Hello Friends!
The emotions and feeling I have are so hard to put into words but I am going to try my best for you all.
Today I spoke to my home church telling them about this adventure, I also held a bake sale during and in between the services. Now the church I attend has been my second home all my life, I was baptized and confirmed there, although I have attended this church my hole life there are still a lot of people I don’t know because there are two services. I go to the contemporary service but there is also a traditional service for the older crowd.
Anyways, I spoke to both services and am completely blown away but the love and support that was showered over me! This is where I do not have words! I cant say thank you enough! These people are the most generous, kind, supportive, and loving people I have encountered!
Once I got into the car I was so excited to count the money, I couldnt wait until I got home. Well I wasnt paying attention while I was collecting money during the bake sale but there was so much I couldnt count it in the car (mind you it was A LOT of one dollar bills). I did pull out the checks to count those, I pulled one out and immediately burst into tears, $500, then I looked at the name and had NO IDEA WHO IT WAS!!
I was told we had a visiting youth group that morning, they needed a place to stay the night before and decided to stay and enjoy church with us. One of the youth leaders had snuck that check into my bowl with out me knowing or getting to thank her or even getting to meet her. I am speechless! The only thing I could say through my tears as my mom drove us home was, “wow God really does answer your prayers.”
As I was sitting in the pew singing the songs before I got up to present I prayed to God saying, “Heavenly Father please open their hearts and minds today, please let your will be done, please bring in some money.” You see over the last month or so I have had a dry spell with fundraising partly because I have been so busy I had no time to put into it but I was still feeling down and discouraged about it. I did the math last night as I was finishing setting up for the bake sale, if I sold everything for the amount I had asked for I would make $220. I was thinking I might be able to get that much, and by the grace of God I got $1,000 more then I thought I would.
I am still in complete shock as I sit here tonight writing this to you, I truly can not believe that a total stranger would hand over $500 but I am so thankful and grateful to her and to God for working in her heart.
Thank you to all the others that donated! I just dont have words to express my gratitude to you all besides saying thank you! Thank you for believing in me, thank you for buying my treats, thank you for allowing me to be the hands and feet of our Lord, and most of all thank you for loving me so well.
Id like to give a special thank you to Aunt Heidi, Julie, and Dee who donated the baked goods to the sale, it took a huge weight off my shoulders not having to do all the baking!
Thank you all so so much for the donations, prayers, and support! With todays donations I have $9,840 raised which is 61%! Thank you so much!
Jesse
