23 days and I'm going to be back in good ole Nashville, TN…
That's presh and all but I realized I didn't take advantage of having a blog. Let's be honest, I didn't really care about it. BUT now that I have two weeks of the race left I think it is time.
It's time for me to share all the lessons (or some atleast) and let you have real insight on how the last 11 months have changed me forever.
This is for future world racers… current world racers… people who like the Jesus… and weirdos that just like to read for no reason.
First lesson:
Lesson 1 to learn on the World Race: fundraising sucks and that’s why we have to do it.
I was bold and excited at the beginning- just like any good world racer. People said "How are you going to raise all 15,500?!" I responded- "I'm not God will provide." I knew God was calling me on the World Race and that's all I needed to know.
aw i was so young and clean…
Let me tell you the secret to all my blogs to come. The majority of the lessons on the Race (and life) are really about getting over yourself and trusting God. But we need specifics to hold onto when we are going through those hard times, so let me tell you my story.
I don’t come from a rich family. My friends are all poor college kids and I am a horrible public speaker. I didn’t have a pack, a mac, a sleeping bag, a tent, sleeping pad, chacos, a Nalgene, and I didn’t have a penny of the 15,500 that was needed to actually be on the trip.
some of my roomates in college- shout out to the foxes' den!!!
YOU DON’T NEED HALF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE PACKING LISTS PEOPLE WRITE. Sure, it’d be great to have a nice camera and computer but you borrowing from your community will help you get over your pride and give your community the opportunity to love you. Just bring more than one pair of underwear, an IPod, and eyeliner (at least those were my most prized possessions this year).
-God provides everything. When he doesn’t provide something it’s cause you don’t need it.
Let me explain.
I prayed for everything- sleeping bag, tent, shoes, money… I got it. I got it from random people at random times. It was awesome.
I was accepted in January for my September launch and I heard it was good to have 100 dollars in your account for each month to get toiletries or whatever you may find you need. So I worked hard to have that money and saved it all.
Come launch I didn’t have the money I needed.
I prayed and I prayed and I didn’t have it. But I did have it- I just had it in my savings account.
I asked God what He wanted me to do and He said to give it all up and trust Him.
I did.
I left the country with no money in my personal account and trusted God would provide.
My sister felt called to tithe to me monthly- and so I had what I needed.
my uber supportive family- couldn't have done it without you. love you miss you!
Why did God do this?
Flash forward to the end of month 3 and the beginning of month 4- I did not want to be on the race anymore. I felt as if I was a burden to my team, like all that I did was hurt them and keep them from growing (I’ll go more into that later) and that’s not who I wanted to be to them.
So I looked up tickets home.
I talked to squad leaders and tried to get them to think that I needed to go home because I didn’t have enough money for the first deadline (first 3 months you are supposed to have a third of the money).
- don’t worry about the first deadline- no one takes it seriously.
When getting sent home didn’t work, I looked up tickets to go home.
I didn’t have enough money.
Two weeks later, an anonymous donor donated 4,000 dollars to my account.
Obviously the Lord prompting me to give up all of my money and then proceeding to use the most beautifully random strangers support me made it clear that this trip is where I was called to be. When the money I had saved for my personal account was gone, I lost my opportunity to buy myself a ticket home, this was God providing what was best for me and not what I wanted.
Staying on the race has changed my life. It has built character in me. God has used these places, these people, and these experiences on this race to mold me into someone new.
yay! me and some of the sweetest sisters that have been a huge part of changing my life.
So, to all those stressing about money or whatever you feel like you need that you aren’t getting…
Pray- He answers.
And…BREATHE!
There is a reason… God provides what you truly need. I believe that.
Laying everything down in front of Him, by trusting He is in control no matter how out of control you feel or how impossible it looks, is the best thing for your soul. Joy will soon come.
P.S. Here is a cool video the World Race made about fundraising.
It's good to trust, so let your faith become an action.
