I was so consumed and distracted by other things between the fundraising deadline and training camp that I didn’t even write about what happened in regards to the $1,000 I needed before the day of the deadline. I’m guessing you already noticed that I am still on the race, meaning I met the first deadline!
At church the day before the deadline, I knew God wanted me to ask the senior pastor for the money. I walked up to him, hands shaking – seriously – and said a brief few sentences about the mission trip. He knew what it was because others in our church have gone on the world race and are there now.
I rehearsed this so many times in my head that I can still remember exactly what I said to him: “I feel like God is telling me to ask the church for all or part of the $1,000 I need by tomorrow to go on the world race.” I was nervous and after I said it I realized I wasn’t quite faithful in my statement, though God used it anyway.
One, I should not have said, “I feel like.” God told me to do it so I should have spoken it with authority and conviction. Two, I threw in, “or part.” I knew I was supposed to be bold and ask for all and not hope for at least part of it. Anyway, it’s not all that important for the purpose of God giving me the money – his will would be done either way – but it did reflect my faith in that moment of weakness.
My pastor told me not to worry and that someone would call me tomorrow about it. By then I was crying. He put his arm around me and prayed. Then I told him I had to go usher and ran off. Geez, Mary.
Long story short, someone from the church, almost exactly 24 hours later, called and left me a message saying they were going to give me that $1,000!!!! BAM! God shows up again. I had a lot of time to think during those 24 hours, but I was not scared, unlike the previous week or so. I knew God told me to ask for the money, so it only follows that I would receive it. As I have heard it said, “God does not order something he doesn’t pay for.” Pretty cool, right?
Praise the Lord for his faithfulness endures forever!
