If you would have asked me a year ago, where I would be today, I certainly wouldn’t have painted a picture of what currently sits in front of me. I remember laying in my tent at my training camp, the rainstorm drowning out my heavy sobbing, contemplating whether I wanted to send the dreadful text to my mom that said, “I can’t do this. I don’t know what I signed up for, but this whole thing is more than I can handle.”
I sit here today, completely in awe at how much my life has changed since that moment. I love the quote by William G.T. Shedd that says, “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for” because it helped me come to an understanding that in order to see the potential that God has for my life, I have to walk away from comfort and safety, and spread open my sails to see what direction God has the wind blowing.
The World Race has lead me into some pretty neat places of growth and a much deeper understanding of who I am and who God is in my life. “Neat” may be one word to describe the process, but I don’t think that fully encompasses the fight it has taken for me to get where I stand today. A constant battle stood in front of me, between the Lord showing me my potential as a leader and an overwhelming amount of doubt and inadequacy fighting against it. A verse I held onto tightly throughout my year, in 2 Corinthians 12 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
I can reflect back on so many moments of weakness in this past year. Laying in my tent that night, full of doubt that I would be able to actually embark on the 11 month journey in front me. Being chosen as a team leader at training camp and then further being raised up as a squad leader. I remember standing in front of our leadership team and squad of 50 people and getting extremely raw and honest, expressing that I didn’t think I could be the leader that they needed me to be.
In a way, I think God was looking down and smiling at me during each of those moments of weakness knowing that his promise in 2 Corinthians would come to fruition. In between each of those instances, growth and awareness of the things I am gifted in surfaced like I’ve never seen before. As I grew more confident in my leadership abilities, my passion to empower others to identify their gifts and capabilities grew bigger than I thought possible. Through every hard conversation and burst of encouragement, my desire to empower others to navigate through the good, the bad, the hard and the unknown in their lives continued to increase. I thrive in the moments I get to watch individuals walk into a greatness they didn’t even know was available to them.
This passion now brings me to this current moment where I get to tell you all that I have accepted a position to go back out on the World Race as a Squad Leader. I will leave on August 8th for another 5 months, where I will be leading K-Squad alongside my good friend Casey. We will go to Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nepal, India and Cambodia and at the end of the 5 months, we will raise up new leaders to take our place and send off our lovely squad to finish this incredible journey without our guidance.
It’s funny how we create a timeline in our lives of plans that we think are best, and the Lord comes in a completely changes everything. I didn’t anticipate this being a part of my plan. I was confident that I had my next steps mapped out and certainly wasn’t expecting to go back out on the field this quickly. I also wasn’t expecting to accept a job of which fundraising would be required in order to do what I love. But again, the Lord makes his power perfect in our weakness. He has other plans for this next season of my life and I want to ask you guys to be a part of it.
Rather than Support Raising being something that I have to check off my list as a pre-requisite for doing mission work, my heart has shifted to recognizing it as a beautiful opportunity to invite others to come along on the journey with me and be a part of my community. Each and every one of you has played a vital role in the woman that I am today, through your support and encouragement over this past year.
With that being said, I would humbly and prayerfully like to ask you all to continue to be a part of my journey. I have to raise $6,500 in order to fulfill my position as a Squad Leader.
$3,500 will cover my 5 month’s on the field
$1,500 will cover my travel to month 7 debrief
$1,500 will cover my travel to final debrief in month 11
Whether it is a one-time donation or a monthly contribution, I thank you all in advance for coming alongside me, believing in my heart to raise up confident and impactful leaders, and trusting where the Lord is leading me in this next season.
You all have become part of my family and for that, I thank you.
Please reach out if you have any questions!
With Love,
Jami
Go to jamiallison.theworldrace.org and click the donate button to place a donation!!! (It is tax deductible)
