Hello Freinds and Family! As many of you know, I will be going on an 11-month mission trip to 11 different countries. This experience will be amazing and challenging in so many known and unknown ways. The first challenge has already begun. FUNDRAISING! Fundraising causes a lot of mixed reactions but I want to talk about how my view of it has changed.
Many have a problem with self-fundraising and I believe most of those problems stem from pride or fear. Fear of leaving your fate in others hands. Fear of rejection. However, I believe the greatest fear is of how people will view you. Which leads into pride and how fundraising can step all over it! Pride in independence. Too much pride to see your need for help. Definitely, too much pride to ask for help!
I want to contend with those doubts by saying that if you submit to self-fundraising it will help you grow in ways like humility and faith! First, it will teach you humility because you must realize that you alone aren’t enough. You are forced to rely on the generosity of others. It also calls you to have faith! Faith that the Lord will provide. Faith that he will provide a community around you to support you.
Finally, I believe self-fundraising is SELFLESS rather than SELFISH! This may seem counterintuitive but it is so evident. First, self-fundraising forces you to talk about your mission trip and, by extension, you may encourage or challenge other believers in your community. Second, this allows others to show their generosity, reliability, and love for you. Finally, the process of self-fundraising allows others to join you in seeing out the Great Commision!
We are called to go and make disciples of ALL nations but not everybody has the ability to GO. When you allow them to come alongside you, financially and spiritually, you allow them to be part of seeing the Kingdom of GOD spread throughout the world.
If you would like to join me in this mission, I would encourage giving monthly. First, a small amount monthly can go a long way. More importantly, giving monthly will be more of a partnership, a continued support in spreading the kingdom, and a reminder to check in and see how your generosity is changing the world.
Thank you for your Generosity and have a Happy Holidays!
