To be real with you, I’M FREAKING OUT ABOUT FUNDRAISING for the World Race. I’m freaking out because I feel like if I don’t do something for the fundraising, then I won’t be able to meet the total amount and then no more World Race for me. Well…It’s a trap! The truth is, if God gives you a promise, He will do something about it and His promise will come through.
Often times I would go about my day unfiltered—meaning, I would do things my way, treat others how I think they want to be treated, and make decisions based on my own feelings and desires—and not really asking the Lord, “what do You think? What is it that You want to speak to me or show me today?” For a long time, I thought that as long as I put my thinking cap on and try really hard to think and see things the way everybody else does, then I’ll be accepted and loved, because then I’ll become like one of them, part of them. And because of this, I lost sight of my identity—in fact, I never truly understood what knowing my identity in Christ means until now. This phrase from psalm and United Pursuit’s Through and Through keeps echoing in my ears these past few weeks, it goes, “You see me, You know me, and You love me through and through.” Now this, is the truth that I’m learning to accept and believe—that my Lord, my God, loves me just the way I am, flawed (in my own standard) yet amazing and unique because this is just what God aimed for when He created me.
I’m gonna pause here real quick and share with you how God called me to the World Race.
I found out about the World Race this past summer while browsing blogs on Pinterest and stumbled across a featured article on this Christian online magazine (tirzahmag.com). The author of this article was a former Racer and she shared about doing missions around the world. Now, for the longest time I’ve dreamed of traveling around the world—backpacking around the world actually. But this one, the World Race, is even better: it’s backpacking AND doing missions around the world. This program appealed to me so much that I read tons of blogs and watched videos on the WR website to try to find out everything about this program. However, long story short, my biggest reservation about going was my parents—that I don’t want to disappoint them by taking a year off doing missions and not being completely sure what I’m going to do after.
So I started praying and sought God, I mean, if God says no then sure, I’ll find a job and apply to grad school. However, after three months of praying and waiting, He spoke to me. During worship at my college fellowship where I was just enjoying His presence, the Spirit came and made an impression in my heart, He said, “Yes you can go,” and immediately I knew it was about the World Race. Excited about this confirmation, I read even more World Race blogs the next day. BUT THEN, while reading one of the blogs, the Holy Spirit filled me again and He said, “Would you go in My name.” By this time, I was filled with His love and warmth and gentleness that I started tearing up. He showed himself to me and He is so majestic yet so personal and gentle. My God, this God of the universe, answered my prayers and invited me in the most personal way to go out to the nations and serve in His name. So I GUESS I’m going (lol, jk.)
But by nature I’m a greedy person and I want to know more—I wanted a third and final confirmation for this trip. But actually, in my heart I already knew that family was going to be a huge deciding factor because I love my parents and I want to honor them as well. Long story short, I believe that God spoke to my mom through a dream which helped confirm this decision for me and that fulfilled my request for the third and final confirmation.
So here I am, trying my best to be obedient and act not out of pride but humility and wisdom from Him. Frankly there have been fundraising ideas here and there but they never came through because these fundraiser ideas would have came out of my own strength, not His. (And I think we all know what happens when we try to take control over God-called things right?) Here I am, broken and unprepared, but by the grace of God have peace and am still able to hear Him and feel Him near me, which is all I truly need. And here I am, a daughter of God who has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and even though I am nowhere near perfect, my calling is to be closer to Him and to be more like Him.
My fear is not that I won’t meet the deadlines for fundraising, my fear is that I lose sight of my Creator and His heart after me throughout the fundraising process.
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A HUGE SHOUTOUT and THANK YOU to my wonderful supporters!! Your donations has made an incredible impact, whether it’s $50 or $500!
In case you’re wondering, “Where will my donations go to?” Here is a breakdown for how the money is going to be used.
Total cost: $15,500 + $757 (International Insurance)
And out of the 65% for me while I’m abroad, the money will cover travel, food, lodging, transportation, and other basic necessities. It does not, however, cover daily personal expenses and the $757 International Insurance.
Deadlines
- June 12 2015 – $3500 REACHED
- August 21 2015 – $10,000 <–I am $4184 away from this deadline!
- October 31 2015 – $13,000
- December 31 2015 – $16,267
You can support me by clicking on the “Support Me!” tab on the right side of the fundraising bar, OR
You can also give by check.
Send checks to:
Adventures in Missions OR Jessica Mao
PO Box 742570 507 Stanford
Atlanta, GA 30374-2570 Irvine, CA 92612
Make check(s) payable to Adventures in Missions
Memo Line: World Race – Jessica Mao
** All donations given online or by check addressed to Adventures in Missions are TAX DEDUCTIBLE**
Please prayerfully consider partnering with me on this journey. Your support will literally reach to the people on the other side of the world. 🙂
