Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Mirror, Mirror


I'd love to start this off with pics of beautiful children, and heart touching moments with the ministry that we've been a part of this month, but I'm not gonna do that. Not just yet.

This month has had amazing moments, beautiful children from all different cultures, and moments that just melt your heart.

This month has had it's challenges as well.

This month brought out hard feedback for me personally, and for my team.
It brought out the ugly selfish tendency’s we all have to prefer ourselves rather than preferring others.
It brought out those skeletons from my closet, you know those things you thought you dealt with in a past season? Or those things you Racer's thought you let go of at training camp??

Yeah, this month has been a pivotal moment of this journey. A pivotal moment of letting go of my own independence. A moment of “letting go, and leaning into”. I am leaning into what He has for me on this journey, learning how to truly journey with Him, sometimes in suffering, sometimes in joy, either or I am journeying with Him.. right by His side.

So here I am in Malaysia a week out from leaving this place and embarking on another leg of the journey heading into Cambodia month 6. Wow!

I sit here and ponder, coming to a place of reflection with the Lord.

I reflect on these past 5 months, and what they have meant to me, what they have meant for me..

My walk, My journey..
The man I am. Is he so different? 
I have changed a lot, and at the same time I'm still me. Just a better version of me. A me that loves Jesus a little bit more. A me that loves people a little bit more. A me that has eyes for people. A me that has eyes that see people differently. 
I reflect on this month, and how close I got with our contact. How I see his need. I see His heart, and the Lord's heart for him, towards him.

One thing I'm asking now is for the Lord's eyes.

For every country, every place I go, every person I meet..
 
I want to see as He sees..

I want to view people in light of this man. People I know from home, people I am with here on the Race.

I want His eyes..

I see some things in myself that I didn't see before either.

I like the man I'm becoming.

I have dreams developing out here.

That's all for now.. follow my journey.. There's more to come!  

Monday, May 6, 2013

8 WEEKS LEFT UNTIL...

Hey Everyone! July 1st is my final deadline, so I have 8 weeks to raise $3,119. Please Click the "Support Me" link on my World Race page or help me get there through pay pal 
(Click below to Donate)
I am so close! 

If you'd like, you can also help by spreading the word that I'm getting close to being fully funded. Share my blogs, pics, videos, retell stories from the field.
I also need funds for my personal account. 11 months overseas is a lot to pay for, and there are a lot of miscellaneous items that add up quickly. 

Examples are laundry, shoes that wear out, medicine, doctor visits, and toiletries.Occasionally I'd like to go on outings on our days off as well. 
 So these are the things that the personal account is for. 

                              So here is how you can help! 

Any amount you can give whether big or small please consider supporting me through my World Race account or my pay pal account. 

Anndd.. just to make it easy for you, if you would rather donate to my Race through pay pal that is an option too, just let me know that so I use the funds appropriately. *Note: through the world race page all donations are tax deductible Thank you everyone for all your love, support and prayers!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Jesus Doesn't Stay In A Backpack


Friends and Family,

I need your help to stay out here on the Race. I have to admit some things that are always hard. I'm in need. I used to hate admitting that I'm in need, still do when it comes to needing help financially, but it's true. I need your help to complete this journey. This can't be done by me alone. I currently have $3,118 left to raise to be fully funded on the Race, and I have just under $200 in my personal account.

I have to admit I have had to deal with some anxiety and fears in this lack of security. This lack of knowing if I will be provided for. I am really leaning into the Lord here, and just trusting Him. I am trusting Him, and reaching beyond myself, beyond my pride and reaching out to you. I want to be real with you. Transparent, open and honest.

The Lord has been speaking to my heart about valuing this very thing recently. He has been showing the extreme importance of relationship and community. He has been stripping me of pride and independence in this area, and allowing me to need, allowing me to be cared for. I hear the verse in 1 Corinthians that says “Without love, I have nothing” also paired with “without community, without relationship- I have nothing”. We were made for relationship. We were formed and fashioned for community, to have families and friends. I consider myself pretty lucky when I think back to all the families that were at my launch party. All the many faces that represented so many families that I have had the joy to be a part of your lives, and your journeys.

I am on an incredible journey with some amazing people that represent many different families here from many different places.. I have seen many amazing sights this world has to offer, and have looked in the eyes of every kind of beautiful child you can imagine. I have laid hands on the sick, weak, and broken, and have watched them rise. I know He has called me to this. I have counted the cost, and He knows all that I had to sacrifice to be here. I want to stay on this journey. I want to stay on this path the Lord has me on. This journey is not yet complete.
Every day I'm learning how to “pick up my cross daily”. We learn a great deal of sacrifice out here on the Race. We learn it isn't easy to eat off of a $4 per day budget in any country..toilet paper, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo and conditioners are like gold around here. All things we take for granted back at home. I am learning that when fun events do come around, you have to be wise as to which you pick and choose to do because all mean less money for you in the day to day needs. I narrow them down by asking the Lord, and looking at what is a once in a lifetime opportunity and what isn't.

I want to live this journey to the fullest. I don't want to miss any opportunity or any adventure. Even on fun outings we go on Jesus doesn't stay in my backpack. We are always looking for an opportunity to share His heart for His people. Like Eim a prostitute who Kara met, and bought time with just to introduce her to the Lord, or Elf whom Ashley met at a local smoothie shop whom we became friends with, and later she became curious as to who Jesus was..maybe you remember a past blog about the woman at the trash dump in Honduras?
Jesus was in Costa Rica, so I went to Costa Rica, He was in the mountains of Nicaragua, so I ventured up to Nicarauga. He was in the slums and dumps, and on the streets of Honduras, and so I followed Him there. I have seen Him in the faces of multitudes beautiful children that have been rescued from the sex slave industry in Thailand like Tia, Nee, Gim, and Fone.

Here I stand in Malaysia now..knowing He's here..knowing He is going to show up, and show out. I anticipate His coming, His arrival, His already being here. I am confident I will not go anywhere He hasn't already been. I know He will go before me in Cambodia, Africa, Nepal and India.
I simply want to follow Him to these ends. I want to follow Him to the ends of the earth, and I want to share every step of the journey, and adventure with you. So this is my invitation to you. I invite you to partner with this movement, this journey. Please consider supporting me through prayers and financial support.
Support my World Race @: devintudor.theworldrace.org (click on the support me link on the left side of page) [takes literally two minutes to do, and all donations are tax deductible]

Support my Personal Funds for clothing, food, hygine items: @: Search Pay pal account

“But I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am in, to be content. I've learned now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything because it is truly Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through He that loves me.” Phil 4:11 NKJV/MSG