It is so crazy to me that the decision I made almost one year ago is actually about to take place in a little over 3 weeks. The choice I made then looks a little different from what it does now, leaving behind a little more than I thought, surrendering more to the Lord than I anticipated, but my heart is still just the same. I desperately desire to live my life in complete surrender to God. I want to have a dependence on Him like no other. I want to walk through this life with the Lord always at my side. I desire to choose the path He has for me… not the one I write on my own. Does that make my decision to do this trip easy? Not at all! It is the hardest thing I might ever do. I am terrified. I struggle to say yes continually. But it is a DAILY surrender. A daily taking up my cross and following Jesus. Who said it would be easy? Certainly not Jesus for He says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. Or Matthew 7:13-14, where Jesus speaks of the path to Him as narrow and hard to find, difficult to walk through. And yet, the hard road is the one that will only lead to life. This trip is leading me to true, eternal, life in Jesus. I don’t know what that looks like or where it will lead, but the one who goes before me does and He is waiting there for me.
Prayer:
One of the biggest ways you can partner with me in my trip is through prayer. I will be vulnerable in saying that leaving for this trip is incredibly hard for me to do. It takes so much more surrender to the Lord than I realized. It is painful to know that I’ll be gone for so long. It hurts to know that I’ll not be able to talk to my family when I need them or that I won’t see their faces for nine months. It is scary to leave my relationship in the Lord’s hands and trust Him to do what’s best. There is a lot of fear that is resting on my shoulders, and it is getting very heavy. A big thing you could pray for me is that the Lord would comfort me and still that fear. That I would not desire earthly comfort from my family and friends, but the comfort that comes from only Him. I know that this goodbye is going to be hard… but “even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:10). Through whatever I face I can take comfort for the Lord will hold me fast.
Some other things you can pray for is safety in traveling as well as in the countries I’m going to, the friendships I am going to make in my time there, my health as I’ll be exposed to a lot of different viruses and parasites, and my family back home as this is not only hard for me but them also.
My first week there I know I will need all the prayer I can get, so if you could mark your calendar for August 29th-September 5th to pray for me that would mean so much. The enemy has been trying to attack me with many lies and fear, constantly crouching at my door, but if I have friends and family showering me in prayer his voice will surely be drowned out!
Fundraising:
For those of you who don’t know I have reached almost 70% in fundraising and have just a little over $6,000 left to raise!
Grateful is an understatement for how I feel to everyone who has so generously given to my trip. The Lord is truly so good. He just keeps providing in so many ways. I am not in a super big rush to get the rest of my 30% because I have reached my benchmark to secure my spot to go on the trip, but I would love to get to 85% if I can before my launch day, August 29th, that way I won’t be worried about funding while I’m gone and I can be fully emersed in how the Lord is using me. Please pray about it because I truly do understand what a sacrifice it is to so many of you to give to my trip, and I can’t thank you enough for those who have made that sacrifice for me! Without all of you this trip wouldn’t even be possible for me…
23 days… absolutely crazy! I’m so scared but so ready for what the Lord is going to do. Not just over these next nine months, but the rest of my life. This is the beginning of a life-changing story. I know that the Lord is calling me to higher things. To be set apart from this world. And I want to be a part of His eternal story. So… here we go!
Love you so very much, Jaydin.
So encouraged by your faith and desire to be fully dependent on the Lord. I am grateful that we can be confident in the God we serve – that he is trustworthy, very much in control and that we can fully rely and be confident not in ourselves, but in Him especially in the midst of uncertainty. I can’t wait to see how the Lord continues to use your faithfulness and dependence on Him not only in your own life but in the lives of others. He is going to use you in immense ways in the people’s lives that you will serve.
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
We love you so much!
So proud of you Jaydin! Your mom and I know the Lord is going to do big things in your life. This adventure is truly a gift that will follow you for the rest of your life. Can’t wait to hear how the Lord is using you in the lives of others on your trip.
If God has taught me anything it’s that he’s there through it all. “If you cannot trace God’s hand you can trust his HEART.” It’s so true Jay. It’ll be hard and I’m praying for you in the hard but I’m already so encouraged by seeing your continuous acts of faith in the day to day struggle. Love you J. Excited for everything you will get to experience with God through this all!