time. Instead of buildings and parking lots, there are trees and rivers. The pace of life is slower, and the way of life is simpler.
Regardless of how I felt about the move, I am so thankful that it happened. The Lord works in ways that I will never understand, and this is one of those situations. He provided my parents with an awesome church, centered on the gospel. Every time I go, regardless of the message, it always comes back to Jesus, and his saving grace. It’s truly a family, where people actually care about each other and invest in one another. From the first time I went, I felt welcomed and loved. In my opinion, it’s the embodiment of a biblical church; the way the Lord wanted us to experience it.
While I was home this past weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at the church about the World Race. It was so fun to talk to them about the Race, especially since they had been hearing about it for a while, and had just been waiting until I was able to come home. Beforehand, in my little simple brain, I put a limit on the church. I thought to myself that if even one person from the church supported me, then that was great. I mean, these people hardly know me. My parents have only been going there for a year, and I’ve been at school for most of it. I can probably count the number of times I’ve gone on one hand.
But when we put limits on God, he loves to blow them out of the water. I had printed out a few extra support slips, thinking that I wouldn’t need them. Silly me. We had to make more copies. Every single slip was taken. The people at this church care. They care about God, they care about me, they care about advancing the kingdom. They are senders. I left after my presentation with 2 checks already in my hand for over $1,000 (God is so good), and since then I already more in my account, and more pledged.
The generosity of this church astounds me, and I owe the people there an apology. I am sorry that I doubted. I am sorry that I had low expectations for you. I was wrong. You are all so great, and your love for the Lord is so encouraging. You understand the importance of the gospel, and you are doing your part to advance it in northern Wisconsin and in the world. I am so thankful that you have provided a church home for my parents, and for me. I am so excited to share the adventure of the World Race with you. Thank you for supporting me, spiritually, financially, and prayerfully. Without you, I would not be able to go on the World Race.
The support raising process has been quite the experience so far, and the Lord has been teaching me so much. He has been stretching me, testing me, and disproving me, time and time again. While I haven’t necessarily enjoyed every moment of it, I know that I need it. I will need all of the faith he is growing in me, not only for the rest of the support raising process, but for the Race as well. To be sure, I’ll be thankful when it’s over, but until then, I’ll try to enjoy the ride.
