HOW? That is the question I am faced with! How will you raise that much money? How will you pay for all the equipment? How will you even know what equipment is good and what’s not? How will you make it for a year? How? So many questions as to “how”, that God was no longer the impossible God. He was no longer my provider. He was no longer the focus, the question of “how” was. The truth is, how any of that is to happen is not my role to answer. That’s God’s role, and that’s my answer. How will you raise that much money? God will stir the hearts of many people. How will you pay for all the equipment? God will provide. How do you know what equipment is good? God knows people who know people who know me. How will you be able to be away from your family for a year? God will comfort me. How? God!
That is the answer. And that is evident in these last few months of beginning to prepare. First, the enormous amount of generosity from both close and distant friends and family has already made a great dent in the $16,561 needed for the World Race. My dad has been to one of the worst third world countries and he has been preparing me with his first-hand knowledge as well as his knowledge of equipment. My best friend and her husband gave advice on what places to look for equipment, what is good and what’s not, and with generous hearts gave money for some equipment. God placed a world race alumni in my small group at church to answer all of my crazy questions and tell me all about things he learned the hard way so I don’t have to. Now the question isn’t “how”; it is “why” and “what”. Why me? Because He gave me a servant’s heart. Why am I actually going? I am doing the World Race because God called me and it is His will for me. If I don’t go, I will be living outside the will of God and that is scarier than living within the will of God in darkest corner of a third world country. What is the reason for doing this? I am obedient; I will grow and experience His presence more than ever before. What faith do I have if I don’t go? I will not know what a leap of faith looks like if I don’t rise to the occasion.
The same month I found out I was accepted into the world race was the same month my pastor started a new sermon series. He preached on these very questions and that if we get stuck on the “how”, we won’t go! That is God’s role to take care of the how. God knew I was about to be faced with so many people asking the question of “how”. He knew I would even ask myself “how” questions. I know God is looking out for me because he taught me, grew me, and prepared me based on my future. Of course I didn’t know that at the time. I learned it. But when I was faced with it, I trusted His faithfulness, His unending love, and His great wisdom. God’s got my “how” questions answered and I have answered the “what” and “why” questions.
I am so humbled and thankful for every single individual who has been touched by God to generously support me on this journey. I am thankful to Him for preparing me and my heart even when I didn’t know what He was up to. I am thankful for the question of “how” because that’s not my question to answer and I know God’s already orchestrating the answer. I am thankful that victory has already been proclaimed over every question of “how” because Jesus reigns victoriously! If you are in a season of life of asking “how”, let God answer them. Start asking why you should go there, and what are you doing there. The “how” will stop you from going. It will paralyze you with fear, and keep you from watching the impossible God do impossible things in your life.
