Funds Raised!

My funding has been completely raised!

Thanks to everyone who contributed financially, with items for garage sales, or with prayers. It was a very humbling experience, but I have learned to be a gracious receiver. In our American culture, being receivers is much harder than being givers.

Why is this? I think it has to do with the American Dream - where you build everything you have all by yourself, from the ground up. It's easy to become prideful if you did it all. It's harder to be prideful if you have to say that someone helped you. It's impossible to be prideful if God did it for you. I say impossible, but I mean impossible for personal pride. I have pride in my great big God that he did this for me, because I surely didn't raise all these funds on my own. The Lord pricked hearts and put numbers in heads for this to be the success it was. I think this kind of pride is OK. Just like having pride in a friend or relative when they have accomplished or done something great is OK. So long as it doesn't come between you and your relationship with God.

Thank you Lord for teaching me to become a gracious receiver!