My first deadline has come and gone. I’m happy to say and to praise God that…
I MADE IT!!! I am continuing on with the September route!
Next stop: Training Camp– July 14-21!
On my recent blog I talked about needing to come up with $2,500 in 5 days and how I had no idea how that was going to happen. I was praying and asking for prayer about trusting in God whole-heartedly about the money coming through. I saw no way of raising money that fast when it seemed to only trickle in for the past 2 months. “Why would it speed up in 5 days??" “Maybe I was wrong about September and God wants me to go in January…” All these thoughts were runnning through my head in the first part of the week. I was literally torn in half between knowing that God was going to show up and provide in a way that I wasn’t expecting, and the other half wondering “Can this really work?" It’s not that I was doubting that God would come through, but I started overanalyzing everything. I always saw other people’s blogs and facebooks updates that were so exciting to read of how God worked in others’ lives in providing money and how some are actually enjoying raising their funds! Well, that’s not me!!! I was still not comfortable asking for money and I thought, “Why can’t it be easy for me like it is with them?” -Or- “Of course they are encouraging others. It’s easy for them to say because they already met their goal.” –-Wrong attitude. I knew I had a wrong way of looking at things, so I knew I had to change my way of thinking. I needed to concentrate on the good and how God was working in my life and to not compare myself to what He was doing in others’.That’s when I decided to keep a record of eveything that was happening during the week in case I needed a positive reminder:
Monday- June 25: I hung out with some friends that night and one of my friends gave me $500! That night I wrote my blog and prayed for having peace with anxiety and worry about how this was all going to come about. I was up ‘til 2 in the morning and my mind was still racing (common for me these days), so I decided to read the bible. I was reading Phillipians 4 when a few verses popped right out at me!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:19 ESV)
Thank you Lord for speaking to me that night! I realized I was putting Him in a box by not believing He could provide my needs and these verses were so refreshing!
Tuesday- June 26: A family member gave $500 this day!! Things were going great and I was on cloud 9. Then, Satan attacked out of left field with stuff and my balloon deflated a bit with this new, huge distraction in my life. Up until then the only thing on my mind was fundraising, the race, and God. I guess Satan wanted to mess that up…
Wednesday- June 27: Nothing happened. No money, no verses jumping off the page, no ideas for ways to make money before I leave, personal junk getting me down, nothing. I hate to admit this, but I had a little pity party for myself that day. I was still far away from my goal, I was having doubts, and I was realizing that I was holding on to material possessions I didn’t want to part with in the coming months. I was not happy, but I didn’t want to completely give up yet yet because I still had a few more days, so I prayed and asked other friends to pray for my money too .
Thursday- June 28: I woke up to $1,330 more in my account!!! I was stunned and very humbled at my friends’ donations. I was excited again until I got a phone call from the computer place saying my laptop is basically on its last leg. It needed a new processor, then it had virus problems, and the labor of it all would definitely be a pretty penny…Great, another bill.
Later that day I had lunch with a friend and told her I was going to Best Buy after our lunch to price a new laptop when she said “It’s funny you say that because my husband’s coworker just said a few days ago that he is selling his MacBook Pro for only $300 because he’s upgrading to a newer model.”
CHA-CHING! I met with the guy a few days later and bought it!! The funny thing is I didn’t even pray about a new computer because it happened within a matter of hours, so I was just going to pray about it that night. God took care of a need faster than I planned!
Friday- June29: A few hundred more in my account. God was still providing.
Saturday- June 30: Facebook event “$30 on the 30th” was a great idea. I didn’t get as much as I would have hoped for, but if anything, it got the word out to people who may have not known what I was doing, so I look at it as planting the seed.
Now, it’s a week after the deadline and I am at $4700! I have exceeded my goal! I also had a big yard sale this past weekend which made about another $400.
God is providing and I am excited to continue to share stories of how He helps me meet my dealines and help me grow in my faith in Him!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
