Here I am, three months home from the race, living in
Gainseville, Georgia and working at Adventures in Missions.
That’s a strange way to start out my first blog in nearly
two months, and even as I read that sentence I’m sitting here thinking…”wait, I’m
doing what??” Let’s just say this is not where I thought I would be. It’s not where I thought I would be had you
asked me after I graduated “What will you be doing in two years?” It’s not
where I thought I would be coming back from the race in June – wasn’t I
supposed to go get a job in Atlanta and make lots of money and use my degree? I’m
a guy – I should be thinking about my future and saving up money and looking to
settle down… right?
Well, that’s not how it worked out. It’s not the plan God
had for me, at least not right now. I believe God places the desires of our
heart in us for a reason, tugs us in certain directions, and shows us what we
are passionate about so we can follow after these things. Coming back from the
race I knew in my head what I thought I should do, but this did not line up
with what my heart was telling me. Right now, the most important priority for
me is community. I desire to be around like minded, Christ following people in
an environment that will challenge me and push me towards maintaining a
sustainable life in Christ. What do I mean by “sustainable”? I don’t want the
World Race to be the pinnacle of my walk with Christ, that mountain top,
incredible experience that we always look back on and refer to as the best time
in our lives. I don’t want to stop at the Race. Following Christ is meant to be
a life lived to the fullest every single day, regardless of where we are in the
world.
Desiring community, the Lord opened the door in early August
for me to start working at Adventures in Missions in the Sales Department. I
basically make calls to people who are interested in the Race and tell them
about my experience, as well as conduct interviews for potential World Racers.
It’s crazy – I get to talk to people all day about something that I am
incredibly passionate about and that is still fresh for me! It’s a job, but it
is also ministry – I am sometimes the only point of contact and can make the
first and sometimes only impression that someone has of Adventures in Missions.
I get to share my heart, talk to people about their situations and call for the
mission field, and be a point of reference for people as they walk through the
process. I remember how enthusiastic I was when I first heard about the race –
it’s cool to get to be on the other side and see the fresh enthusiasm and get
to know the faces of the future World Racers!
I found the community; I got the job, what next? Well this
is just the start. I’m back from the race with all this new and exciting
perspective on life and I want to share this with others. I feel such a strong
desire to pour back out, to reach out to future World Racers through training
them at training camps, to lead short term trips around the US and overseas,
and to pursue new opportunities that may come up. In order to do this, and
because this is a ministry I work for, I have to raise support. I knowww…ugh. I
thought I was done with this! I (well, not ME, but through God’s provision)
raised $15,500 for the World Race and thought I would never have to do this
again. I would have sold God short and said I could never do it and, BOOM, He
shows up and I wonder why I ever questioned Him. Honestly, I hate asking people
for money, and in my mind I’m sitting here thinking…”well, I’m not going on a
trip around the world for 11 months, why would anyone want to support me to do
ministry in the states?” I have so many reasons why I won’t be able to raise
the money but I do know one truth: God is so much bigger than my insecurities
or fears and has shown up time and time again in my life and on my behalf – He is
not going to call me to something and leave me out to dry.
So here’s the deal – I need to raise $5000 over the next year, and $900 by October 1st to
continue pursuing ministry here in Gainseville. It breaks down to roughly
$400 per month. I am looking for people who would like to support me on a
monthly basis for the next year, or even for one time gifts. If 4 people
supported me $100 per month, or 8 people at $50 per month, I would be
completely funded to do ministry for the next year! Let me know if this is something you might consider doing – I’d love to talk to you more about it! Right now I’m not asking
you to support me because you think my trip around the world is awesome; I’m
asking you to support me because you trust me and believe in me and believe the
work I am doing to help send out and lead others in their own incredible
journeys. And for me, the journey has only just begun!
Please click on the “support me” link to the left of this
blog to make an online donation or make checks payable to Adventures in
Missions, put my name in the memo line, and mail to:
Adventures in
Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, Ga 30353
