Let's talk Money!
(and no, this is not another 'give me money blog,' so keep reading! This is some good stuff!)
Coming into the world race, money to me seemed like one of the biggest stumbling blocks.
Growing up in a poor family I learned to stretch every penny, and here I was years later asking hard working people in this falling economy to donate their hard earned money to me.
At first I felt guilty because I felt like I was taking their money. Luckily for me God changed my heart for that and showed me that people weren't donating to Me, but to Him, and His kingdom.
After I got over the guilt for accepting donations I had to move on to facing an even bigger dilemma: I Never ask people for money. I hate when people give me money, or buy me stuff, or go out of their way to help me. It always makes me feel bad. I Love to help people, but do not like asking for help in return. Humbling myself to ask for money was and still is something that I really struggle with.
Once I sucked up my pride, I began asking for donations. I could tell that God was working in people's hearts and showing up right when I needed it. When i was worried about how i was going to buy a sleeping bag or a backpack, someone would surprise me with an early Christmas present. When I was worried about international insurance, complete strangers would walk up and put money in my hand. Family members, friends, church family, and even strangers showered me in love and support every single time I asked.
Despite all the amazing donations that came in however, support raising never seemed to come easy. The deadline would be approaching, and I would always only just scrape by. I had an idea of what I wanted to happen in my fundraising, and it was a struggle for me every time that it didn't go as I immagined or planned. God was beginning to show me what true dependence on him looked like. Every time a deadline approached I would look at my account and begin worrying. How woI ever make it?
When I left back in July I was… Concerned. I had only just made the deadline, and had no idea what fundraising from the other side of the world looked like. Over the next two and a half months discouragement tried to surface over and over again, as I continued to look at my fundraising account, and continued to see hardly any increase at all. With me being gone, it was as if everyone had forgoten about me.
As the deadline for October approached I began to seriously worry. With less then a month left I still needed $3,500 just to meet the next deadline. I blogged, and stressed, and immagined what coming home early would look like. What happens when there is literally nothing you can do about a situation? When you are completely helpless?
You begin to pray.
You begin to be dependent on God.
You begin to realize the place that you should have been all along.
When you acknowledge that there is literally nothing you can do, then you can accept the fact that God is completely in control, and that whatever happens is from God, and not from you.
The other morning the girls on my team and another team were having devotional. I began to read philliapins 4:6 which speaks abut not being anxious about anything, and instead trusting in God. I then told them that I was giving my fundraising up to God yet again. There is Nothing that I can do, and I have to have faith that He would step in.
That night I got an email.
A man from my church told me that he and his amazing family had it on their hearts that I was not supposed to be worried about money while I was on the Race. That I should be focused on the people I am with, and the places that I am in, and not be thinking about money.
He then asked me for the total amount that I needed in my fundraising account.
He ended the email by saying "by next week, consider yourself fully funded"
Our Amazing, unbelievable, unfatiomable, loving God put it on this familys heart to donate almost eight thousand dollars so that I could focus on the work set before me, and not be distracted by fundraising. This was nothing I could have done, it was not a pre-organized fundraiser, or support letter, this was all Him.
Our Father provides for us.
If you are just starting your fundraising, are halfway through it, or are worried about the upcoming deadline hear me when I say this:
Out Daddy's got this! He WILL provide.
Philippians 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
