Have you ever tried fundraising before? Have you ever thought that no one would support or care for your trip? Have you ever felt too stressed and overwhelmed with the amount of things you need to do?
Believe me, I am with my own fundraising. IT IS STRESSFUL!
Having to make support letters, create designs for people to remember and pray, and contact people for their help, can be a lot of work. On top of all that, I am having to balance my schoolwork and lesson planning. I’m also trying to stay fit and have a bit of a social life. How am I supposed to do all of this in such little time?
God has been the main reason I have been able to stay on my two feet. He has provided me with people who care and are there for me. He gave me sisters who I can bounce off fundraising ideas, and who can design and create amazing cards that I can send out to people. I have parents who are there to cheer me on and encourage me to take the next steps forward. I have friends and strangers who have come by to help me fold, cut, and prepare my support letters for shipping. What an amazing thing God is doing!
I knew that fundraising would be a daunting task, especially with the amount I will need for my trip. However, somehow God knows just what I need even through the most stressful times. It is a humbling experience knowing that I cannot do this alone.
Let me tell you my story of fundraising (and its only just the beginning!):
When I first started out and was looking into the race, I went ahead and made my support letter while editing it along the way until I was fully accepted and ready to start. However, as school started and classes became busy with work, I found it rather difficult to focus on preparing to send out my letters and informing everyone of my journey. I had to ask for addresses (used some from my sister’s wedding invites list) which is daunting in itself because I was never too sure how people would react. However, I was thoroughly surprised to find so many people wanting to support and learn more about my journey! I had so many people contact me asking for me to send them a letter as well. This was such a blessing in itself. I was so amazed by how many people wanted to join me in this journey. I just wanted to keep telling them all about it!
God was also working to help me prepare through complete strangers. As I was packing my letters, I had some freshmen come help fold, cut, and fill my letters along with a few of my friends. They made the process go by quickly and efficiently. They made a long task done within minutes. I was then able to send out my letters in a more timely fashion. Who would have thought this would happen?
I’m not far into my fundraising, and have quite a ways to go. However, with all these amazing opportunities and people that God has already been putting into my life, I know that He will provide. He will give me new opportunities to share my story and spread everything he has been doing. This story has God written all over it, and it makes me think and wonder what all He is going to do next!
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 1 Corinthians 9:8
Many blessings and prayers,
Laura Leigh Armstrong
