why fundraising is a struggle…

here is a little story about my fundraising journey so far, it shows a few highlights and set backs ! i hope it helps someone or just gives perspective of what it is like to be requesting so much money from the Lord!!: 

 

just like the title says… fundraising is hard! 

not for one moment has it been easy, but i don’t think i ever expected it to be. 

first, i was doubtful: would the money come in? would God provide? would i make it in time? luckily, the world race team was so prepared for these thoughts, and provided me will so many amazing tools. there was a devotional and step by step process to get started. i took a week reading and watching videos on why fundraising is important, how it is a literal ministry (and can bring people to Jesus) and how it can actually get done. 

the biggest thing for me was understanding that this wasn’t about ME raising money. or doing everything in MY power to make sure it was completed. it was about God, His glory, and His kingdom. the world race is about Him and what He wants to do globally, and i have just made myself available to it! this was a huge moment for me, because it really took the pressure off! yes, i would have to put some work in on this side of heaven, but ultimately He was the one working it all out for good. 

next, i actually had to start. a lot of people already knew what was happening, since i needed to raise $200 in a little under a week in order to secure my spot. my two first, and biggest, steps was support letters and t-shirts. this way i could reach out to many families and also reach many people my age on social media, all at once. this was both beneficial to raising money at the start, and also getting the word out quickly to the people in my community. 

from there, the Lord really orchestrated it all! amazing donations came in, i was writing blogs, selling t-shirts, getting to know my advisor at the time, carly (love ya girl), and telling people what was about to happen. 

and then !!! i picked my route (and drew became my advisor!) and things got even crazier! i knew where i was going which made fundraising so much more exciting, because people were really getting to see what they were supporting. this knowledge led to great conversation and unique fundraising ideas! it was incredible!

and then… the months got slower. 

doubts crept in, the comparison trap started, and fundraising was now a lot more than “fun.”

now don’t get me wrong, it’s still LOADS of fun!! BUT there were definitely major setbacks, and i can’t just gloss over them! i want to be real with y’all and tell ya how it is. 

first off, some months not a lot of money comes in, while others there will be a flood of donations. this means some ups and downs for me personally! not every month can be fruitful, financially, and that is totally ok! some of the months where i don’t see a lot of finances, the Lord will teach me a lot about prayer and my confidence in Him. 

after hitting the half way mark i was on top of the world! a huge hurdle had just been jumped over. but slowly crept in the idea of $7,800 more dollars. that’s a lot ! and it took my 6 months to get here. 6 more months seems like forever in my mind, even though i know it will go by quickly. in God’s mind, this number is almost nothing, and is completely possible. choosing to today that I will trust in His provision and ability!

another thing is comparison. i know my squad and i have really been struggling with this because so many of us are in different places! some have been committed to the race for several months, while others only a month or two. because of this, finances for each of us are so so different. really learning that i can’t compare this fundraising journey to my friends, because the Lord will provide for each of us in individual, unique ways. we are at different places for a reason!

another setback for me has been social media. social media is already hard enough, and then balancing what you post and how often can be crazy! it can become a trap that takes away your time and will raise unhealthy thoughts. i get scared that people will be annoyed by me, or won’t agree with what i am doing. or maybe they won’t like the fundraiser i am hosting, and will judge me for it. something i am learning is that yes, people will get annoyed, and some people will not agree, but not everyone is going to like you! the ones who care will continue to watch and follow. and of course i am balancing how often i post because i want everyone to be engaged when a post or story comes out! 

with all that being said, i really just wanted to share a real and raw story/update about how fundraising is going. we are only half way there and i am learning a whole freaking bunch. thanks for reading 🙂 and i hope it helped some current/future racers, or anyone who ever has to fundraise! feel free to ask all the questions !

thank you to all my fam and friends who constantly support me and lift me up during this season! you mean the world to me!

if you are interested in donating click the cute little orange button at the top of the page! i will also be selling sweatshirts soon so check out my instagram or facebook (gretchenwaters) to hear about that! all the love !

-gretchen :)))))