I been thinking for a while about doing another blog post before I leave in a few days. Tomorrow is launch and on the 7th we fly out for Spain. I’ve already posted about how I feel or have felt up to this point about all the anxieties and fears that come with being gone from my community and what I know here in America for a year. There is a reality that I’ve had to deal with, I’m leaving. Thankfully Jesus has helped me to embrace that reality. I’m actually excited to grow and face whatever adversity is to come! All of that to say, I still owe you all something. Ready? Here it is ready or not: THANK YOU!
Without the constant support of my community, my donors, and the fervent prayer of my fellow believers supporting the mission God has me on, I wouldn’t be at the point I am now. Praise the Lord for you! In the words of Blake Shelton: “God gave me you for the update and downs.” Thank you all for sending sweet messages, coming to various fundraising events, donating, and praying on behalf of me and my squad!
As I sit here I have raised $15,272.02 for this year ahead. I have $420 in monthly support as well. To be fully funded I would need to have $18,700 raised. If you do the math, that means in $3427.98 until I’m fully funded. With current monthly donations, I’ll be fully funded in 8 months or March. That’s with no other donations coming in. So to those giving monthly, a special thank you! Your dedication to generosity is a crazy awesome inspiration. I hope I pass it on well! I want to be transparent because it’s testimony not to my ability or anything I can do, but what God has done through my community. I did some stuff to try to earn donations. Y’all I had a car wash last week. I washed 3 cars of mostly strangers and earned $11 towards the cause. IT’S NOT ME! I’m utterly humbled by the generosity of you people who I really can’t repay. I just hope my humble thank you is acceptable. Moreover, I hope to share this amazing opportunity with you all here back home and share it well. I want you all to see the impact of your generosity on the world. I want to see the Gospel go out to the nation’s. It really is a privilege to get to be one of the vessels of Christ to the nation’s. Thank you for entrusting the news to me! I’m honored!
God is teaching me so much right now and I wish I could put everything into words. I so want to share the Creator’s love with everyone I go and meet, and I want to share it here at home. I’ve spent lots of this final time before launch with family and had close friends visit. I’ve done some fundraising activities, and I moved with the ending of my lease (my Landlord prayed over me yesterday and misses me and the roommates already). But finally, I’ve slowed down. I’ve taken a deep breath and I’m breathing out thank you and praise for all God is doing now, all he has done so far, and all He will do going forward with this journey. My soul has found rest in Him. Today I encourage you. Stop. Breath. The God of the universe is in control and in your corner. Nothing can separate you from Him. Choose Him who was revealed in Christ Jesus, and rest in the promise of the resurrection.
Other things:
Encouraging Gospel passage –
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:21?-?25 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1pe.2.21-25.ESV
New cool app I found (new to me ok!?)
Read Scripture by Crazy Love Ministries – go check it on any app store. I think I’m going to do this reading plan on the year ahead!
Cool video:
Working on reading Everybody Always by Bob Goff. Read it with me?
Photos of packing:
Regret – I didn’t have photos taken of many of the goodbyes for this year, I will have to take more pictures going forward. Here is one that I took while taking out my friend Seth’s trash with Jeremy who is also leaving, but to work at Disney.
God bless,
-Daniel
P.S. if you’d like to give, please do! It’s not too late, and I’m sure my monthly donors wouldn’t mind getting to end their donations before March because of someone else’s generosity! Once I’m fully funded, I encourage you to look through my squad (or do it now I’d love that!) and find someone else to give to. We all are going to carry the same message of Jesus to people, and we all need funding to do it. My squad is a huge blessing to me and others. More on them like for the next 11 months!
