Day 86 – 12/02/17
I’ve never seen doubt and faith mix as much as I did when I first applied for the Race. The idea of $15,000 dollars to fundraise and nine months to prepare for, bordered insanity. But this week, I received some amazing news.
I am currently $256 dollars from being FULLY funded!
Looking back on my fundraising journey fills me with so much thankfulness. Every donation. Every encouraging comment. Every private message reminding me I was being prayed over. All of it. I’m so grateful. Looking back has also made me see how God has paved the way for me to be here.
I was so skeptical before my first goal. I felt a peace I couldn’t explain, but I had barely raised any money. Why was I so calm? Why did my fears run into a strange confidence inside me?
Then someone who I will always admire donated $5,000 dollars.
My first goal, completed. Just like that.
I remember staring at my phone, in awe of the donation on my screen. Two things became certain in that moment:
1. God wants me on this trip.
2. Turning back was no longer an option. I was going whether I liked it or not.
Sometimes I really didn’t like it. Seeing the illusion of control I had on my life evaporate was, well, unnerving.
My second goal was quite the challenge. I was in a place where I was 99.9% sure where God wanted me ($5,000 dollars isn’t given nor received lightly), but reaching out for money is a vulnerable task.
This is where so many of y’all came in.
I have such a supportive community. And when I say supportive, I mean being dragged around the church by my pastor’s wife because I’m not assertive enough with my fundraising poster, kind of supportive. God put energy and boldness in them that I couldn’t muster 24/7.
Another $5,000 later, my second goal was met in the knick of time. Celebration happened. Packing happened. Launch happened. Three months happened. And now I’m here.
Month four.
The support continued overseas. Surprise donations. Big donations. Anonymous donations. And once again, a strange peace I couldn’t explain. From the moment I applied, it’s like the question, “Is this what I’m supposed to do?” has been blocked from my mind. It’s as if my brain wasn’t allowed to go to that place. I believe it’s because that place is a place of unnecessary stress and unbelief. I believe God has been protecting me every step of the way. Because He knew I needed that assurance, even when I didn’t realize I was walking in it.
This week my mom broke the news to me that $1,400 dollars was going to be given to my trip. Just like that, only $256 to go.
Seeing God’s hand all over this journey has blown my mind. He is so faithful. I have so many blogs about my time so far in India in the works, but I just couldn’t wait to share these realizations and this news.
My final deadline is at the end of December. If you feel led to help me knock out the final $256, donate here at my blog (or click the donate button to find the information to mail a check). I’m excited to see how God tops off this fundraising journey. Thank you all so much for everything. I love you all madly. Keep the faith!
