This is actually going to happen.
I am actually being given this incredible journey to love people.
People truly want to help me.
I am really leaving.
This is real.
When I began fundraising, even after acceptance and commitment to the World Race, this mission still felt like a distant concept. It seemed to be miles and miles away from me, but today it’s real and relevant and exciting and terrifying and amazing.
I was sitting in a church service today, and I happened to be alone because my family couldn’t make it this morning. I wasn’t very engaged in the sermon that Pastor Bob was delivering. I admit to almost dozing off a time or two… oops! My mind was drifting from school to work to the people around me to just about anything except the sermon. When I finally came back around to listening, Pastor Bob was talking about baptism. His message was beautiful: “We are all like this crumpled, burned, bent, ruined lego that can’t fit the others, but baptism, a public testament of faith, cleanses us from that hurt, and it makes us new. You see that baptismal isn’t a beacon of life, it’s a coffin. A coffin for your sin and shame and regret. And once you die to yourself in front of man, you are risen anew.”
He invited us all to a spontaneous baptism. I didn’t think that anyone would go because the congregation is usually pretty shy, but then someone walked to the front of the room. Then another… then two more… then five more… My eyes filled with tears, my heart was turning, and I cried because I was honestly, deeply, sincerely overjoyed for these people approaching life from death.
God has truly been working in my heart recently. His joy has filled my life through my friends and my family. His grace has been ever-present in my day to day activities. And I think I’m finally beginning to understand just how big He really is.
In the midst of my tears of joy, a text message lit up my phone’s screen. Normally, I leave the phone in the car, but because I was alone today I brought it with. The text read “Today [a woman at our church] pulled me aside and asked how your funding was going for your mission. She said ‘I have some money coming in to make sure that she is fully funded.'” Any hope for keeping it together at that point was lost. How was I supposed to have two unbelievable spiritual experiences within moments of each other and not cry?
I am still entirely overwhelmed by the generosity of those around me. I have been so so so so blessed through each and every person that I have shared this trip-to-be with, and I am incapable of expressing my gratitude.
Today I got a glimpse into God’s goodness and faithfulness. I was getting nervous that this trip may not be for me, that I wouldn’t be able to find it, but today both of those ideas were put to rest. God has called me to this because my heart breaks for those in need, He has called me to love those that have never experienced love, and He has enabled me with joy to spread to the desperate. Not only has He equipped me spiritually and mentally, He has given me the most amazing support group filled with generosity, love, and wisdom. Now here I am, meeting funding goals, finding joy in the process, and learning to trust God to take control.
I am overwhelmed by His greatness and your generosity. Completely overwhelmed because everything is falling into place now. I’m trying desperately to understand these things:
This is actually going to happen.
I am actually being given this incredible journey to love people.
People truly want to help me.
I am really leaving.
This is real.
2 Corinthians 12:9 “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.'”
Love,
Laura 1.29.17
P.S. If it wasn’t obvious in this article, I am SO thankful for all of the amazing support being proved to me. You are all such amazing people and I’m so glad to have you here to support me in this!
