Hi y’all! Sorry it’s been a while since a new blog post. The wifi is really scarce here in South Africa. This blog’s purpose is for support raising. At the end of November I have to be fully supported and that means I currently need about $2,000 more…. That may seem like a bit but I am fully confident that the Lord works in super rad ways. To my current supporters, thank you so much for your prayers and financial gifts!!!
In the past four months of the race, I’ll admit it’s not been what I thought or even hoped. Nobody tells you or blogs about the hard or even average days on the race. They don’t get instagrammed or featured. No one tells you about the nights you are homesick like crazy or the times when you want to quit and go home or the days that you feel like you’re accomplishing absolutely nothing or the amount of free time you actually have or even right now as I write this I’m stuck in bed because my colon is inflamed from some viral infection that I picked up (I’m all good though- got some meds from the doc.)
The race has completely redefined my definition of ministry. God has also shown me that He had a way way different purpose for me doing the race than what I had thought. I wrote a blog earlier in the race about not feeling useless. I had thought that I learned that lesson but I really didn’t until this past week.
My ministry on the race so far has consisted of helping to teach morals classes in schools, manual labor building a house, sitting in a coffee shop editing videos, hiking a volcano, going to the doctor with a sick teammate, grading papers, washing a bus, cleaning bathrooms, playing Euchre, playing soccer, going to the dentist with a teammate when her tooth fell out, buying groceries for a beggar on the street, pouring into my teammates, and even just daily walking out my relationship with Christ. You name it I have probably done it. If you told me that was the stuff I would be doing on the race, honestly, I’m not sure that I would have signed up. Selfishly, I wanted to do rad things and serve in super cool ways- my ideal was not cleaning bathrooms or going to the doctor. The Lord has totally changed and shaped my heart into any way to serve anyone is ministry.
Honestly, the past week I’ve had some doubts about being here on the race. I was struggling with the amount of free time, sitting around doing “nothing”. Then during my quiet time I started to read through James. I got to James 4:13 and felt a big conviction…. James 4:13-15 says this, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, do you not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.” DANG. Our time and days aren’t even our own. They are all a gift from God. It’s a gift from God that you woke up this morning to go to work or to school. That’s not a super popular concept but it’s the truth and something that the Lord kindly hit me in the face with. This isn’t even my time to feel wasted or useless on the race or even in general.
Something I’m not a huge fan of doing is asking for money. I was at the point earlier this week where I wanted to put in zero effort to raising the rest of my support. I thought, “Oh well, if God wants me here then He’ll just provide.” Looking back that was a terrible mindset that I had. So, ditching that mindset, I am writing this blog and asking. Asking if you or your friends or anyone you know would like to financially support me. You can donate right on the top of my blog- there is a little support me button that you can click on. Realistically, if I don’t get fully supported I will be heading home and that isn’t super ideal. So, if you, yourself, can’t donate, y’all have friends so please ask them!! Thanks so much!
Another blog coming soon about ministry and some cool God stories….. so STAY TUNED!
FYI if you’re trying to contact me, facebook messenger is the best way! Thanks y’all (:
– Bri Stump.
