The Latest Fundraiser :)

I ran my own 10k (about 6 miles) this morning as a fundraiser.  I had people pledge per mile and then I ran my little heart out :p with Kylie as my witness. Note I'm not a runner lol, not at all.  Sure I ran to get ready for this massive run but I'm not a runner, in fact I hate running with a fiery passion of a thousand burning suns lol. God is so good though, I ran the fastest and longest I ever have in my life.  I ran the entire thing in an hour, thank you Jesus! :)
The amount that I raised from the run-a-thon is still being determined, I have a few phone calls to make this week, but I am more happy about the run being a success and breaking my own record than I am about the money :)
I think the run-a-thon is a for shadow of my time in Africa.  I thought the run was going to be a lot harder than it was.  It was hard and I  wanted to walk a few times but I didn't give up and God carried me through it.  I also prepared myself as best as I could before hand and then let God help me through the rest.  I'm definitely trying to prayerfully prepare myself for Africa, but I know I can only do so much and now I need to be ready to do my part but to let God  be my strength and run this thing together :) 
Man oh man, the stuff God shows and teaches us even in the little things of life :)

My Hearts Prayer

Lord help me to walk by faith and not by sight.  Help me to be the person you created me to  be.  Help me to walk in love and patients.  Help me to be gracious.  Help me to always be walking with you, not just for you or beside you.
I surrender everything i am and everything i have to you.  In complete abandonment I give it all to you, the good and the bad, the blessing and the hurt.  I give it all!
Now take me and breath beauty out of ashes.  Take the impossible situations that surround me and make them possible.

Getting to the Nitty Gritty

So here is the thing, I still need to raise a lot of money for Africa, I am still a few hundred short from my plane ticket and then there is the DTS to pay for so I'm going to be doing a run-a-thon. On Aug 20th I'm running my own 10k (6 miles) and I'm looking for people who are willing to pledge per mile.  If everyone gives a little then it will go a long way and i think I can make it. :) let me know if you can be a part of this.

Walk by Faith not by Sight

The time keeps getting closer and closer. It is crazy to think that in just a few weeks I will be going to Africa for a long time :)
I'd like to pretend I'm a super human Christian and say that I haven't struggled but that wouldn't be true.  I have battled and am still battling fears, insecurities, doubt, I have cried many tears and felt my heart break over and over again. I'm not a super Christian, I'm merely a human saved by grace. I'm walking through a fire, It hurts but it is so good and I'm so thankful!!!  Through this I'm learning in a deeper way how to walk by faith, how God is my everything and how I can truly trust Him with everything, everyone and my heart.  These are things I have known for a long time but as I let the fire refine me and mold my character I'm growing in my understanding and belief in theses things.
It is so easy to pray and get a direction form the Lord and run with it and forget that life is meant to be done with Him not just for Him. But it is important to not just live for the Lord but with the Lord.  To ask how to get there and listen each day, each moment, all the time. It is a gift and huge blessing to listen and walk with God every second of every day.  It is easy to get stuck in the doing instead of being and living but be careful not to be robbed of this great blessing! Walk by faith not by sight every day.