I saw this video on the World Race site and it touched my heart!
Another reason why I'm going on the world race: There are so many others in the world to be reached. We can reach them, one person at a time.
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time" ~Mother Teresa
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to those who have helped support me!!
If you haven't yet please be praying for me and if you would like to help financially just click the blue support button above the video
Have you had a rough day this week? Did you get yelled at at work? Did your car break down? Maybe someone just really annoyed you and it ruined your day. A teacher gave you a bad grade? Something didn't go as planned.
I can't speak for you but I certainly get caught up in my problems, dislikes, and failures. Recently I'm trying to be more conscious about getting caught up in feeling sorry for myself. When we feel sorry for ourselves it affects how the people around us view us. I long for people to see Christ in me but I know there are people in my life who don't see that and I constantly need reminding that there is a bigger picture! My problems give me no excuse for being cranky or rude to the people around me.
I love this song. It reminds me that I'm not living my life for me. There is a much bigger picture outside of my own little world that I live in so often! It's not about me, it's about God's plan. No matter the circumstance God WILL see me through!
I hope this song will encourage you as well!
Have a blessed day!
Feelin’ like I got a front row seat to watch everybody be happy
Can’t even paint a smile on my face, it’s so hard to not complain Gotta try not to say
O God, what about me
‘Cause I know that’s not the way that I’m supposed to be
Get me outta my mind and into Your heart
It’s not about me, it’s not about me
So I’m gonna start playin’ my part in Your design
Now is the time
Get me outta my mind Outta my mind
There's a bigger picture on display and it's starting to come in focus
Causing me to see to see the ones in need outside my little world Gotta try, just to say
O God, what can I do
Doesn't matter what it takes, I wanna lead them all to You
Get me outta my mind and into Your heart
It’s not about me, it’s not about me
So I’m gonna start playin’ my part in Your design
Now is the time
Get me outta my mind Outta my mind
If anybody asks me what have I been up to
This is what I'm gonna say
I've been spending my time, outta my mind
And I'm really lovin’livin’ this way [x2]
Get me outta my mind and into Your heart
It’s not about me, it’s not about me
So I’m gonna start playin’ my part in Your design
Now is the time
Get me outta my mind
Get me outta my mind
So I’m gonna start playin’ my part in Your design
Now is the time
Get me outta my mind Outta my mind
SO, this is kind of an important question and I think it's important for you to know why.
When I started this journey all I could answer was "because I feel this is my calling" but I've searched and prayed and thought about my answer long and hard. How to put it into words...
I'm going because I'm broken. My heart is broken but my heart is also whole.
When I see a person in need or hurting or hungry or lonely I feel a physical weight on my chest. My heart aches like you cannot imagine when I see people around me who aren't being loved or who don't have the things they need to survive. I LOVE PEOPLE. I don't mean the shallow word love. I mean like an overwhelming heart wrenching love! Like driving around at 1am with my sheet and blankets and food because I sleep with the thought that there is a person in my city hungry, cold, homeless, and thinking they are alone tonight while I'm curled up in warmth. IT's more than that even it's something that is very hard to explain with words.
I'm overwhelmed with the amount of chaos around me and I want to introduce people to the loving, caring, amazing God that saved me from my loneliness and pain. I know it's pretty unrealistic, especially since I'm rather shy, but I wish I could personally meet every person in the world and tell them where I've been and how God found me and saved me. I'm convicted. While I know a lot of people go unresponsive to hearing about Jesus I'm still baffled when people can hear stories of God turning lives around and still not believe but that's ok because unbelievers need LOVE too. I constantly pray to be a friendlier, nicer, more welcoming person. I truly want to care about everyone and I want everyone to know that I love them because God loved me and other people loved me enough to show me that.
The overwhelming hurt and love I feel for the world is too much for me to keep to myself. I think I will probably explode if I keep it all locked inside. God has conditioned my heart to love and has "called" me through this feeling to go out and serve the world and learn from the world. There is a world that needs Jesus, a world that needs loved, places that know Jesus and God wants to take go so he can teach me more about him.
So simply put I'm going because I'm broken. I'm going because I'm whole. I'm going because this is God's calling for me.
