“How much money do YOU have to raise? “How much money have YOU raised so far?”
Over and over I have heard these two questions since I began to tell people about my acceptance to the World Race and what I’ll be doing this fall. And over and over I have answered with “I have…”
This past week I spent some time going back through my journal entries from December as I was in the process of applying and just after being accepted to do the Race.
I found treasure and a new mindset.
“I lean not on my own understanding / my life is the hands / of the maker of heaven…”
United Pursuit, Nothing I Hold Onto
“He must become greater, I must become less.”
John 3:30
“Fear holds us back from all that God has to offer. Fear provides limitations and constraints, where God wants to show us the miraculous and impossible. Don’t let your fear – or the fear of others – hold you back from what God wants to show you.”
World Race fundraising training
“Anxiety robs us of joy and peace. God intends for this fundraising process to be a joy and a blessing. Don’t let your worries take this away from the process.”
World Race fundraising training
So no longer when asked these questions will I answer “I have” because this is all God. And the answers to the above questions are…
“God is going to raise about $20,000 to fully fund me for both the trip itself and the additional money needed!”
“God has already raised over a quarter (26.16%) of what I need for the trip itself AND nearly a third (32.43%) of what I need additionally!”
God will raise exactly what is needed for me to be fully funded. This is not me raising the money, this is God raising the money. And God is doing absolutely INCREDIBLE things in this fundraising process.
Yesterday I went out and bought a new bible. My absolutely wonderful squadmate Anne bought a new bible and then proceeded to peer pressure me into buying a new one after I made mention that I had been considering getting a new one recently. As I am one that continually wants to see my own growth in my faith, I spent most of today going through my old bible and transferring over all of my notes and highlights to my new bible. Not only was it amazing to see some of my growth and thoughts throughout the last couple of years, but I stumbled across more treasure.
Psalms 6:9 says “The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.”
Psalms 34:4 says “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
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Papa, I know I have prayed to be fully funded before launch over and over these last couple months but it has become a repeat prayer. I know you have my back and I know that somehow and in some way you will have me fully funded by the time I launch in September. I don’t know how it’ll happen and I can’t make it happen by doing anything my way. But if I abide by you and keep straight in the path you have paved for me, it will happen. You are such a good, good Papa and for that I am so thankful!
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The fundraising process is an absolutely humbling one. There is no way I can possibly pay anyone back for what they have donated and there is no way that I can possibly thank them enough for what they have donated. But the most humbling of all the donations are the ones that are donated anonymously. For the last three months, I have had someone (or a family) donate a generous amount each month. The first time it happened, I was mind-blown that someone I more than likely don’t know would donate so generously. The second time it happened, I stared at my phone screen for several long minutes thinking “there’s no way this happened again!” The third time it happened, just last week, I couldn’t believe it. A monthly donator who is choosing to remain completely anonymous is incredibly humbling. So anonymous donor, if you’re reading this, THANK YOU!
