Do you know that feeling you get when you’re about to top the hill of a roller coaster or the feeling that you need to do something more when you’re pondering life in the shower or the late hours of the night when you can’t sleep, or maybe when you look into the eyes of a baby in laughter, or maybe finishing a 5k for the first time under your goal. All these examples are experiences in my life where I have either felt joy or anxiousness and maybe both at the same time. I have found that this mission trip is doing the same but on a larger scale. I am so excited I cannot help but to sometimes jump and maybe let out a little yell and then sometimes I’m so anxious I wonder if this is what i’m really supposed to do. But like the roller coaster, i’m strapped in and can’t turn back. The best is yet to come. It’s very hard to convey the joy and utter excitement I have for this trip in simple text but I want you to personally think of that thing that makes you feel warm inside, that thing that words cannot explain no matter how hard you try. Maybe it’s the love of your children or spouse, maybe it’s that one song that comes on that you jam to in your car, or it could be the calming zeal when you play your favorite instrument. Got it? Good. Did you feel that unexplainable rush of emotions? Perfect. I want you to feel the same as I do when reading this blog. You have stopped what you are doing in your busy daily life to read this and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Now that you’re here, take a seat. Relax. I’ve got some things to share with you. As maybe most of you all know I am embarking on this amazing mission trip for 11 months to 11 countries. While there, I will be ministering to the ones who may need it the most and worshiping along with my brothers and sisters in Christ and learning more about who Jesus is to me. I’m going to impact and be impacted. Jesus has put a calling on my life to do this and it is something that I can’t shake so I might as well just give in. There have been a lot of roadblocks and things that have made me want to just throw in the towel and just forget I ever committed to this, but then someone comes along with a blessing and it makes the journey that much sweeter. I cannot express enough gratitude to those who have reached out to me and wanted to help me. I love you and thank you with all that is in me. Now don’t let me lose you here, but I need your help. (Oh geez, he’s going to ask us for money, I have kids and a home and…) Ok yes I need roughly around $16,500 for this trip and that is not just going to fall into my hands without a little work on my part. I understand the daily expenses of life and I’m no stranger to living pay check to pay check. All I’m asking is for you to search in your heart and find out how you are supposed to help me. If that is just a daily uplifting prayer then I will take that and run with it and be forever grateful. If you want to do more then that is just icing on top of this fundraising cake! I have began to sell shirts and that is going very well and I have a few other things up my sleeve that you all will be hearing about very soon. I just need you guys to be a part of my journey and support me like you say you do. I will share one story and then I’ll be done. I catch myself looking into my bank account app to see if I have enough to do this or that and this particular time I had a lot of expenses coming up that were all at once that I had no idea how they were going to get paid. Well one night after church I decided to grab a dollar menu burger at Wendy’s and then be on my way. God had way bigger plans. I got my food but as i drove off I felt so pressed to go back into that line and give that woman that served me a twenty dollar bill. Now that may not seem like a lot to some but these bills weren’t going to pay themselves and I didn’t get paid for another week and I needed that $20 for some gas. I almost pulled out into the road when I threw it into reverse and went back into the line and gave the woman my $20. She didn’t want to take it and repeatedly asked why. I had no other answer but just to say that God told me to bless her. Sitting at the Wendy’s drive through, we were both crying and thanking God for his blessings. I knew he would provide. That next morning I looked into my account and saw that an extra $400 had been added to my account. I thought I was dreaming. I called my bank because it had to be a mistake, but the woman could find no mistake and said that I must have looked at the amount wrong the previous day and that the money had been in there for a while. Once again, I balled like a baby and was just overwhelmed how God provided when I just listened to him. I don’t know what God has set out for you to do, but all I’m asking you to do is pray and then do! I love you all and PLEASE don’t hesitate to reach out to me for more information. Please watch this video as it may give you more insight to what this trip is about. If you do end up wanting to support me whether it be a one time thing or a monthly amount you can easily go to my page dylanledford.theworldrace.org and click “support me” on the options under my picture. Again, I can’t express how much I love you all. Please spread the word! Tell your coworkers, your business partners, your church, anyone! All I want is God to be magnified in this whole process. Thanks guys!