So, incase you don't already know I've been called to an amazing mission called The World Race, where I will have the opportunity to let God use me to help, teach, and learn from people across the world.
You may also have heard that I need to raise $15,500 to go on The World Race and at least another $13,000 to cover my bills while I'm gone and the things I have to buy in order to go like vaccinations, insurance, ect.
DON'T STOP READING YET!
I hesitated to put the numbers out there because they seem so BIG to us. But to God those numbers are smaller than a grain of sand.
God himself will provide you with everything you need, according to his riches, and show you his generosity in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)
I'm talking about a God who created life. Who created Hundreds of trillions of people. A God who has no boundaries!
I am 100% confident that all my needs will be met so that he can send me.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8
This is where YOU come in! I need your help and support to go on The World Race!
If only 62 people gave $75/month for 6 months I could reach my goal! That's only $2.50 a day to partner with me in helping men, women, and children around the World. If you can't give that what ever God leads you to give is a blessing and is VERY appreciated.
ARE YOU BEING CALLED TO SEND ME?! IF SO JUST CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO DONATE. or to avoid the 3% fee for credit donations you can send a check made out to World Race to
World Race
297 E Northwood Ave.
Columbus, OH 43201
I am also selling Threads of Hope for $2 a piece to help me raise money right now.
Threads of Hope are SUPER cool handmade bracelets made by struggling families in the Philippines. $1 goes back to help those families and $1 goes towards my race! WHAT AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE!!!!
If you would like a bracelet just e-mail me. call me. or find me and you can pick out your favorites!
Even if you cannot help in anyway financially I NEEED your prayers!. Prayer is one of the most powerful gifts God has given us. Please Pray for me and I appreciate your prayers more than anything!!!
Prayer is one of the greatest most powerful tools God has given us so I just wanted to share my prayer list and tell you some things that I could use some prayer for. Please feel free to leave your prayer requests in the comment box!!!
This week is finals week so next week I start digging deep into raising money for the world race. I need to raise $15,500 plus I need way to pay my bills for school loans so I can go. I have 14,000 in loans that cannot be deferred while I am gone and cannot return to deferment when I return
My sister and I are moving in together this week.t is her first time living in Columbus.
My friend Tab Britt just left for a month in Africa on Saturday. She is helping in an orphanage in Uganda. Pray for health and safety
My friends Wes and Amber are getting married in April :) very exciting. They are amazing people pray for their marriage.
I have many friends in new relationships
Praying for unsaved friends and family
There are a lot of big changes at work that are making people crazy.
Praying for the many tragedies happening around the world
Praising God for this amazing weather!
A friend of a friend will be preaching for the first time on April 1st! :)
Praying for strength, direction, help with being less negative, jealous, and judgmental
Please let me know your prayer requests so I can pray for you!
A fellow racer challenged us all to post 100 things about ourselves and I have finally done it! :) enjoy!
100. I like to change jobs I've been a field hand on a farm, been a janitor, a waitress, worked in a car assembly plant, been an inspector, a knife saleswoman, babysitter, McDonald clerk, movie theater girl, phone book deliverer, bartender, elementary tutor, and a make-up consultant I think that's it but I can't remember
99. I have a pretty terrible memory so please don't be offended if I can't remember you until I've met you about 15 times
98. I had a crush on the red power ranger and was completely obsessed with him as a child like power ranger soap and a power ranger birthday obsessed
97. I've kind of been playing guitar for about 7 years but I don't really like to play for people
96. I passionately LOVE and appreciate music.
95. I played soccer for about 15 years and still love the sport
94. I was also a gymnast for 13 years and taught gymnastics for one year....also still in love with the sport. A bit envious of gymnasts because I'm too out of shape to ever do those things again
93. I started taking ballet and modern dance in college and it is currently my favorite ummm past-time?
92. I pretty much think I'm right about everything..... but I'm working on that
I'm very shy when I first meet people
90. People often say my shyness comes off as intimidating or rude :/
89. When I was a child one of the first thing strangers would say to me is “you look like an ornery one”...I was
88. I have lots of mean big sister stories... for example in elementary I CONVINCED my little sister she was adopted …...I'm trying to make up for my mean sister days now lol
87. In elementary I also convinced my sister that I knew my way to the city library (which was about 2 miles from my house) and made her go with me.... we got lost and called my mom from a pay phone. She was mad to say the least.
