Hey y’all!
Just another little update on how my race preparations are coming! Since my last letter I have been to training camp, placed on a great team, spoken at my church here in Boone, and raised more than half of my needed support! It’s been a crazy but good couple of weeks!
A couple weeks ago I went to my training camp in Copper Hill Tennessee. Entering training camp I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was nervous, I didn’t think I measured up, I wanted to be in control of what was going on in me and around me – and obviously that wasn’t happening. On Tuesday night one of the leaders pulled me aside and prayed for me. He prayed that the weight of my nerves, my feelings of insufficiency, and everything else that I had piled on myself that was blocking my eyes from what the Lord had for me both at training camp and for my next year and life. He spoke truth and affirmation into my life. I felt the weights being lifted off my shoulders.
I realized that I’ve been holding onto this little view of God that I can see and understand. This god was easy to understand and ultimately control. I wasn’t doing it on purpose it was just what was comfortable. I knew everything in my head how he can raise the dead, heal the sick, how his spirit is living in us, how he calls us to preach and proclaim his name to the nations. I knew it but somehow I thought it didn’t apply to me. I was doing what I could handle, but the thing with just doing what you can handle is you never have to depend on God. I want to be reliant on God, I want to open my arms wide and take him in for who he really is. He is the creator of the universe, He is a God that loves, He raises the dead, He heals the sick, He calls us to proclaim his name to the nations, He has a good and perfect plan for my life! All I have to do is lean into him with no reservations and trust that his ways for me are for good.
At training camp I got placed on an awesome team with 5 girls and one other guy. Their names are Dan Lidwin, Shanna Landers, Caitlyn Rogers, Brittney Jennings, Jordan Fath, and Emma Halstead. As you are praying for me over the next year please be lifting them up as well! I am so excited to be able to walk through life with them, to learn from them, and to be stretched with them. Pray for patience with each other, openness, humility, grace, wisdom, gentleness, and FUN that we can enjoy each other! (I have included a picture of us all)
One way it has been really cool to see the Lord provide is through my support raising! I have been blown away by people’s generosity. Just as I am starting to doubt or question my trip, the Lord would bring the money in and put me in my place again! So thank you all for your financial support as well your prayers. If you are not able to give financially know that your prayers mean the world to me and that’s all I ask that you would be faithful in praying for my team and me.
Besides prayer and financial support I also need a lot of gear for the trip. If you want to help me out in a more tangible way here is a list of things I need and would like for the trip:
Sleeping bag – $150 Trail running Shoes – $130 (and I’m sure there
Ipad 2 64gb – $699 Clothes – ?? are others that I’m
Day Pack – $100 Inflatable seat pad – $20 not thinking of)
If you have any questions please feel free to call me (336) 508-6649, check out my blog nathanielherndon.theworldrace.org, send me an email [email protected], or check out the website at www.theworldrace.org!
Thanks for all your prayers and support!
Nathaniel Frederick Herndon
