I Am Not A Fundraiser: Confessions of a Missionary Raising Support

"I am no good at this, what is God even thinking."

I must admit that I've asked this question on numerous occasions over the last 12 months. I have never been an entrepreneur. I've never claimed to be a vision-caster that draws lots of people in with an emotive plea for resources. So what on earth am I doing trying to raise a budget of over $7000/month?

The only conclusion that I've come to at this point is that I am doing what God has asked me to do.

Michelle and I feel strongly that God has called us to France. If we're honest there are times that we don't feel qualified or that we don't have anything to offer. We don't yet know the language, and neither of us feels like the most outgoing people.

But our call to France doesn't just have to do with a sense of obligation or duty. The more time I spend in prayer, or go through pictures of our last trip there, or email pastors or missionaries that are working in France - the more I am overwhelmed with a sense of burning desire to help. My heart aches for the pastors that are living and working in France, in small churches, shepherding the people that God has brought into their families.

The multiple newsletters that we get from our friends who are working in France stir our hearts with a mixture of heartache because we are not there and excitement for a time in the near future where we will get to be a part of what God is doing. God has called us to go, and each day He weaves the strings of our hearts together with the hearts of the French people.

I am not a fundraiser, but this process of fundraising is an essential part of our call. You see, we cannot do this alone. God never intended us to shoulder this burden by ourselves. He has called us to partner with family, friends, and church families to share the load. We get to work together to bring the Good News to people in France who have never had a clear presentation of the Gospel. It was Paul's partnership with individuals and church families that enabled him to share the Gospel with so many. We desire to partner with you the same way.

If you are reading this, then I assume that you know us. We've attempted to chronicle our journey thus far, but we know that you may have questions about the details of what we'll be doing. We would love nothing more than an opportunity to share our hearts with you, and allow you to pray about your level of involvement. We know that God has called us to go, and we want to offer you an opportunity to give.

I am not a fundraiser, but I want to get to France. I feel that God has called us to be a part of what He is doing in that country. We want to give our voices, our energy, and our strength to partner with the Church in a country that has largely dismissed Christ. We can only do that with your help.

-ted

Counting Down...

I wanted to give everyone a quick update:

We have until the first week of November to raise our monthly support to a total of 80%. Right now, we're a little over 35% of our monthly support raised, so we have a way to go.

We know that God has called us to submit to this process and His provision, but we also know that you play a major part! We can't do this alone (nor do we want to)!

If you are currently part of our support team, we want to say thank you so much for your faithful giving. Please continue to pray that we will be able to raise the additional support we need by our deadline. If you are not, will you please consider what you could do?

There is a link on the right side of the page that will take you directly to our account page with OM. This is a quick and simple way of giving online. (You can also click here.)

We love you all, and we're grateful for anything that you can do. If you would like to know more about what we'll be doing in France, we would love to set up a meeting with you and share our burden for the Church in France. Email Ted at ted.wallace@om.org or call at 972.342.7345.

-ted
of The Wallace Clan

Wallace Clan - September Update

Latest update is here. Check it out!

Moving Forward

Today is the beginning of something new. It is the first day of my new schedule. I know that may not sound too exciting, but believe me it is!

As our family moves forward towards our goal of oversees missions in France, this is an important step. This means that three days a week, I'll be working at my "normal" job as a Project Manager for Barnett Signs as I have for the last 20 months, and Mondays and Fridays I will now be able to focus on building our support team, language study, and preparation in our move to France.

We are extremely excited to take this next (of many) steps as God releases us to our next destination on this journey. Please keep us in prayer as we move forward. Since our last post, we have met with several other missionaries who are working or who have worked in France, and we are more convinced than ever that this is the location where God is calling us.

The need in France is great. For example, 74% of the population has never read the Bible! The church is small but growing, and we need your help to get there. We are still setting up meetings with individuals, small groups, and churches to share our burden and our story. If you are interested in hearing more, please contact us here.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support!
-ted (& the rest of the Wallace Clan)

Quick Update- Wallace Clan

Before we send out a formal newsletter, I thought I'd share a little bit about what has been going on with the Wallace Clan the last few weeks:

The biggest news is that we sold our house! It was such an answer to prayer, and now we are even closer to our goal of moving to France. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us about this!

We were also surprised recently to get a package from a missionary family that is on the OM France team. They sent us some very encouraging notes - that they were excited and looking forward to us joining them in France - and a bag of candy for the kids loaded with French riddles in the wrappers. According to our friends, it's not possible to understand them unless we have an elementary-aged French child.

Michelle has been working hard tutoring the kids in some basic French over the summer. We're hoping to be able to do a video update soon so that you can hear from Emily, Daniel, Timothy, and Judah.

We've also been blessed lately to meet several people who have worked with missions or lived in France. Their insight has been invaluable, and we're hoping to gather some information that will speak to the spiritual condition of France more specifically.

Thanks again for all of your prayers. God is really on the move on our behalf. I want to mention two specific prayer requests as well:

1. That God will continue to give us opportunities to share our vision for France in order to build our support team.
2. That God will bring people into our lives that have a burden for Europe in general and France in particular. He has already begun this process, but we are anxious to partner with others who feel the same way that we do about this spiritually needy place.

Also, if you haven't signed up for our newsletter you can do so by clicking here. 

Thanks so much,

-ted (Wallace Clan Representative)

Update & Reflections

It seems like it's been forever since I've written. So much has happened, but so much we're still waiting on.


Ted had the surgery to correct his arrhythmia (irregular heart beat), and after seeing the doctor again this week was told his heart is looking completely normal now. Praise the Lord!

We have a contract on our house, and now we're just waiting for the final appraisal so that (hopefully) we can close in a couple of weeks.

We just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary!

We're still settling in at my parents' house, and trying to establish a routine for the kids so they don't kill each other this summer. :)

We are still plugging away at support raising, and with God's help plan to be in France in January.


Sometimes it all gets very overwhelming. Especially the fundraising aspect. Knowing God has called us to go, but waiting on His timing for the money to come in. I described it the other day as this huge mountain, unmovable. We can't go around it and we can't go back. The only way to go is forward. But without God's help, we are stuck staring up at this huge barrier.

Then yesterday I read a devotional that reminded me that we have the authority to cast the mountain into the sea. We can ask our Father for impossible things and He will help us. Just like He helped the Israelites cross the Red Sea, He can move mountains or part the waves for us, too. Our trust, our hope is in Jesus, only. Not circumstances, people, money, dreams. Only Jesus. And He promises that He will take us by the hand and lead us safely to the other side. I pray that this truth will sink into our souls and yours, and give us the courage and hope to keep believing for impossible things.

This poem from "Streams in the Desert" stood out to me this morning:

Have you come to the Red Sea place in your life,
Where in spite of all you do,
There is no way out, there is no way back,
There is no other way but through?
Then wait on the Lord with a trust serene
Till the night of your fear is gone;
He will send the wind, He will heap the floods,
When He says to your soul, "Move on."
And His hand will lead you through- clear through-
Ere the watery walls roll down,
No foe can reach you, no wave can touch,
No mightiest sea can drown;
The tossing billows may rear their crests,
Their foam at your feet may break,
But o'er the seabed you will walk dry ground
In the path that your Lord will make
In the morning watch, 'neath the lifted cloud,
You will see but the Lord alone,
When He leads you on from the place of the sea
To a land that you have not known;
And your fears will pass as your foes have passed,
You will be no more afraid;
You will sing His praise in a better place,
A place that His hand has made.

(Annie Johnson Flint)

Newsletter #3

Here is the newest update.