“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
–excerpt from “The Road Not Taken” By: Robert Frost
Greetings Reader,
Going down a road of uncertainty is always frightening. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve over thought a situation and have been gripped by worry. Most of the time I can shake it off knowing full well that I have no control over the matter. Other times I dwell over a mistake that I could have prevented if I had made a wiser decision. I know I’m not alone in this thought process. We are after all human. We worry and we doubt.
For those of you who are followers of Jesus, we know that he speaks to this very issue. (Matt. 6:34) Essentially he says not to bring tomorrow’s trouble into today. It’s hard not to do that when life has so many troubles to worry about. These past couple of weeks I’ve been overwhelmed by my worries about the race. What if the leaders at training camp think I’m not ready for this year long commitment? What if I forget to pack everything I need? What if I get two months in and I hate it? And the every most popular… What if I can’t raise the money in time?
As I’ve stated in my earlier post one of my greatest fears is failing. It’s never fun to see yourself that way and it’s even worse to have others view you like a failure. It is also liberating to be a failure because being perfect is completely unrealistic. I mean let’s face it… only one guy pulled that off and there isn’t a do over button. Lately I’ve been having to rely on God in a way I never have before and it has been a remarkable eye opener.
There have been many friends, family, and people that I never knew donate to my adventure, but the most precious gift have been the small donations that God has been using to build my trust in him.
My youngest sister Aubrey had her 10th birthday this past March. Like any kid she received gifts and money as presents. When my mother asked her what she wanted to spend it on she replied “Well, I don’t really need anything. I think I’ll give it to Kirbie for her mission trip.” Well… as soon as my mom and I stopped bawling, she handed me her birthday money and more than ever I saw God’s love in that little girl. She saw that she had plenty and decided to give to those without. It’s safe to say that I’m honored to be her big sister and I hope I can make her proud.
In addition to my sister’s donation a new friend of mine has decided to donate $25 a month until I come home. This might not be a big deal to some, but come to find out that not too long ago she was homeless and facing a substance abuse problem. I can’t even image walking in her shoes. Sense finding God she thriving and I can’t express how much in awe of her I am. There are so many places worth giving her money and she chooses me. It’s a privilege that I do not take lightly and I will do my very best to show her that.
There are so many others that I am grateful to. My best friend. Having no home church she has decided to tithe to me. My brother Ryder, his friend handed him $4 to give to me one day at school. It’s hard to sacrifice what little we have for anyone including God, but it is in sacrifice we know what true worth is. These little deposits of faith have brought me so much joy and I am overwhelmed by the love God is showing me through them.
I am truly grateful for every prayer, penny, and love being thrown my way. I’ve seen more people walking out their love for God now than I have ever before. I know that there are so many people who chose this narrow road and I’m less worried knowing that they are taking this journey with me.
Thank you for all for everything, it will never go unnoticed.
With Gratitude,
Kirbie Head, World Racer
