Can I share with you a really cool story of God’s goodness? Oh I can? Perfect. Thanks so much. I’ll try and write so this all reads pretty easily… but I’m kinda exhausted so sorry in advance. Try and keep up.
[Preface: I just wrote a blog, about how I was okay if God asked me to not go on the World Race. I was quite a ways away from the deadline and I wasn’t moving at all in funding. Also, my family, well, my mother really, our relationship is rocky and she hasn’t been on board really for the whole World Race thing. Ok. You’re caught up. Good.]
So I just now, at 2 am sat down back in my bed at my parents’ house after a 5 hour drive home from Michigan. It was my cousin’s graduation open house today so my mom, stepdad, and I drove up there yesterday to help set up and then be there for the open house today. And some pretty great stuff happened today.
Flashback to a few months ago: There’s this amazing, incredible, man of God back in my college town Bloomington. He’s a man that I was blessed to meet while I worked in a bake house in 2010. I sent him a support letter when I sent all my other ones out. And then I spoke with him just before my first deadline needed to be met. I needed to hit my $3500 deadline to go to training camp in May and I also needed help paying my rent since work kind of cut me off. I also was having a conversation with my sister at the time and she flat out told me to, “Stop trusting God for everything.” She didn’t believe that God could and would provide. As SOON as that conversation was over, I went downstairs in my apartment and boom. This man had sent me the money I needed to make the deadline, AND the money I needed to cover rent. Amazing. Praise The Lord for working through him in that way!
So I sent him a thank you and have been sending him updates as time has gone on.
Well; like I mentioned earlier my funding wasn’t really moving to reach my second deadline. And I finally broke down this past Thursday and just wrestled with God. It was a good break down. And I was just at peace this morning when I got up. Yesterday during a fasting and prayer time I wrote out in my journal words that I just felt God speaking to me. And this is what I wrote.
“Ashley you are amazing, I have made you so. I will take care of all things. Just seek me. You’re going. I will provide all. I’ve called you here, to the race. I just needed to make sure you were obedient enough to stay if I asked you to. Ashley, know you’re loved. Know that you’re cared for. You’re enough. More than enough for me and for the world. I have called you to a higher place Bridget (Bridget is the name that God has just been speaking over me and calling me for a while now. Look it up. It’s pretty cool I think.) I’ve called you to a magnificent place at my right hand. The kingdom needs me and you will show them me. Be still my daughter and rest in my embrace. Trust my provision. Trust that I can do all things and that you can do all things through me. I will give you the words. I am at work. I am working in your family. I am working in your friends. I am working within you. Let me do what I can and will do and embrace it. I am more than capable of covering your every need. Let me be your savior Ashley.”
Okay. Yeah so I wake up this morning totally at peace. Well; when I got up today; I had an email from the man I mentioned earlier that had helped me reach my first deadline. He was asking how funding was coming along and wanted an update.
I replied honestly, and told him it was coming along slow, that I had a deadline Tuesday still needing $2700 in my account plus $1200 to cover bills while I am away. I Didn’t ask him for any money or anything because he had already been MORE than gracious.
So the day goes on. I had talked to my aunts and uncles and family about the race and about where I stood funding wise and they asked what happened if I didn’t get the funds and I explained it to them. And then I just openly said that I’m at peace with it. That I’m confident that God is going to give me the money. I told them how he told me he would, and that I believed Him.
So fast forward to about 5:00. The party is kind of winding down and we’re going to be heading out soon. And I’m sitting at a table with my mother, and all my aunts and uncles, and we’re all talking about jetskiis and I get an email from him.
Plain and simple. A three sentence email.
“I will cover whatever you need up to $2700 to hit the deadline. And furnish the $1200 for bills. Just let me know.”
That’s it. That was the full email.
I started crying. My family stops and stares at me. Obviously confused as to why I was so blown away by jetskiis. And all I could do was just slowly try and tell them. They teared up as well. And THIS is where the story gets really cool.
My MOTHER cried.
Happy tears!
Said she was SO HAPPY, and SO EXCITED, and proud of me.
That in itself, her excitement, means more to me than any part of this.
AND THEN; as if it could get any better; I was talking to my aunts about parent vision trip. A week when parents can come visit on the field and explaining to them how my prayer was that my mother would come visit. She overheard the conversation and asked what I was talking about. I told her. And I told her I would like her to come. She then proceeded to ask some questions about it and then very sincerely said, “Well we will see”. Like what?! She didn’t say no. That’s some mighty big baby steps we took today.
Glory to God. All Praise and Glory to His name.
God is so amazing. He is a God of promise. He promised I would go. He got me there. He promised he was working in my family; I’d definitely say that is true. And this is a prime example of his perfect timing. Had he given me the funds a week ago when I was selfishly begging him to give them to me I would of missed out on today. He was waiting for this moment. He was waiting for me to be literally surrounded, in the midst, of all my family, so that they could see him show up too. He was waiting so that they could experience His goodness too and that they could see firsthand my heart in this and God’s heart for me. They could give Him the praise and glory that He so deserves.
God is so so good.
And so, with that.
my second deadline is met.
i still have a long ways to go funding wise.
BUT
I’m officially launching on the world race.
