I heard someone once say, “when you’re trying to present the Gospel to someone, and they reject you, they aren’t rejecting you, just Christ.” That usually makes me feel way better because how could you reject me? I am Jarren Templeton! Possibly one of the coolest people you will ever meet!! But then it sets in, they are rejecting the only One who loves them despite everything they will ever do and everything they will ever be. Its hard to come to terms with this, but its true and the only thing I or we can do is continue to show them the Christ they will one day come to love!
I say all of this to say when I first started off on this awesome journey of fundraising for the WorldRace, my intention was to win people over with why I wanted to go or what I was going to be doing. I would constantly think about the words that would captivate people and would get them to buy in to what I was trying to sell. Oh man or if you’re my Bff Callie Knippa, Oh Manna! God is so gracious and is so loving. He doesn’t yell in anger or in frustration. He whispers in love and kindness and says things like, “Jarren do you want them to invest in what you’re doing or in what I am doing.” Gahh. Boom, right to the chest!! He got me. Its pretty easy for me to get overwhelmed with the “me” aspect of the world race. I am raising money so I can go to the nations and so I can be changed and so I can make an impact. When really the World Race has NOTHING to do with me, or if anything, it is very small! God has called me on an AMAZING opportunity to go and share His name and who He is with people who have never or who have seen little of Him. God is allowing me share my heart with people as to why I feel like the Lord has called me to the World Race. God is allowing me to see His faithfulness and love every time someone gives or becomes a prayer partner. In other words, when people give, they aren’t giving to me, but to what the Lord is going to do in me.
To those who have given or are a part of my prayer team, Thank you so much for investing in what the Lord has called me to. Thank you for believing in me, that I little ol Jarren, am going to be changed and molded into someone who looks like Christ. Thank you for initially investing in me as a person and hopefully seeing now that you are investing in what Christ wants to do in my life. There are not enough words or tears or thank you’s that I can say, write, sign, sing or dance that will show my gratitude to the Lord and to you. Seriously couldn’t have done this without Y’all!!
All the feels!
– Jarren
