“Chaos calls, but all you really need is to just breathe.”
As the time towards my Launch on the World Race (137 days…whaaatt?!?) dwindles down, I find myself constantly and anxiously thinking of all the things that I still have to get done. The endless amount of gear to research, buy, and pack is overwhelming and scary. Plane tickets need to be bought to not only training camp (which is in August,) but also to my launch site. Fundraisers need to be planned, ideas thought of, and executed. The amount of money that stands between what I have in my World Race account right now, and being fully funded keeps me up some nights (most nights.) I have so much to do in so little time, and my life feels more than just a little crazy sometimes.
And I’m more than just a little bit overwhelmed.
Now, don’t get me wrong; I do love this process/journey for the World Race. I am so excited to see all of the awesome things that God is going to do not only when I’m in my three countries, but also during this overwhelming and crazy fundraising/mobilizing process. However, on some days I can almost feel my brain exploding from the stress and chaos that is going on inside of it. And most days, I just want to skip the whole mobilizing process in general, and just be on the race. I want to be in Thailand right now, with my team, serving the Lord and his people.
I want to be doing something.
But that’s not possible, because there’s a reason for such a long mobilizing/fundraising process. Because God uses this time to teach me, and my team mates, all about patience, and trust, and the importance of building a community where you live. God is building our faith up so that we do not waver while we are on the field. He is doing things in the lives of me and my teammates that is awesome and revolutionary and life changing. God is showing up in huge ways, in the form of miraculous financial support, and even in the form of placing the right people in our lives at the right time.
The Lord is showing and teaching my team so much through this chaotic, stressful process that is mobilizing for the World Race. But I wanted to share what He taught me this past week with you all, because it completely blindsided me, and it was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. You see, the day had been a doozy. I was tired, I was stressed, and I was more than a little bit freaking out over all things World Race related. And, with my Graduation party coming up, I just had a lot of things causing chaos and wreaking havoc on my mind.
And then the Lord said to me, “Katie, just breathe. Fill in your lungs with my peace. Rest. Just breathe.”
And that was it. My whole world kind of tipped upside down after that one, because what was I thinking? I was trying to take on fundraising, and getting ready for the World Race all by myself. I was saying to God, “I don’t need you! I got this, all by myself!” When in reality, I am nowhere near being able to do this by myself. There is no way I can raise $13, 805 all by myself. And there’s no way I can take on the stress of fundraisers all by myself.
I need Him. I need His peace, and His love, and His grace. I need to put my trust in the Lord, and know that He will carry me through to the other side of this process, in one piece, and ready to serve Him in October. I need to not be afraid to give up control of this process. And it’s a work in progress. Every day I struggle to not let my anxiety and my stress to take control of every single one of my actions. Every day, I have to give myself the reminder: Just breathe.
Just breathe. That’s all you need to do. Chaos is temporary. Stress is temporary. The mobilization process is temporary. But the peace and love of our Lord is, was, and will always be. It has no beginning, and it has no end. It satisfies, it strengthens, and it gives you rest. He is all you will ever need friends, and the only bringer of real peace. He is our All in All, and our Prince of Peace. Just breathe, friends. Just breathe.
Con Mucho Amor,
Katie
Want to know how YOU can help send me to Thailand, Guatemala, and Africa for three months each? Just click HERE! to give a financial donation!
