Oh where do I start? There is so much I want to say in this post! It’s going to be a legit book! Should I write an index? Haha. How about I just take it one day at a time.
Tuesday, January 5th, 2016—3 days out from my first financial deadline:
I got off work at 3:30 and headed to my office (Boston Stoker) with this deadline on my mind. I walked in and had my normal conversation with everyone, find a spot and had my time with Jesus. I like to have my Jesus time in busy places with headphones on and worship music playing. Trying my best to rely on the Lord, I prayed about this deadline. Not sure what to do I texted a few people in my phone that I know that pray and asked them to pray for me. I got a lot of positive responses, so I texted everyone in my phone that I know that pray and asked them to! It was awesome, I loved to see them respond with such vigor! Everything from “God’s got this” to “don’t worry about it”.
I was trying my best to have faith in God and His provision. But I felt him calling me to do something, something that I did not really want to do. So I somehow convinced myself that He was not telling me to do it. Funny how we do that right? So I headed home and took a seat on my couch and spent some more time with God. I did not really get that far to be totally honest with you. I got some work done here and there but not much, I kept getting distracted. I still felt God calling me to do that thing. He wanted me to call people that I sent letters to, and that is out of my comfort zone, so I did not want to do it.
So I got mad. “God why do I have to jump though these hoops? I am the one sacrificing 11 months of my life to do your will! Why do I have to be the one to have to get this money, too? This is dumb!” So after I was done yelling at God, I went to bed thinking “this is dumb and I am getting nowhere.”
Not even 5 minutes later, my mother knocked on my door. “Me and your dad have been talking and we wanted to give you this.” She shows me some money in her hand. The only thing I could get out was “What!?” Let me give you some background—my parents (as far as I have known to this point) are unbelievers and did not support my trip. Not wanting to rob my parents of the blessing, I took the money.
But my mother being my mother could tell I was upset about something, so she asked. I told her about how I was mad at God and how I felt. That’s when God did something I did not see coming. One of the people I pray about all the time to be saved and to truly know Jesus. She said this: “Did He tell you it was going to be easy?” Convicted. That is how I felt. Convicted. Someone I have been trying to so hard to get saved that I think I needed to witness to, dropping knowledge on me. God does work.
My mother turns to leave, but before she leaves I say “You know I pray for our family every day.” God was not done with the surprises, because she turned around and said this “Yeah, me too.” She left, and she left me stunned. As I looked at that money that was now in my hand, I did not realize it then, but God was tell me “I got this”. And not just the deadline, my family as well. How awesome is our God.
Wednesday January 6th, 2016- 2 days until the deadline:
I headed to work and tried my best not to think about my deadline, and whenever I did I prayed. I asked God to instill faith in me and help me trust Him. After work I headed home, doing prep on my car for my trip to New York the next day, then I headed to the church. On Wednesday nights we had something called 3C Club for elementary students that I helped out with. When there I talked to one of the guys from my church, and he ended up giving me a check for $300! How awesome! Then as I talked with our new pastor he gave me a donation as well! Here I was with only $500 to raise to reach my deadline!
With my trip to New York I was going to make $300, so I only really needed $200! So when I got home that night I checked the group chat that me and my Adventure teammates have. I wrote on there yesterday how worried I was about this whole deadline, and one of them had a vision for me:
“Luke, I saw a scythe spinning in a circle, the handle was at the center. God wants you to know that he will harvest through you. Furthermore, I saw a picture of Bag End from Lord of the Rings. God is sending you on an adventure. He has commissioned you to leave the comforts of home. So fear not! P.S. If you have any friends who are Lord of the Ring fans then you should reach out to them for monetary support.
“Either way. You are commissioned so he will provide brother.”
How awesome was that!? Right! But I should seek out a friend who is a Lord of the Rings fan? Ok…not knowing that many Lord of the Rings fans (or so I thought), I put a status on Facebook, whoever liked it or commented on it I was going to call. Three people liked it instantly, so I looked at who my candidates were, when I saw his name I knew! I gave one of my good buddy’s a call.
I told him about why I was calling, feeling a little ridiculous but all kinds of alive all at the same time, and before I could even ask he said “You got your $200” The Lord will provide! He is so good all the time!
Thursday January 7th, 2016—1 day before the deadline and it was already reached!
Today was the day I was headed to New York! Now let me back up. “Luke, why is someone paying you $300 to go to New York?” Well a friend of mine had to get his wife to New York and since they don’t like flying they drive. But my friend did not want to drive so asked me to and he was going to pay for gas, my food, and give me $300 to my mission! I said yes (after I prayed about it of course).
Ten hours later I was in Brooklyn meeting up with my friend Lydia! See there is another reason I wanted to head to New York after I dropped of my friend and his wife, I was able to meet up with one of my World Race teammates Lydia! We had a great time! She showed me around, we got some sort of awesome pizza and she showed me what New York looks like from the roof tops. After that I was all kinds of tired, I meet up with my friend and we got a place to stay.
Friday January 8th, 2016—the day of the deadline!!!
The next morning me and my friend headed out, after a long good bye to his lady we hit the road. And another 10 hours later I was home and so tired. But I got the money I needed. After a meet with one of my supporters I hit the hay.
Saturday January 9th, 2016—a day after the deadline.
So the next morning I got up, did some bible reading and whatever else I felt needed done, and then headed to the bank to get this money to the World Race! After the bank I hit my office, got a coffee and cracked open my computer to find something amazing. Before all the money that I just got in that span of 3 days got added to what I had in my account, I already had $5050. What? Did I do my math wrong? Nope someone donated the money I needed, and I did not even know it. So even if I did not do all that work of going to New York or asking people and being all stressed out! God would have still had me covered.
He had a perfect back up plan. I apologized to the Lord. I doubted his promise. I don’t deserve this, I am a broken sinner, why love me like this? I can’t say thank you enough, His grace is mighty. Thank you God.
His Child,
Luke
