The Lord Provides in Unexpected Ways

As I think back on the last nine months I can’t even put into words all that the Lord has done in my life and all of the ways He has provided.  

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Back in March, I filled out the World Race application, had a phone interview, and was accepted to this program.  At first I was extremely excited to begin this journey! I felt the Lord leading me down this path and I was ready to lean into whatever He had for me.  I had prayed for God to reveal His plan for my life after college to me, and now He was actually doing it!

However, the more I started to think about the trip, the more I got overwhelmed.  How was I going to raise close to $20,000?  How was I going to be able to find the strength to leave everything I have ever know? And what is with this whole living out of a backpack thing? You mean I can only take two pairs of shoes? 

Eventually all of this over thinking on the inside started to manifest itself in other people asking me the same questions and saying things like: “Wow that is a lot of money to raise, how on earth are you going to do that?” or “ You have to live out of a backpack for a year? There is not way I could do that, it’s just too hard.” or “Are you sure you want to do this? The world is a scary place right now.” 

While all of these statements are true, I believe that enemy was using these worldly truths to instill fear in me.  

Eventually, my mindset started to shift surrounding all of these doubts.  A big part of this shift came from this training Adventures In Mission had us do around fundraising.  Through this training, I started to learn that I did not get myself to this point.  The Lord had provided for me before, and He will continue to do so throughout this process.  I learned that if I asked people to support me and they said no, that they weren’t saying no to me, but the Lord.  I also learned that if this is truly where the Lord wanted me to be, then He would provide the means necessary for me to go. 

This mindset shift didn’t happen overnight, but those original questions that I had started to change as well.  It was no longer “how am I going to raise this money” but instead “through what avenue will the Lord provide this money”  It was no longer “how will I have the strength” but instead “the Lord will be my strength through all of this”.   Everything changed when I started listening to the promises that our Father has given us and started listening less and less to what the world around me was saying.  I also started actually believing that His promises are good.  That He will provide.  

 

My fundraising story reminds me of Matthew 14 – this is the story of Jesus walking on water.

 

Matthew 14:25-31

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw his walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it is you,” Peter replied, “Tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 

 

It is easy for me to read this story of Peter and Jesus in Matthew and think “wow that’s pretty bold of Peter to worry so much about the world around him and not trust Jesus” 

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And then I remember that I am Peter.  I have been Peter in the past and I was Peter in the story above.  Peter said “if it’s really you, tell me to come” then Jesus said “come,”.  

Jesus did exactly what Peter asked for and then Peter was the one to freak out.

I am Peter.  

I asked the Lord to show me the path that He had for me, and then He did, and then I freaked out.  

Thank goodness He is gracious and allows us to come back to Him even after we have our moments of doubts.  

All of this to say, the Lord is consistent and when we ask for something, He is good and will provide for us, even if it is not always in the way we think.  

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Throughout this fundraising process I had no idea where the money would come from.  At the halfway mark, I was worried that I had asked all of the people that I knew, and simply was at a lost for where the rest of the money was going to come from. 

But I sit here today and can tell that with the help of 95+ people I am FULLY FUNDED 

Thank you doesn’t even seem big enough to describe how thankful I am to those of you who have supported me financially. 

The Lord provided a way, through 95+ people, that I couldn’t have even imagined nine months ago.  

Thank you, God, for your provision. 

Thank you, God, for always providing.  Even if it isn’t always how we expect.  

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If you are reading this and are still wondering how you can support me: 

1. Please pray. Pray for my squad as we travel these next 11-months. Pray for guidance and discernment as we try try to navigate living in community and serving each other for the next 11-months.  Pray for the people we will be interacting with and the we only reflect Jesus and nothing else. 
2. There are still many of my squad-mates that are not yet fully funded.  It would mean so much if you would help my squad reach their financial goal so we can all go on this journey together!
3. Financially: there are still outside costs to my trip.  I have a few last minute gear items I need before I leave.  If you would like to help financially with these, please reach out. 

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I also cannot believe that I haven’t updated you all on where my squad and I will be traveling!! As always, we are very flexible and the countries might change throughout this process.  

Guatemala

Honduras 

Nicaragua 

Costa Rica

Columbia

Ecuador 

Peru

Rwanda

Kenya

Eswatini

Lesotho or South Africa

 

I am so excited for this journey and am so thankful for all of your support along the way 🙂

 

xoxo

Kayla

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p.s. My team and I are 25 days away from launch!!