86. I am terrible with directions. Do not follow my direction to anywhere!!
My favorite place to be is surrounded by nature
84. I love risky adventures!
83. I Flipped a four wheeler in the 8th grade and cracked my head open... don't worry I lived.
82.Stuck my tongue to the old refrigerator coils when I was 5. I can still vividly remember climbing up there then slipping and well ripping the side of my tongue off.
81. I own about 150 pairs of shoes. It's a little embarrassing
80. I go dumpster diving and thrifting for fun
79. Once I know you I like to talk, a lot
78. I really like animals
77. I've had a pet chipmunk and a pet squirrel. They were adorable
76. At Anderson me and my roommate once snuck 2 wild bunnies, my lizard, and my dog into our doom room with the RA living across from us. It was such a riot.
75. I really like telling stories from my life
74. My favorite flowers are wild daisies
73. I used to have pet parana
72. I will be 23 on March 21st
71. I have cousins living in Texas whom I love and miss very very dearly
70. I'm not a big fan of drinking but I am really fascinated with wine... most people don't know that
69. I really like to bake and cook
68. A somewhat secret passion of mine is song writing. I find a lot of peace through the many songs I write
67. I really like to journal and I always secretly hope that anyone I write about will someday read what I've journaled about them.
65. Rain is my absolute favorite weather. It makes me happy.
64. I took wood shop instead of home ec and I was really good at it.
63. My dad was a wood worker growing up
62. I'm very much a daddy's girl
61. I have was sibling, a sister who is 1 year younger than me
60. I have a big hole in my left ear drum
59. I HAAAATE being called Angie. It makes me cringe. On the contrary if I have to have a nick name I like Ang
58. I don't like American football at all!
57. I might be addicted to chap stick
56. I'm not scared of death
55. I am deathly scared of spiders and roaches
54. I'm also highly allergic to roaches
53. I've never been on a mission trip
52. I didn't own a trampoline until I was in college and I've loved it ever since
51. I grew up in a tiny little apartment
50. I think that antibacterial things are the worst invention ever and I refuse to use them! I get sick much less since I stopped.
49. I am NOT a person I'm a zebra and I do not like mornings. Sadly, there is a somewhat unspoken rule at work that no one talks to me for the first hour I'm there because I'm so mean when I get up.
48.In case you don't know, I'm currently a hotel waitress and I often work at 5:30am : /
47. I currently attend Ohio State University
46. I like to help people solve there problems
45. In second grade I devised an entire life plan to own an ambulance and rescue all the road kill I could find.
44. I really like fixing/rigging things up with other things that normally wouldn't be used for it. Example all my curtain rods are pieces from a clothes organizer and some clothes hangers and my curtains are sheets.
43. I had a pet hedge hog. It escaped a lot
42. I get to meet and work with a lot of famous people
41. I played the clarinet for 9 years
40. I was born and raised in Bellefontaine, OH
39. Disorganization is how I organize
38. I am very spontaneous. I try to live for each moment.
37. I am in college trying to get a degree in elementary education
36. If I could do anything I wanted with my life I would move out of the U.S. and be a teacher/missionary starting in Haiti
35. My favorite food is spaghetti
34. I didn't start attending church until the 8th grade through a bus ministry
33. I like to pick up hitch hikers and talk to the homeless... I feel that this is one of the greatest callings God has placed upon my life
