I’m going to start this very blunt and say that fundraising for the World Race is probably one of the most challenging things I have done. Some of you just read that and rolled your eyes, I know. 6 months ago I probably would have too. You’re thinking, “What’s so hard? You are literally asking people for free money. I WISH it was acceptable for me to do that for my rent!” Yes, I totally hear you, believe me it sounds like that is the case but this has been one of the most humbling experiences that is already teaching me so much.
First, I have learned how to humble myself and ASK for money. Sometimes yes, it is just as awkward as it sounds. We live in a society where everyone wants to be independent. We are proud and we are self-reliant. We hold our heads so high sometimes we forget to look around and we miss the amazing people surrounding us with open arms asking us to lean in. I am going on this mission trip with the help of so many people. This is just as much my journey as it is theirs because they have actively chosen to believe in me, to sew into His kingdom, and to help bring the good news to those who have not yet heard.
I pretty much spend my free time now refreshing my email every chance I get looking for that special “[email protected]” in my inbox (S/o to all my fellow racers reading this and nodding in agreement). I also spend a lot of time improving my mental math skills by trying to add up all my donations that have not processed yet and figure out how much I’m going to raise doing what. But, When I don’t see anything for a few days I think, “Wait, ok. I better search this email address in my inbox JUST to be sure. Maybe I missed something. I really hope I missed something? Please God, let there be another e-mail!” And then when you finally see an email, it’s like Christmas morning every time! For those of you who have made a donation to me or literally any world racer or missionary ever, I promise this is true. You literally MAKE our day! I have found $10 on the street before, but let me tell you it is a whole different feeling when I find $10 in my donation tab. What makes it so special isn’t the dollar amount, but the fact that it means there is another person saying, “Go! You CAN do this! I believe in you too!” Trust me, you should see our Squad’s “Whatsapp”. It’s about 50% praising God, 30% freaking out about fundraising (especially with this July deadline), 10% Wolf-pack related business, 5% trying to coordinate a Google hangout, and 5% Memes, Haha. But most importantly, we all rejoice together! We have built such a sense of community before we have even met, and it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of! So your donation is not only encouragement to the individual you’re supporting, but it’s encouragement for the entire squad to see other people supporting our calling!
The second thing I have learned through fundraising is how much I absolutely HAVE to lean on God.
Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”
Okay, yes I have technically always known this but I will be the first to admit I don’t always do that. A month ago, I remember sitting in my bed crying because I had only raised $1,000 and I was supposed to have $5,000 by mid July. I remember thinking “There is no freaking way I can do this.” And I was right. I, Jordan, cannot do this alone. This is so much bigger than me and just nope. Not possible to rely on myself for this one. I was really struggling with giving this up to God because I like to have control over situations and I wanted to have control over “MY” fundraising (haha, dumb me). Throughout the month I was just absolutely blown away by the support that seemed to be flowing in. God kept giving me reason after reason to TRUST HIM. Don’t get me wrong, some days I was like “HECK YES JESUS, I CAN DO THIS!!” but other days I was STILL like, “What did I get myself into, this is impossible!!!”
Well, tonight was one of those, “How the heck am I going to do this?” nights and I was honestly feeling really discouraged. I had a long and emotionally exhausting day and I was just ready to break down and cry…. So I did. And simultaneously I started praying about the race, about trusting the Lord, about preparing my heart, and about revealing His plan for me. My heart was still longing for a sign that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and that all my decisions leading me to leave my friends, family, and comforts to pursue mission work were the right ones. Without asking, I needed affirmation, and strength, and perseverance…the kind that only the Lord can provide. In that exact moment, sitting at my desk crying while trying to study for French, I get a notification on Facebook. It was a comment on one of my post from an extended family member that basically said she had a rough day but the lord lifted her up. She said she saw my post as a sign from God and wanted to make a very generous donation. You would think after a few months I would be used to these kinds of comments, but you don’t ever get “used” to it because each one is a new testimony in this beautiful story He is continuously writing. When I read her comment I started crying even more. Suddenly, I felt all my anxieties and doubts leaving me and instead they were replaced with the Holy Spirit flooding over me with peace, and reassurance, and self- worth and everything I needed right then. As if this wasn’t enough, God decided to really show me that I shouldn’t put him in a box! Within minutes, I got an email on my phone from the beautiful “[email protected]” with another generous donation from someone I do not know and, of course, I started crying even more.
Y’ALL, ISN’T OUR GOD AWESOME? He PROVIDES, He PROVIDES, He PROVIDES!!! In that moment He knew exactly what I needed and He gave. Here I am still in Austin, Texas and the Lord is already molding my heart for this trip in the most beautiful and unexpected ways. So no, I cannot do this… but you know what? HE CAN.
Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
You see, these are the beautiful moments you don’t always get to witness. These are the times that make this incredible journey and all the stress WORTH IT. I wanted to get a little vulnerable and share this story with you to let you know that YOU are making a difference by allowing us to step out into the world and pursue this crazy and beautiful calling God has given us. I have been so blessed with the support that I have received so far. At this point, saying thank you doesn’t even seem to be enough because my eternal gratitude is beyond words. I want every single person to know that your donations and your prayers mean more than any of us can ever adequately describe. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
