Fundraising.
I have never thought nor talked more about $$$ in my life!
The entire process has been exhausting, humbling, both discouraging and encouraging, surprising, and so very frustrating. I knew that I would have to work to raise the money. I did not expect for it to be handed to me on a silver platter, but I did think it would come in more consistently than it has. $15,500+ is daunting, but I began the fundraising process trusting that God would provide. I've heard too many miraculous stories of Him ushering the money in, sometimes up to the very last minute and in the most unexpected ways, to doubt He would come through for me as well.
I met the first deadline.
It was difficult and didn't go as "planned"-not that anything ever does when we allow God to direct our path, Amen? Not only do I feel like I barely scraped by, which makes me nervous for the upcoming deadlines, but I also feel like I had something to prove and I failed. I was so determined to show my parents that other people cared enough and are generous enough that I wouldn't need their financial help. I really didn't want to have to depend on my parents. They have done more than enough to provide for me throughout my life. Plus, they were opposed to the trip to begin with because it will separate us for nearly a year, and place me in conditions that they don't see fit for their vulnerable "baby girl."
Well, my parents ended up helping with my fundraising in just about every way possible.
I am so grateful, yet I feel like I failed them. God was supposed to bring money in through myself and anyone other than my immediate family. I thought their hearts would be more open to me participating in such a distant long-term mission if they saw the money pouring in from elsewhere because I associated the donations with divine confirmation that this is definitely God's will for me. How could they deny it then? Now that I think about it, maybe God wanted to show me that my parents' hearts would change once they had a greater hand in my support raising. They have stepped up in ways I would not have anticipated, which has allowed them to see for themselves the amount of love/support that my community has for me. Likewise, their involvement has allowed me to see how much they support me in this calling. Talk of convincing me not to go on the World Race is nonexistent now. Instead, my family and I talk daily about how we are going to work together to get me to launch. That is something to be praised!
One last note: the money means nothing to me other than I have to have it to go on the World Race. It's a means to an end. The emotional and spiritual backing, love, and support that I have received means so much more. If you have been a part of this process in anyway, thank you! My cup runneth over.
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Here's to the $12,000 I still have to raise! S.O.S.
