Last Saturday I sat around a table with 3 of the most important women in my life and cried my eyes out.
Okay, rewind a little bit.
Last Saturday I found out that if I didn’t have my $5,000 goal met by today, June 3rd, then I would either have to change my trip to a 3-month immersion trip, or put it off for a year. As you can imagine, I definitely did not want to do either of these choices. I was also $1,500 short. So, cue the waterworks.
These women encouraged me to follow up with people who had previously told me they wanted to donate but hadn’t yet, and also to reach out to new people. I was honestly falling into a pit of despair and didn’t believe the money would come in. (side note: I’m a little over-dramatic if you couldn’t tell) That night while I was driving home, I prayed (more like yelled) to God saying that He needed to show up. He had brought me this far and I needed to see Him do something to confirm this calling in my life.
Fast forward to the following Sunday at church*: as we are setting up for service, a member walks over and says to me, “Sam, I heard you were raising money for some trip. What’s that about?” I told them everything about it and my reasons for doing it. When I finished, they said, “How do I donate? I’ll give you $500.”
WHAT!!!!!
After I picked my jaw up from the ground, I wiped the tears that were starting to form out of my eyes and prayed for repentance for yelling at God.
Fast forward to the following Monday: I saw someone who had verbally pledged $1,000 to me a few weeks ago, and started talking to them. Before I even said anything, they looked at me and said “Hey! I’m putting the check in the mail tomorrow for the full $1,000!”
*cue more tears and more prayers for repentance*
The lessons I learned during these 48 hours:
1. Our God is a God who provides for us.
2. Our God is a God of MIRACLES.
3. Even when there doesn’t seem to be a way, He makes one.
4. His abilities are a lot greater than my fear.
“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love endures forever.” Psalms 138:8
I pray that I will be reminded of this over the next few months; that the LORD, and He alone, will fulfill His purpose for me. Nothing I can do will change that. He has called me to this place and I know that He will provide.
*if you live in the Charlottesville, VA area, stop by Skyline Church one Sunday!!!
p.s. I still have $10,000 left to raise!!! Would you please consider donating? Anything helps, and it’s all tax-deductible! Just click the orange “donate” button above 🙂
