When you sign up for the World Race, all of your focus becomes The World Race. You eat, sleep, pray, think, and dream The World Race. All your attention is focused on these 11 months in 11 different countries. You daydream on what you’ll do in Ireland or Mozambique. You think about all the people you’ll meet and be able to witness to. Sometimes you may think about what happens when you come back into the states, but the majority of your time is spent focusing on those specific 11 months.
What if you’re focusing on the wrong thing?
When you sign up for The World Race, you agree to so much more than those 11 months. You agree to work your butt off on fundraising. You agree to abandon everything and everyone. You agree to start your race immediately. You agree to a life-changing experience.
This journey doesn’t start when you board the plane to your first country. It starts when you apply. It starts at that first fundraiser. It starts with that first conversation about the race. It starts when you begin to trust God for providing the money. It begins when you realize that this isn’t YOUR race, it’s His. It begins when you can give up all of your control and trust Him. It begins when you trust Him for the money, the supplies, the vaccinations, and the goodbyes.
I remember when I started this journey. People thought I was crazy. They would ask how I would raise all this money. They asked what I would do when I got homesick. They’d ask about my parents. Each question gets the same answer: God’s got it under control.
The reality of it isn’t about me. It’s not about The World Race. It’s not about the money. It’s about the Kingdom. Period. If we have to raise $15,500 to be able to tell people about Jesus for the first time, then so be it. If we have raise $15,500 to finally be able to REALLY give up control and trust God, then so be it.
I’m not saying it’s been easy, because it definitely hasn’t. I’ve had people tell me they didn’t want to support me. I’ve been starred at in disbelief when I explained that the rest of the money would come in. Honestly, it’s taken me a long time to get to this point, but I’m okay with the struggle. I’m okay with not receiving a donation for 3 weeks straight, because when that one trickles in later, it gives me a reason to praise Him so much more.
Several of my squad mates are fully funded. God has really been showing off in this squad, and I love it. In the beginning, I was jealous because they had received an anonymous $500 donation, and I’d gotten nothing. I remember when it was announced that one of my squad mates was close to being fully funded. I was so envious. I wanted that kind of testimony! Since then, I’ve realized that God has something else in store for me. Now, when someone shares that they’re fully funded, I am overcome with excitement for them.
It’s motivation. It’s thankfulness. It’s hope.
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So far, we've raised $10,044.72! Praise the Lord! That means I need a little less than $5500! That's it! I wouldn't have gotten this far without you guys. It's because of you and your willingness to obey the Lord that I've gotten this far. I've received most of my supplies, and I've gotten my vaccinations. This is all that's left. To God be the glory! Feel lead to give to this journey? Click on the "Support Me!" link on the left side. 🙂
