Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Count Down

18 days and counting until the Chicago Marathon.  I am both nervous and excited.
My first 1/2 Marathon (since weight loss and getting back to running) was in 2010 in a town near and dear to me-Fort Wayne Indiana.  There I saw for the first time people who were running for World Vision and it inspired me.  I have sponsored two children through World Vision for about 10 years now.  I started out with one child sponsor because I was between church homes and need to tithe. So I thought this would be a good use of my tithe.  Then we started to attend our home church on a regular basis and I just couldn't give up the sponsorship, so I gave money to World Vision and money to church.
Well, it so happens that a few years later I got a new job and better money so I sponsored a second child.
When I saw the runners with World Vision I was inspired.  The next year at Fort Wayne 1/2 I saw this group again and more world vision runners two weeks later at the Chicago Marathon.
This winter our church did a program where everyone was encouraged to read the book "Hole in the Gospel" by Rick Sterns the president of World Vision.  Through this program each week we were encouraged to think about how others in the world live differently then we Americans do.  A lot of the differences have to do with food and water.
Coincidences that all these things keep poping up in my life. No- God is calling.
Now I have tried to talk myself out of raising funds and running with World Vision but it just won't  let me go.
I am not very good at asking people for funds or support.  You know the things that run through your head:
people will think that I am crazy, people will tell me all the negatives of World Vision, people will think I am jumping on the band wagon.....the list goes on and on.

So I have started to get out and let people know that I am running with World Vision to raise money for water and wells in Africa.  I let my friends know that:

"I love running and I love long distance running.  I am not a very fast runner but I am determined. I have run 3 1/2 Marathons and the Chicago Marathon once.  Those I ran for myself.  This time I want to go beyond myself and run for a need.  I have sponsored two children through World Vision for 8 years and have come to know how well this organization cares for others.
I am running the Chicago Marathon with Team World Vision to help change lives in Africa. The needs are great, but I believe there is something we can do!"

Suddenly I am finding that friends are donating money to my cause and everytime I see a donation amount I am over whelmed.  I can't believe what people are willing to invest.  But I am so glad and so thankful.  So THANK YOU to all those who are supporting my calling.

 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

Hope and pray that all goes well for you this week. 
support.worldvision.org/goto/RobyneSpillers


No comments:

Post a Comment