Its 12:30 in the morning and I can't sleep because I'm too busy thinking about Rise Above It Missions and the fact that it turns 2 today. It's been such an incredible journey through 2014 and I have been blown away with the support we've gotten from you guys, and the miracles God has constantly provided for us. I know the story of RAIM is one that not many people know actually, and today I wanted to talk about that a bit, as well as all we've been through this year and how we plan to grow in 2015. But first things first, I wanted to thank you guys for everything. Thank you for sharing your stories and reading these blog posts and buying our t-shirts and sharing our pictures on Facebook. That means more to me than you'll probably ever know.
Now, onto our history.
Roughly two years ago I was talking with my best friend, Diana. I think we were talking because I was getting really restless. I didn't want to live average life anymore and I knew God was calling me bigger things. I was hurting for other people and grieving their losses as if they were mine. But all these emotions never got me anywhere. Diana was the one to tell me to do something. We prayed together a lot and we each sought God's will in this. I don't know who said it first, but the idea was born that we would start an email address so people could have their stories told, and then later it could become something more. We got a lot of amazing stories told to us through that email, and its still up for that very purpose. Each of us believed in the power of hearing and sharing testimonies. There was a certain healing that came with getting all these things out.
Eventually we felt God calling us for more. Again, we spent a good amount of time praying before moving. But it was clear that God was telling us to start a ministry for those who struggled with self harm, depression, and eating disorders. Those were issues that He had been placing on our heart for many years before ever calling us to start RAIM, so it was cool to finally understand why. There was a lot of time spent praying and talking over these things before we committed to it, but I don't think we really knew what we were getting into when we decided to launch the site.
On this day, two years ago, we launched this very website. It was a happy day indeed. I'll never forget the horrible graphics we had up and the little knowledge we possessed at the time. Most of all, I never want to forget how fresh it felt and how exciting. We had a zeal in us that I pray we never lose.
We had no idea how much RAIM would grow in two years or how much we would change as individuals and how many trials we would have to overcome as a ministry. We didn't know we would have a Facebook page with over 400 likes or a Twitter account with over 1,400 followers. I didn't know that 30 people would purchase our tshirts that we sold as a fundraiser or that Diana and I would live in separate countries for 7 months out of the second year. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined meeting with a lawyer or a woman who was trained in pre-counseling or talking to a psychology professor or getting invited to speak at a nonprofit organization; all about RAIM. There are times where I wonder if I'm truly ready to lead a nonprofit or if I'm strong enough to handle some of the situations ahead; but God has always reminded me that of course I'm not strong enough, but yes, He is.
I guess this is what I really want to say to you; everyone was born with a purpose that is bigger than they could possibly understand. You have dreams that you were born to fulfill; and yes those dreams can seem daunting at times, but if you press on and lean on God to supply every ounce of strength, you can accomplish anything. You were made to live in awe of God and made to live out the passions you were created with. And there are times when its scary but I promise you that its so worth it.
This ministry has changed my life,and I pray that it changes yours too. Our goals are to keep our eyes continually on the Lord, and to give Him the glory in all we do. We pray that He would bring true healing to those whose lives are touched by self harm, depression, and eating disorders. We pray that He would be the center of this ministry and that we would never seek our own glory in this. We pray for a changed world; one where suicide is nonexistent, one in which bullying is a problem of the past, one in which we treat those around us with respect, including ourselves, and one in which each of us knows our worth and value in Christ.
I believe all this is possible with God.
So, in closing, I wanted to share the gospel with you. Because its the core of everything. The gospel is life to me and I want to share life with you. And here it is; whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know though, is that I once was blind but now I see. (John 9:25) I've never been one to know all the facts about the bible, but I can tell you that I wouldn't be here without God. If He hadn't rescued me when I was 8 years old I wouldn't be who I am today. God has brought me healing and hope and faith when I had none. I know I am a sinner and I know I don't deserve this amazing life, but Jesus died for me when I was nothing. And for that...well, for that I'm eternally grateful. God wants that same healing for you. I would encourage you to pray today. I want to encourage you to have some dialogue with God. You weren't meant to live this life on your own. Reach out and choose healing. Choose life.
