How do I say this?
I have a long journey ahead of me.
I’ve had dreams about it.
In one, my closest friends, my family, people I know who have been on the World Race are all talking with me. Conversations that revolve around the journey I’m going to be on.
And they all tell me the same thing. “It’s a long journey.” “Why are you doing this?” “What makes you think this is right for you?”
And as the dream continues, the questions keep coming. “What have you done to deserve this chance?” “How can you think you can do anything?”
And then they change to statements. “You’re not strong enough for this.” “Listen to the stories you’ve heard, you’re not ready.” “You can’t love these people (and it’s not that the people are unloveable, it’s that I can’t love them).” “You have no idea of what you’re getting into and you won’t survive it.”
And in those words that hurt my heart, my dream-self says something that makes me soar. “I know I can’t. I know that I’m not strong enough. I know that I’m clueless about what is going to happen and that I can’t make it though most of what is to come. I know that I’m not prepared for the hurt I will see and experience. I know my world is too small for me to really understand any of this. But it doesn’t matter. I have no doubt that God has called me into this moment and even if I get ripped to shreds, I’m going.”
I woke up that morning, with all of those words stirring in my head, my body tired. I woke with the echoes of all of it playing in my ears. The painful words from people I love telling me that I have already failed. Whispering and shouting at the same time that no good will come of this journey. But I still had the other voice too. The one that I know is God’s. I know that it is His, because, by my own will, I could never have said that to myself. I know it was His because….I do.
And I’m starting to prepare myself to be ripped to shreds. It’s already started. Each day, I’m waking up and thinking, “How is this going to happen? I have to ask people…to help me.” But then I have to think of this with a slight change. “One: I have God here. He is calling my name and asking me to do this. It’s His call. Two: It’s not just people. These are people who love you. People who have already influenced your life. They are embedded in your story. Included in your Room of Marvels. Three: You aren’t supposed to go alone. You’ve know this from the very first. That you didn’t want to do life alone, travel alone, nothing alone. So don’t even think you can fundraise alone.”
And I won’t. I can’t. I’m asking for help from you. The people I love, and I hope love me back.
I have a challenge. It’s a challenge in community, something I’m always learning about. I want to challenge you to help me, by asking your community. I want you to ask 10 people-friends, family, co-workers, people you would call your community-for $10. It’s not monumental. Something that a lot of people can save in less than a month. And not all of the people will feel called to give. But if I have 10 of you do this for me, I’m half way to my first deadline. If I have 50 people do this, I’m one-third of the way to the final goal. And so I challenge you and your community. I can’t do this alone. I need someone to help. I need you, a member of my community, written into my life story.
