Let’s talk about money…
I was raised with the mentality that every expense is an investment in something. The purchase of college tuition is an investment in my future, the purchase of a car is an investment in convenience of travel, the purchase of a chocolate chip cookie is an investment in the enjoyment of life’s little treats.
So when I began this fundraising endeavor that the World Race demands, that mentality remained. I thought that when people donated generously, they were making an investment in something. What was that something? And at first, as we selfish human beings have the tendency to do so, I thought about myself. When trying to raise support, I was asking people to invest in me.
But then I thought to myself, “why should they invest in me?” I kept listening to these voices in my head; “I don’t deserve their support… I’m not good enough to be a missionary …I’m not worth the money…”
And it’s true, I’m not worth your donations. But the truth is that it is not about me. In fact, it has nothing to do with me. It is about God and His work in the countries I’m travelling to.
It’s about how God is making His presence known in Serbia by the boldness of evangelicals to speak to complete strangers just for the chance to talk about Jesus. It’s about the faith of one pastor in Moldova to construct churches and houses of prayer in villages, trusting that the Lord will provide pastors in His own timing. It’s about extending love to the kids of Razboieni in Romania who grow up in the darkness and violence of their home environments and believe themselves worthless. And it’s about so much more of what the Lord, the sovereign King of this earth, is doing to make himself known in all corners of the world.
So don’t invest in me. Instead, invest in the work of the body of Christ, the body that is following His Spirit wherever He would lead. Invest in the expansion of His Kingdom here on earth. Invest in raising awareness of the faithful servants of God found all over the world and how they’re impacting the communities where the Lord has placed them. And if such an investment calls you to support my radical journey around the world, I will personally steward the finances with the wisdom that the Spirit allows.
Thus I pray… I pray for such wisdom. And I pray that the Lord will continue to provide for me financially so that I may continue on the calling He has brought me to.
