A miracle happened. I AM FULLY FUNDED! $6,315 donated to keep me here on the race!
Last week I fasted for my fundraising. So many friends fasted with me, posted for me, asked people for donations, and fought for me to stay. It’s been a wrestle with God lately. I know that He is good, but sometimes it’s hard to feel like He’s good when nothing seems to be going right and He isn’t providing a need I have been praying for. It has been really hard to have faith when I don’t feel like He hears me. Finally I sat down and told God: You called me here, and I don’t believe it’s your plan for me to be sent home. It’s in your hands. I just gave it all up and trusted He would come through for me.
I was outside playing with the kids when my team leader running downstairs and asking if I had checked my fundraising. I had just checked the night before, and was at $9,567. She told me that I was over $14,000. I was in disbelief. WHATTTTT. I ran upstairs, grabbed my computer, and when my fundraising page loaded I screamed so loud I’m pretty sure the whole town heard me. $4,765 donated in ONE DAY. God freaking came through!!! Donations had poured in the day I fasted and didn’t show up in my account until then. SO MANY.
This morning, I went to Starbucks and got wifi. I opened my computer and got an email that someone donated the last $1,500 I needed to be fully funded. GUYS. I AM FULLY FUNDED!!!! I’m over $15,800. The day finally came. Ahhhhh!!! I’m done fundraising!
One week ago, I felt out of options with fundraising and didn’t know what to do. One week ago, I was on the verge of being sent home due to lack of funds. One week ago, I didn’t even know if I had any faith left. Seeing with my own eyes His goodness has completely changed my perspective. He is LITERALLY a miracle worker. I never thought this could ever happen to me. I have heard stories like this, and was bitter that God wasn’t choosing to work a miracle in my own life despite my struggle. Yet here I am. FULLY FUNDED. 8 anonymous donations. Some donations for thousands of dollars. Donations from people who have never even met me. Donations from people who stumbled upon my blog and chose to support me. Donations from people who know and love me, and continue to help because they see how much this means to me.
I have been fundraising for almost a year now, and it has been a very stressful journey. Most of my blogs mention about my fundraising at the bottom, but it doesn’t let you into the reality of what fundraising on the field looks like. It doesn’t show how often I broke down because I didn’t think I would get there. How I lived with this looming fear that I might be sent home. How it was so hard to find time in the day to sit down and send support emails, think of more people I can contact, update leadership on my progress, and post about it. How the time I was able to get wifi on the weekends was used to focus on fundraising and blog and I often didn’t even have time to talk to my family. How I got to a point that I didn’t think anybody cared anymore what happened to me. That I wasn’t important enough to help.
I thought for a long time, that the people who did care weren’t enough. I needed such a big amount that even though people were supporting me, I thought it wouldn’t be enough. I have learned that if I shift my focus on how much support I have received instead of focusing on what support I haven’t gotten, I no longer feel defeated, I feel empowered. Empowered because of YOU. So many of you have come through for me right before a deadline and I just happened to reach my goal for the month. And now I’ve reached my final goal. You helped get me here. I have to let you know how much pressure has been lifted off my shoulders.
Thank you. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for standing with me. Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for touching my heart.
Tears of JOY. I’m in awe. Still can’t believe it’s real. He is a miracle working God.
Just know that God hears you. He knows your heart. And He knows your needs. Be patient, but do not be passive. Wait with expectance that He will come through for you and petition Him knowing that He is moving in the unseen. You are not alone.
Here and now. This is where I am, and this is where I am staying.
XOXO, Cat
