Have you met the interns yet? They're pretty amazing. The following post is from Bonnie Duncan, who likes making Texas-shaped food and has never seen an impossible race she didn't want to try.
My Chi Alpha pastor often compares support raising to the Tough Mudder. If you haven’t ran a Tough Mudder, then I should warn you, there is an 8-foot wall you have to climb over before you get to the start line. And you see this wall and you’re like well team, we gave it a good run.
It is in this moment when you realize the world can be a cold and unforgiving place. And if you didn’t pay so much for your race fee, you would be temped to throw in the towel at the sight of this wall and comfort yourself by saying you gave it the old college try. But because you would never wake up at 5:30am for nothing, you climb that wall. And others help you. And you make it over. And you do a victory dance. And then you get to the start line. And that’s when the real pain begins. But you’re so stoked you climbed an 8-foot wall, the adrenaline doesn’t wear off until mile 6.
Support raising is kinda like that. And like the Tough Mudder, somewhere between soul-crushing and how much longer til the finish line, you meet people along the way who remind you behind every missionary, God creates a team.
Every pledge faith promise is a reminder of God’s providence and grace, and a reassurance that just as he has called me to go, he has called others to send. Like these awesome people just to describe a few:
The “Down for the Cause” Guy
This guy is all about the great commission. And all things Jesus. You ask for his email for a follow up and its soldoutforJesus@gmail.com. You ask how life is going, he responds saying he’s basking in the glory of God’s will. “Just trusting God in all things you know.” You tell him about support raising, he talks about how the hand of God is going to multiply and provide. You say goodbye, and he says “Live it loud and be sold out for Jesus.”
He’s all about this life.
That Pseudo-All-Knowing Person who Supports you Without Having to be Asked
You don’t ask them, they ask you. Because they are that cool. Call it the spiritual gift of knowledge if you will. (If that is you, there is a convenient link where you can give securely online here.) They’re the “Hey, I heard you are support raising and probably too nervous to ask so I’m just gonna start my monthly support k?” So this has actually only happened twice, but I am most definitely not opposed to it.
Just another reminder that God’s the one who provides in spite of my best efforts.
Lastly, Those People That Warrant a Happy Dance After Every Convo Because they are just that Awesome.
They know who they are. They are those super awesome that just ooze with wisdom and Jesus swag that it is almost hard to finish a conversation with them. Cause all of your energy is focused on keeping your cool. Because they not only support you, but more importantly support the work God is doing on university campuses. They are those people in the Tough Mudder that dress up in costumes and carry around blow up alligators and dolphins. Why you may ask? Because ordinary is not really their style.
And while we are at it, ordinary is not really Jesus’s style either. And while climbing over that wall before the start line is daunting and utterly terrifying, it gives meaning as we run the rest of the race.
