Beating a dead horse

If you were wondering what it feels like to be 23 days away from moving to another country for 2 years the answer is overwhelmed. If you were wondering what it feels like to need to have over $500 in monthly donations left to fundraise before you can buy a plane ticket to move to said country, that answer is overwhelmed and nauseous.

Can I just be honest here and say fundraising is not fun. I know that some people really enjoy this aspect of their job, but I am not one of those people. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sharing with people what I am going to be doing. I just don't like the last bit of the meeting where I casually mention, oh yeah, I need you to help pay for me to do this. Because the thing is, I am passionate about what I am doing. I believe it is important in the Kingdom of God. I think it is a worthy cause to give you money... I just don't want to be the one who asks you to do that. And yet I think God has things to teach me in this process. I'm learning a lot about patience. I am learning about trusting God in action, not just in words.

As I was praying one night this week I began to just beg God to provide people who could lift me up and I remembered a program that we used at Crossgates to sign people up for 24 hours of prayer before our new season would start in the college service. I thought, "I wish I knew I had specific people praying for me daily." I know that some people do. But I don't know with confidence each day that someone has prayed for me. Imagine how confident that would make you. So I decided that I wanted that. Then I realized if I asked people to fast and pray for a meal once a month, and asked them to give the money they might have spent on that meal, then I would be incredibly close to my goal.

So for example, a friend would choose the 3rd of the month. For one meal on the 3rd of every month they would fast and pray for me. They would also sign up to do a monthly donation for $10 per month.

If 31 people were able to sign up for that then I would have $310/ month and one person for each day of the month. If 62 people signed up then I would have $620/month and would deb totally funded, and each day I would know that TWO people where specifically sacrificing a meal to pray for me and my girls. In some ways I feel like I am asking a lot of people, but I need a lot from people. I NEED your prayers. Each day I wake up thinking about all that I want to see God do during my time in Germany and I know just how much I need people to support me in that.

I have 1,824 Facebook friends. If 62 of them can partner with me I will be able to go. Able to do the thing I know God has called me to. So if we are being honest here, you should know that I am praying for the people reading this. I am praying that God would guide you as you read this. That if He leads you would follow.

But most importantly I am thankful for this. I am thankful that no matter how I get there, God is in this journey. He is in the process of getting to Germany, and will be with me guiding me once I get there. I am thankful for His unending faithfulness. Because no matter how weary I become, I can find my rest in Him.

English major friends, please forgive my terrible usage of commas. It is my deepest grammar struggle. 

Halfway and Vision Messy

Well guys. We are one month and 8 days from my hopeful leave date. I have reached my halfway goal. Thankful for God's provision of family and friends who are outstanding. May God continue to be glorified in fundraising.

I spent last week at Teach Beyond orientation. Teach Beyond is my "sending company." Up until a few months ago I didn't really know what a sending company was. But let me tell you I chose a great one. It was awesome this week to hear from so many Teach Beyond (TB) missionaries about what the vision for TB is and what they desire to see happen for their company. It got me thinking about vision/mission statements. 

TB's is the following: Mission Statement 
Who We Are 
As followers of Jesus we are an international organization providing transformational education to children and to adults. 
What We Do 
We provide teaching and learning services to all regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion in order to promote holistic personal growth and enduring social benefit. 


So anyway. I have thought a lot this week about what my mission or vision statement is for my life. I kept going back to the passage of scripture about the woman at the well in John chapter 4. After Jesus tells her "everything about her" she runs off to tell the entire town about him. Then we see the following verses. 
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
(Emphasis mine)
Read the full story here
I think this verse perfectly captures my vision for my life.  I want to be willing to share my testimony. I want to run to people wherever they are, no matter their circumstances and tell them "He told me all that I ever did." I'd like to add onto that "And he LOVES me. He loves me. He knows every hateful thought I have thought. He knows have word of death I have spoken into people. But he loves me. He loves me." I want people to believe in Him because of my testimony. But then I want to see those people ask Jesus to stay with them. Then I want them to believe because of His Word (himself). And oh how I long to hear this next part. I want people to say to me, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." Do you hear that??????? "For we have heard for ourselves." Oh the importance of those words. 

In one month and 8 days (God willing) I will be in Germany. I will be in the place where God is calling me to himself.  I will be living with 14-16 young women who have heard the testimony of many faithful followers of Christ. I'd like to add my name to the list of people whose testimony they heard that sent them towards belief in Christ. With your prayer and support I will seek to encourage them to ask Jesus to stay with them. To ask him to speak to them. Then for them to return to me saying that they have heard Him for themselves. 

So that is my "Vision Statement" I guess. It provides direction for this wanderer. As God draws me to himself I desire to see this same pattern play out in the places He and I dwell together. 

Hope Messy

I am incredibly uncomfortable with fundraising. I consistently question why people should give to me. "My friends have other friends who are missionaries. They find other ministries to be more worth their while. I shouldn't bother that person, I don't really even know them that well." Thoughts like these circle around my brain a lot. And honestly. I often believe them.

