Life update: I am vaccinated, almost-graduated, and feeling academically saturated (for the time being).
Over the last number of months, I have had the privilege of getting to know some of my teammates through social media and group messages, and let me tell you, the people I’ll be travelling, living, serving, and growing with are incredible. I have already learned from them, been challenged and encouraged by them, and laughed because of them. Many have bravely shared their struggles and heartaches during the season of preparation and we’ve already gotten to pray for each other by name and for specific situations.
Many have also shared powerful and encouraging stories of provision – anonymous donations in huge amounts, surprise support out of left field, fundraisers that yielded multiple times the amount projected, waking up to thousands in donations when the first big deadline seemed impossible – the list goes on.
If you scroll up to the fundraising bar, you’ll see that I have been sufficiently provided for, to this point. Because of your generosity, the Lord’s goodness, and your faithfulness to Him, I reached and exceeded my first major fundraising goal ($5,000 by May 13th) over a month early. There are even hundreds more dollars that have been given but are just not yet represented on the above bar. How cool is that!?!? I am absolutely blown away, brought to my knees in gratitude, and jumping for joy simultaneously.
I’d be lying, though, if I said I never had my doubts, or that I didn’t sometimes check my fundraising account expectant of my own miracle. While there have been the anonymous donations here and there and a couple of you have completely obliterated any expectations that I could have had but never really did, reaching this first big goal has been relatively “miracle-free.”
But still, there’s something incredibly miraculous about the provision that’s come my way that speaks so strongly to how God takes care of His children. And if the actual Race is anything like this first phase of fundraising, I’m more excited than ever before.
As I’ve mentioned before and as I’m sure you can imagine, there are good and encouraging days with fundraising, and there are days when it feels impossible. But without fail, God provides.
He provides in ways that I didn’t expect; through people I wouldn’t have guessed.
He gives gifts that are sweet and more perfectly timed than this obsessive planner could orchestrate herself.
When I think I need money, he gives powerful encouragement.
When I’ve been most discouraged, I’ve been offered support that is personal and meaningful.
So maybe no natural laws have been broken – entropy hasn’t decreased, matter hasn’t been created from nothing, and neither has energy – but the reality that the God who put these natural laws in place has provided and is providing for me in every moment, exactly what I need, in personal and intimate ways feels a bit miraculous to me.
The reality that so many of you have been parts of that, that God has used so many different people, and people I wouldn’t have expected – that feels miraculous.
It feels undeserved, too beautiful to be true yet it absolutely is, and it feels like grace.
So I’m excited to continue. I’m excited to find out how I’m going to raise another $5,000 in about half the time as I raised the first (I’ve got some things in the works, stay tuned) and I’m excited to embark on this 11 months abroad.
I’m excited that I know God will continue to provide fully and personally, what I need, when I need even if I don’t know I need it. I’m excited that I get to be part of His provision for others in so many places in so many ways.
Thank you for being the Church to me, that I may be a part of the Church to others.