32. I love tea... all kinds!
31. It's taken me a week to think of 100 things about me
30. If I never had to see another snowfall I would be very happy
29. I hate, despise, detest being cold
28. I can fire breath... it's pretty cool see
27. I love donuts!
26. I went sky diving this past summer
25. I began college at Anderson University, IN
24. In second grade I decided to see how fast toilet paper burns...in-case you're wondering it burns very fast, puts holes through new carpet, and gets your birthday party taken away
23. I'm some what of a pyro
22. I still like to climb trees
21. In high school my friend and I used to drive around for hours just to get lost and hopefully find an adventure. Once we ended up in this creepy little country town we'd never heard of 2 hrs from home..shhh don't tell my parents
20. I am the worlds worst procrastinator
19. I LOVE to talk to people about my life and to listen to other people's stories!
18. I can't fall asleep without noise
17. I love God with all my heart and I often feel very overwhelmed by the idea that he loves ME and saved MY life.
16. I went through a VERY long, hard battle with depression beginning in elementary. It is real, it is painful, it is dangerous, God does miracles
15. I love food...it's my weakness
14. For the most part I don't like dairy products especially not cheese or milk
13. I am firm about what I believe or think
12. I pretty much think I'm right about everything..... but I'm working on that
11. I loooooove children! My heart is overwhelmingly broken for children
10. I am truly blessed with the friends I have been given. I could never fully express my gratitude for them.
9. I have been blessed with the most wonderful church communities
8. I'm not a cat person but I do have the best dog in the world, his name is Brody.
7. I'm a hugger. Sometimes I have to fight the urge to hug people I've just met because it weirds them out
6. I honestly can' remember what all I've said
5. I like deep conversations and I'm really not good at meaningless “how bout the weather” chit chat. If I ask you how you are I want the real answer.
4. I tend to exaggerate sometimes... ok a lot of times
3.I've made a lot of mistakes
2. I don't think I have a favorite color because it changes too often. Currently I love bright yellow and red
So I left you for a while. Sometimes life gets ahold of you and doesn't want to give you a moment of free time. Nonetheless, I am back in action with a big idea to throw out there. Disclaimer, I am not an expert on the bible.
Are you ready to be mind blown?!?
So, lately I've been thinking about "Our FATHER who art in heaven" our FATHER. So many children and adults come from broken homes these days. Even I grew up in a pretty disfunctional home, despite my parents best efforts, I felt abbandon and alone. Thankfully, we have eternal parents.
God is our dad. He is the father that truly planned us before we were born. Who loves us despite all the things we do and all the times we disobey him. And, when we feel alone and abondoned by our earthly parents he will adopt us and keep us because we are his own. God challenges us and sees to it that we know the value in working for things in life. He sends angels to protect us. His angels remind me a lot of my father's good friend micha. He's a cop so my dad was always demanding that he watch out for us when he could. However, he knows our need for the nurturing care of a mother so he gave us the church.
Our father is the provider but our mother provides nurture and care that is sometimes hard for our human selves to feel from a God whom we cannot see. The church is absolutly esential to the life of a Christian. Without the church we have no mother. The church gives us guiedence. It gives us a family that we can lean on, rely on, and learn from. The church feeds us the word of God. It feeds us spiruataly. Our mother, the church, gives us brothers and sisters in christ to share with, laugh with and cry with. Then God gave us Jesus. Jesus who was all in one. He was our father, our brother, and our friend.
Jesus came to be withus. Live like we do. Share in all our emotions. To me this is all just the most incredible thing. When our earthly parents arenot functioning as parents it's ok because God has adopted us and created an entire famoily for us that is perfec!
Ok, I've rewrote this 3 times now because I don't know how to tell you Everything that's on my heart in the first sentence because I have the fear that some people don't read past the first sentence. So, if nothing else, at least read the last paragraph it's the most important of them all!!
WARNING: I'm going to ramble and randomly skip subjects in this entry because I feel that my supporters, and the world in general, deserves to really know my life and my heart. I may not be who you think I am.
I'm scared! I am somehow confident that God will provide the funds for my trip but I recently found out that unless I'm enrolled in school at least 6 credit hours I have to start paying on my massive private school loans. Once those go into repayment they can't go back into deferment. Pretty much, I'm going to have to pay a lot of money every month that I certainly won't be making while I'm away and that I most likely won't be able to afford when I return and go back to school. Somehow, someway God is going to work this obstacle out. I know, I'm "Christian" so I'm supposed to pretend I'm perfectly fine but I'm worried about this and I need A LOT of prayer over it.