21                  But this I call to mind,

                 and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b]
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:21-24 

Granted. The author here was describing tragedies far greater than not being as funded as I want to be right now. (One part of the verse mentions his teeth grinding on gravel.) But the idea is the same. I have misplaced my hope. I put my hope in FB posts and shares. I put my hope in the kindness of others. But truly my hope is to be placed in Christ. My hope is to be found in Him. That out of His glorious riches He will supply people who desire to meet financial and prayer needs for me. So here I am. Placing my hope back in the Creator of the Universe and seeking to use the resources He has supplied me with. I am mildly creative and I love a good DIY project. So I have put that to use. I have been making several items to sell. My lack of confidence in my artwork makes it hard for me to set a price. But I am asking people to consider making a monthly donation to my Teach Beyond account in place of a one time check written to myself. I also had a T-Shirt designed by www.fundthenations.com (An amazing website that works with non-profits to get them inexpensive designs and shirts printed to use as fundraisers. They have been outstanding to work with) 

This seems to be the most popular item I have made. World map on salvaged wood.

Mississippi and Alabama. My two homes.

USA on Salvaged wood.

Working on another one of these with "Sweet" written above it in a cursive script.

My T-shirt

My first pallet creation.

If you are interested in partnering with me in ministry by purchasing one of these items, or by making a donation to my Teach Beyond account send me an email cummingsjordanl@gmail.com and I will get in touch with you about how to purchase or donate! Thanks!

This is the blog of my new friend Beth. She is fundraising to do "The World Race" a very cool mission opportunity. I love her thoughts on fundraising. She worded things in a way I don't know how. She is hilarious and loves Jesus a whole lot. Beth's Fundraising Post

Fundraising Messy

Well. It has been a while. I'm sorry I may be the worst blogger ever. A lot of life has happened in the time since I last blogged. I'll try to be brief and give an overview before I get to the point of this blog.

November:
Came home. Thanks were given. American food was eaten. Culture was reverse shocked.

December:
Sister got married.
Made it to MS to see my MS people finally. (Still waiting to see a few friends. There is seriously not enough time in the world to see all the cool people I know.)
I LOVE CHRISTMAS DECORATING. I put up a lot of decorations.
Mid way through December  Sean, the brother of one of my close friends from college, was in a car accident and was transported to the hospital in Birmingham. I spent a lot of December driving to UAB hospital and hanging around in a waiting room hoping and praying for things to be different than they were. I really need to post a full blog about this time. In short, God is good even when I don't like they way things go. Officially decided to accept the position of RA at BFA. Officially overwhelmed with changes.

January:
More hospital. Sean died. Went to KY for funeral. God was praised for His goodness, in the midst of sorrow. Got some sort of stomach related illness. Ended sleeping on the couch at my friend's childhood home while their family is mourning. Guys. I have thrown up in so many places I never thought I would. It's truly unfortunate. Snowed a few times in Bama, which was delightful.

February:
Holy cow a lot of time has passed since I blogged. In other news I am a terrible procrastinator of things I don't enjoy. My Great-Great (great grandmother) died. At this point I am really tired of funerals. I did get a new niece. Ellis Patterson Cummings was born Feb. 27th. She is pretty stinking adorable if I do say so myself. Started attending my parents church faithfully. Prior to this I had done a lot of visiting.

March:
Spring Break with all the fam. Drove to visit friends in FL and GA while on the coast. Worked around the house.

April:
Planted a garden. Read a lot of books. Helped with an event at the church.

May:
Here we are. May kind of hit me with the fact that, while I have done some fundraising, I have not pushed this like I need to. God has given me an opportunity to do a job that fits so clearly into things I love, but I have been pretty lazy in my efforts to fully prepare for the job. So after some conviction time I am in full fundraising mode these days. Which brings me to the point of the blog. Why am I fundraising and what is next for me???


ANNOUNCEMENT!
I have accepted a position with Teach Beyond ( http://teachbeyond.org ) to work at Black Forest Academy ( http://bfacademy.com )in Kandern, Germany as a resident assistant in their dorms. BFA is a boarding school which hosts many students, grades 7-12, whose parents are Workers in regions that aren't super conducive to their children attending school. My job as an RA will be somewhere between acting as a big sister and a mom, which are two of my favorite roles to play! I will have the privilege of discipling a house of young women alongside another RA and Dorm Parents. I am beyond excited about this opportunity. I went into teaching originally desiring to work with middle school or high school students, I love that age. I love teaching them to challenge themselves to look at the big picture and ask hard questions and be curious and to live a Good Story. ( I also love run on sentences.) Ultimately that is what I desire to do with this job. I want to live a Good Story and share the Good News.

Here comes the part of the blog that makes my insides all kinds of squishy. I need money to be able to do this job. (Yikes.) All of the employees at Teach Beyond fundraise their salaries. The money goes to paying for healthcare, insurance, training, and basic needs so that we can do our jobs well. Any donations made toward my account are tax deductible. Everything in me screams against point blank asking for money, but I know this job is what God has equipped me for and fundraising is a portion of this job. So I am currently working on some of my mediocre art to try and sell. I am gathering things for a BIG yardsale in June. I have been putting some money in savings. But mainly I am praying for people who are willing to be a partner with me in prayer for this next season of life, and are willing to make a financial gift to allow me to do a job that I think is important.

So if you would like to do that, you can follow this link to the Teach Beyond website.
https://give.teachbeyond.org
There are several ways you can give. Each way has an option to designate who to give for. You can simply put my name in the box.

If you would like to talk with me personally before you decide to give I would absolutely love to meet with you. Comment and I will get in touch with you to meet for coffee or a treat and I can answer any questions you might have about Teach Beyond and Black Forest Academy.