Exactly a year ago I began pursuing a job with Young Life
International. A year ago… That seems so crazy to me. A year ago at this time I
was about two months into my senior year, and had no idea what I was going
to do after I graduated. And today… Today, I have roughly half of my budget
raised to move to Germany for a minimum of five years on Young Life
International staff... So much has happened in the last year. So much. But more
importantly, I’ve grown so much in the last year. I’m not who I was a year ago.
Every step of this process has been incredibly transforming.
But I wanna talk about the fundraising process, which I’ve been in since June.
Fundraising itself isn’t necessarily fun. It’s hard and it’s lonely and it
really sucks a lot of the time. But the stories I could tell are amazing. They’re
frustrating and difficult and nerve-racking, yes. But they’re amazing. The
people I’ve met, the conversations I’ve had, the ways I’ve seen God show up
again and again… I can tell the kinds of stories I’ve only ever read about
before.
In Exodus 36, God gives the Israelites very meticulous instructions
to build the ark, the tabernacle, the table, and a few other things. He gives some of them
the skills and the abilities to build and set them to work. Equally important, the rest of the people who were willing were to give their personal possessions as materials for
the builders to build with. Those who were instructed to build began to do so, knowing
that there weren’t enough materials. But they trusted that it would come, so they worked as they were told. Morning after morning, the people who were willing continued
to give and provide materials until eventually there was more than enough. The
builders had to turn people away because there was an abundance of material.
In Matthew 14, Jesus feeds thousands of people with just
five loaves of bread and two fish. After everyone had eaten until they were
full, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers because there was more than
enough. There was an abundance of food.
That’s the life God wants for us. Jesus said in John 10:10
that He came so that we could have life and have it abundantly. Even when the world says it doesn't look like abundance.
So that’s been my prayer. That there would be an abundance
of people willing to give like those in Exodus 36. That there would be an
abundance of people like the boy with the bread and fish in Matthew 14.
Because, yes, the goal is to be fully funded by December 31st and move to Germany in
January. But the ultimate goal is to just know Christ more. The ultimate goal
is to be transformed to look more like Him. The ultimate goal, the point of all
of this—of fundraising, of moving, and of life itself—is to enjoy my
relationship with Him. And that’s what fundraising has been.
All of that being said, two weeks ago was a really terribly
awful week. From a worldly perspective, at least. I sat in my car one night after
a disappointing phone call, and I felt so discouraged and so defeated. I could
have bounced back in a second if that phone call had been the only
disappointing thing that had happened that week. But it seemed like I was
getting bad news after bad news in several areas of my life. From a worldly
perspective, everything about my circumstances looked impossible. They looked
like reasons to quit and go into a stressful panic. It would have been easy to
get angry with God at that point. And a year ago I would have. But I prayed and
I presented it as best as I could.
Okay, Lord… I am
saying this as humbly and respectfully as possible. But You have called me to
this. So you have to come through.
I was a bit wordier, but that’s pretty much the gist of it.
I sat in my car awhile longer, just praying. Less than 10 minutes later, I got
an email from someone committing to give monthly, as well as giving me a few
referrals to contact.
That’s life in abundance. That’s trusting The Lord when I
have nothing. And then watching Him respond with everything. Sometimes it
happens within 10 minutes. Sometimes it takes longer and comes in less obvious
ways. But God is always faithful to show up. To transform me. And to let me
know Him more.
