When I first started to think about going on this journey the only cost in my mind was $17,561. That’s a huge number. It was a blinding amount of money for me.
So it wasn’t until others started pointing things out that I started to fully grasp the cost of being “gone” for a year. I was going to miss a year of life with my family and friends. I was going to miss 52 Sunday lunches. I was going to miss all the football and baseball games. I was going to miss all the swim meets. I was going to miss all the parties and get togethers. I was going to miss big holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
I am a 33 year old single woman. I was going to miss a whole year of being able to find my husband. And thanks to that I was going to loose valuable time to start having babies. I mean my body isn’t getting any younger.
I was going to miss an entire year of income. No adding to a 401k or saving for retirement here. No building a solid home for myself. In fact, I was going to be getting rid of everything I own to come back to almost nothing.
So I had to weigh these items in the cost field. And you know what, that was more blinding to me than $17,561. I took advantage of every opportunity that I could and soaked up as much time with my family as I could get. I made time to see and enjoy my friends. I invested in my niece and nephews to make sure they knew that just because I was gone didn’t mean I wasn’t still there for them or that I didn’t love them. I was giving this time of my life for God. And no matter the cost I paid it couldn’t compare to the price He paid for me.
Now God is showing me another cost for giving this year to Him. And this time it is in the form of cost of living on the ground. Things I didn’t really think about when coming into the race: buying food for others, having my wallet stolen and the one card without international fees was in it so now I have a fee every time I get money, and loosing so much weight my clothes no longer fit. And these are just to name a few things.
And just like God provided for me with upfront costs He is providing for me all over again in the form of an amazing friend, Jen Reams. She has been gracious enough to offer to handle t-shirt sales for me. So now I am back at selling t-shirts to cover additional living expenses.
All the profit for each shirt goes to help support me buying tea or dinner for a local. It helps support me getting warm clothing, because I have been in my one long sleeve shirt for almost two weeks now. It helps me bless my teammates. It helps me bless our hosts. And it helps me show love.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the shirts please comment below. The sale will run through the beginning of October.
Navy Blue Long Sleeve $30
Navy Short Sleeve $20
Maroon Long Sleeve $30
Maroon Short Sleeve $20
Gray Long Sleeve $30
Gray Short Sleeve $20
Orange Short Sleeve $20
Called Long Sleeve $30 (This design is contingent on enough sales)
Called Short Sleeve $20 (This design is contingent on enough sales)
Isaiah 49:6 (ESV)
he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