I'm blessed beyond what I can comprehend and I can't comprehend it. I want to make sure the world knows that I'm not perfect. I am a follower of Christ. I believe in his teachings. I trust that he is always here. I have faith that he will always provide. I doubt. I fear. I get angry. I'm selfish. I love to love people.
After getting the info about my loans this week, making just enough to pay the bills last week, finding out I need a new car today, and all the while trying to figure out what my next step is to try and raise money for this mission, I started feeling really overwhelmed, alone, and scared. I spent most of the day praying and reading the bible asking God to show me how this was supposed to all work out. All-the-while feeling very disheartened and frustrated asking God "why" questions that I clearly knew the answers to. I've been called to this ministry and God will make it work but it's definitely a journey that I can't try and take on without the rest of the body of Christ behind me. I stink at accepting help and I think that will be a major prayer for me over the next few weeks. On top of that I know that there is power in prayer and power in numbers, especially in the body of Christ. Trying to take this calling on alone would be like wiggling my toe and expecting my feet to start running. I need support from all my brothers and sisters around me. The bible clearly says that each person has specific and special roll or gift to offer and I think that each person not only has their own calling but that as one body we each have a place in each others callings.
Tonight it was amazing to see the body of Christ come together. I think in a group of loving, Christian, peers every person should be put on the spot to be REAL about what is going on in their life because prayer in numbers is so powerful. I'm "socially awkward" shall we say, so I really didn't know what to say or how to show how thankful I was just for everyone's prayers during my small group tonight. Just being prayed over made my heart so at ease. To experience these people caring about me and not only for the race but for my personal situation right now was and is a blessing I can't give enough gratitude back to God for. All day I asked him to reassure me and there he was. Prayer is so powerful and I truly believe in the power of prayer. I really hope that praying for each other continues among my small group and if you aren't connect with a bigger part of the body of Christ besides yourself I strongly encourage everyone to seek that out. The very first book of the bible says that it is not good for man to be alone. Later, the bible speaks many times about the body of Christ and about there being oneness amongst all Christ followers. I'm very blessed that God brought me to this group of peers and I hope that the lines of real openness amongst everyone continue to unfold and grow as the ministry grows.
For now I think I will give my rambling a break but tomorrow II shall continue ; )
By the way, this blog may be about me but my passion and my desire is to love people. I pray daily for the people around me and if you are in need of prayer I would love to be praying for you please don't be afraid to talk to me. My e-mail is mckenzie@osu.edu and you can find more contact information under the Contact tab on the left side of the screen
We all need a little positive encouragement sometimes. I would love to hear what your most encouraging verse is so post it in the comment section!
As far as the fast is going I have 3 days left and I'm very hungry. I'm starting to feel pretty weak but it's causing me to slow down and give God some much needed one on one time. Today I read a little then just sat in the silence of my apartment and prayed and talked to God. Something none of us do often enough. I'm so thankful to have a father who still loves me even when I rarely give him the time he deserves or desires.
Don't forget to post your most encouraging verse so that you can encourage others!!!
Today was a good day. Yesterday, one of my awesome friends, Ben, helped me get some stuff into my new apt and I got to see some of the work that needs done. There is ALOT of work to do so today picked out paint for my new apt. and I started painting. Nothing special. Then I went to Applebee's with my wonderful Sunday funday group. Then I came home and drank some warm tomato juice and pretended it was tomato soup. mmm :/ Incase you're wondering, it's not quite the same. Nonetheless I have something in my stomach. However, I want pizza soooooo bad.
When my church was still fasting we all talked about what we wanted to eat most and surprisingly pizza was the number one thing that people were craving. Anyway, I can't wait for chicken wings and pizza yum!!
Sorry nothing too profound today except that everyone should know that even if you don't deserve God he has called and made you worthy enough to walk a worthy life so that you can proclaim his name to all. Not only that but HE has MADE YOU WORTHY of being LOVED. So many feel worthless these days. I know I did and still do sometimes but it's so very important that God wants you to know you are worthy of being loved and he LOVE YOU!!!! and if I know you chances are I care about you and Love you too and while I seem quiet my door is always open!
Have a great MLK day everyone.
And don't forget to order a valentine to help support me!! :)
