Alright, now I know some of you are new to this whole blog and even to the World Race. I encourage you to take a little time and dink around the website to figure out a bit more about it. If you ever have questions, just drop me a comment in the “How YOU can contact ME!!” link up there on the left. Those of you who I haven’t had a chance to chat much with these past years might be asking where in the world I am and what in the world I have been up to…Well, from NMU I went over to Dakar, Senegal to teach and then up to the Bering Sea last year to teach and manage a radio station on St. Paul Island (Deadliest Catch area.)
How did you get on my mailing list?
Well that’s a bit different for much of you actually. Some of you have signed up yourself, or heard about it on facebook. Others joined my facebook group “Benny’s World Race” and so I added you to this list. Honestly there are also some people that are on here that I just don’t know…yet 🙂 If you wish to not get these updates shoot me an email and I can take you off. Hopefully though you’ll be able to read some of these despite your busy schedules and lives. I understand what it is like to be a full time worker and student and wouldn’t be offended if you don’t read my long-winded thoughts of my heart…however, I believe there is value in both what I’ll say and what I’ll go through this next year and firmly feel you will be blessed by just reading through these this year. When you are low, discouraged, disappointed, frustrated, lonely or are just having a bad day, I’d suggest taking some time to just rest and soak up some of these words and let them stir your heart.
So what is this world race business and what is our goal?
Good question….The world race is a year of missions focused work in 11 months and 11 countries through a group called Adventures In Missions. That being said I want you to know that is far from a vacation, seeing the world or just something to do while I’m still young. Will I see the world and does this seem more possible now while I’m still young? Yes, most definitely! However, these past months God has been softening my heart and shaping it and I’m learning quickly that my NORMAL is about to change (as Sean Smith would say.) This upcoming year will be spent learning how to love the way God does…I’ll have a blog that will touch on this soonish.
So how much does this cost and where are you at?
Well I saved this for last because it’s least in my mind. Each participant has to raise approximately $14,000 to pay for this trip. We have to have 60% of that money in our accounts by the time we leave which is about %8,300. I currently have just over $7,000 so I am getting close to that benchmark. I also have another 1,800 or so in pledges throughout the year that will also come in. SO, needless to say God has been faithful and I am ever so grateful for the generosity of the hearts who have sown into this!!! Thank you…For those of you new to this blog, you might be thinking that “oh, there it is-I was wondering when he’d be asking for money…” I want you to know that God is faithful and He will bring it in. He will put it on people’s hearts to donate. In fact I challenge yo to not support me financially unless God puts it on your heart to do so. For you I would just love for you to continue reading my blogs and get a taste of my heart as it is becoming more like His…However, If He does, I challenge you to listen to Him.
OK, now that little update is out of the way I was wondering if you were ready for some more blogs? I have been sitting in a deer blind for awhile and gone to visit some family, so I have been away from the computer for a couple weeks now. I’ve got some book reports, analogies and words God has been speaking to me to share with you…Those of you who are new I just want to let you know that you won’t always get a ton of these in a day or two 🙂 Don’t get overwhelmed! Read them when you get time.
