I am super sensitive to people using me. I think it comes down to some kind of emotional baggage from my younger years. I often question people’s motives when they act like they want to be friends or that they want to do something with me. I know it’s not a healthy way of looking at things, but it’s definitely my first thought process.
It’s one reason why pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing companies turn me off, and another reason why fundraising seems so tricky. You might be wondering how pyramid schemes and fundraising are connected. Multi-level marketing requires participants to convince other people to join the pyramid. Often, people share on social media about the product they’re trying to sell, in an effort to convince their followers. They will sometimes reach out to old acquaintances or friends for the sole purpose of pushing their products.
Here’s where the similarities come in: One of my greatest fundraising-related fears is that someone will think I’m using them when I reach out and ask them to consider supporting me.
Okay, okay. That’s just me overthinking things, right? It can be easy to forget, but there’s a big difference between the two. And quite frankly, what I’m about to write is as much a reminder for me as a post for this blog.
But God.
God is orchestrating all of this according to his will. I can’t begin to presume I know what he wants to accomplish through this fundraising process. The change he wants to invoke in me. The change he wants to invoke in the lives of those around me who will be touched by my requests. This is God’s time, not mine.
I pray that whenever I reach out to others, God’s love and care would shine through me and leave no doubt in their mind as to the nature of my inquiry. I will make a conscious decision to trust God’s greater purpose and plan throughout all of this. It’s a continual process of choosing to relinquish control, and I have a long way to go in that area.
Thank you for reading – stay tuned for part 2 of this blog post!
In light of the above subject: if you feel led, I hope you’ll consider supporting me with your prayers and/or donations! And if you’d like to stay up to date with any new posts, feel free to subscribe!