I can't wait for all the amazing things we're going to experience in 2015. I can't wait to be reunited with my best friend/ministry partner in a few days and be able to talk with her about RAIM and more future plans. I can't wait to begin the process of going nonprofit and doing fundraisers and all the fun things that go along with it. You guys make this all worth it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
Now, onto our history.
Roughly two years ago I was talking with my best friend, Diana. I think we were talking because I was getting really restless. I didn't want to live average life anymore and I knew God was calling me bigger things. I was hurting for other people and grieving their losses as if they were mine. But all these emotions never got me anywhere. Diana was the one to tell me to do something. We prayed together a lot and we each sought God's will in this. I don't know who said it first, but the idea was born that we would start an email address so people could have their stories told, and then later it could become something more. We got a lot of amazing stories told to us through that email, and its still up for that very purpose. Each of us believed in the power of hearing and sharing testimonies. There was a certain healing that came with getting all these things out.
Eventually we felt God calling us for more. Again, we spent a good amount of time praying before moving. But it was clear that God was telling us to start a ministry for those who struggled with self harm, depression, and eating disorders. Those were issues that He had been placing on our heart for many years before ever calling us to start RAIM, so it was cool to finally understand why. There was a lot of time spent praying and talking over these things before we committed to it, but I don't think we really knew what we were getting into when we decided to launch the site.
On this day, two years ago, we launched this very website. It was a happy day indeed. I'll never forget the horrible graphics we had up and the little knowledge we possessed at the time. Most of all, I never want to forget how fresh it felt and how exciting. We had a zeal in us that I pray we never lose.
We had no idea how much RAIM would grow in two years or how much we would change as individuals and how many trials we would have to overcome as a ministry. We didn't know we would have a Facebook page with over 400 likes or a Twitter account with over 1,400 followers. I didn't know that 30 people would purchase our tshirts that we sold as a fundraiser or that Diana and I would live in separate countries for 7 months out of the second year. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined meeting with a lawyer or a woman who was trained in pre-counseling or talking to a psychology professor or getting invited to speak at a nonprofit organization; all about RAIM. There are times where I wonder if I'm truly ready to lead a nonprofit or if I'm strong enough to handle some of the situations ahead; but God has always reminded me that of course I'm not strong enough, but yes, He is.
I guess this is what I really want to say to you; everyone was born with a purpose that is bigger than they could possibly understand. You have dreams that you were born to fulfill; and yes those dreams can seem daunting at times, but if you press on and lean on God to supply every ounce of strength, you can accomplish anything. You were made to live in awe of God and made to live out the passions you were created with. And there are times when its scary but I promise you that its so worth it.
This ministry has changed my life,and I pray that it changes yours too. Our goals are to keep our eyes continually on the Lord, and to give Him the glory in all we do. We pray that He would bring true healing to those whose lives are touched by self harm, depression, and eating disorders. We pray that He would be the center of this ministry and that we would never seek our own glory in this. We pray for a changed world; one where suicide is nonexistent, one in which bullying is a problem of the past, one in which we treat those around us with respect, including ourselves, and one in which each of us knows our worth and value in Christ.
I believe all this is possible with God.
So, in closing, I wanted to share the gospel with you. Because its the core of everything. The gospel is life to me and I want to share life with you. And here it is; whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know though, is that I once was blind but now I see. (John 9:25) I've never been one to know all the facts about the bible, but I can tell you that I wouldn't be here without God. If He hadn't rescued me when I was 8 years old I wouldn't be who I am today. God has brought me healing and hope and faith when I had none. I know I am a sinner and I know I don't deserve this amazing life, but Jesus died for me when I was nothing. And for that...well, for that I'm eternally grateful. God wants that same healing for you. I would encourage you to pray today. I want to encourage you to have some dialogue with God. You weren't meant to live this life on your own. Reach out and choose healing. Choose life.
I can't wait for all the amazing things we're going to experience in 2015. I can't wait to be reunited with my best friend/ministry partner in a few days and be able to talk with her about RAIM and more future plans. I can't wait to begin the process of going nonprofit and doing fundraisers and all the fun things that go along with it. You guys make this all worth it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!