Two weeks ago today I left Wichita for a week long training in North Carolina, followed by three weeks of support raising. Then on July 1st on to New York City for a month long cross cultural training. As I drove away from Wichita I felt like I was stepping off a cliff.
I cried for most of the first three hours of my twelve hour drive. The only thought that made me feel less like I was about to fall to my death was that I could always just do my week in NC and go home. There was nothing that said I had to be on the road support raising. No one was making me go to NY. If after the week in NC I was still feeling like I was falling I decided I'd just go back to Wichita, regroup and try again later.
The conference I was attending in NC is called Living In Grace... That should have been an indicator that maybe this week was going to be encouraging. Living In Grace is required for all MTW missionaries and employees. In addition to myself 20 other missionaries there and we were lead by six former missionaries. The first night we broke into small groups and were asked to share what we had hoped to gain from the week. I said peace with the path I'm currently on.
Well, prayers answered.
Spending a week with people in the same boat as me was so encouraging. There were many opportunities to deepen existing relationships and make new relationships with people who I know will be a part of my life forever. Our fellowship was more than sweet.
The teaching was direct and hit right where I needed it. There are many things I'm still mulling over and will probably continue to mull on for quite some time.
I didn't fall. I was reminded of the path that was under my feet all along. God has called me to reach artists in Fremantle. He's not going to let me fall.
After a week literally secluded on a mountain, we're talking no cell service and little internet, with a renewed confidence in my calling I hit the support raising trail in Georgia. I felt completely at peace. And while I still long to see my financial support coming in, I wasn't consumed with worry over that. Which, if you've been following my journey, you know was not the case just a few weeks ago.
Then an amazing thing happened... 5% of my monthly support was pledged. IN TWO WEEKS! After months of no new support. And not because I'm a great support raiser, because God is faithful and His people generous.
Some days I still feel a little like Indy walking across that chasm. The path isn't always easy to see. It is almost always scarey. But it is always there. So I keep walking.
I cried for most of the first three hours of my twelve hour drive. The only thought that made me feel less like I was about to fall to my death was that I could always just do my week in NC and go home. There was nothing that said I had to be on the road support raising. No one was making me go to NY. If after the week in NC I was still feeling like I was falling I decided I'd just go back to Wichita, regroup and try again later.
The conference I was attending in NC is called Living In Grace... That should have been an indicator that maybe this week was going to be encouraging. Living In Grace is required for all MTW missionaries and employees. In addition to myself 20 other missionaries there and we were lead by six former missionaries. The first night we broke into small groups and were asked to share what we had hoped to gain from the week. I said peace with the path I'm currently on.
Well, prayers answered.
Spending a week with people in the same boat as me was so encouraging. There were many opportunities to deepen existing relationships and make new relationships with people who I know will be a part of my life forever. Our fellowship was more than sweet.
The teaching was direct and hit right where I needed it. There are many things I'm still mulling over and will probably continue to mull on for quite some time.
I didn't fall. I was reminded of the path that was under my feet all along. God has called me to reach artists in Fremantle. He's not going to let me fall.
After a week literally secluded on a mountain, we're talking no cell service and little internet, with a renewed confidence in my calling I hit the support raising trail in Georgia. I felt completely at peace. And while I still long to see my financial support coming in, I wasn't consumed with worry over that. Which, if you've been following my journey, you know was not the case just a few weeks ago.
Then an amazing thing happened... 5% of my monthly support was pledged. IN TWO WEEKS! After months of no new support. And not because I'm a great support raiser, because God is faithful and His people generous.
Some days I still feel a little like Indy walking across that chasm. The path isn't always easy to see. It is almost always scarey. But it is always there. So I keep walking.
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