Adventures on the (Part time) Mission Field {3}

continued from the previous post

          I woke up the next morning very confused. I mean, when you're in a hotel that smells like oranges and smoke almost being choked by your infinity scarf (don't sleep with one y'all, it's a bad idea) being woken up by someone whose kids you babysit, why wouldn't you be confused? Then, I remembered the night before: the news that our flight that been cancelled, the realization that we were now losing a day from our trip and I wouldn't be able to attend their youth group or go to their church, the angry scribbling in my journal. I remembered everyone (us Americans and a bunch of {really nice} Brazilians crowding around a gate agent for food and hotel vouchers. I remembered the guy who drove us to our hotel- off the book- saying all he needed was tips, and being surprisingly awake for it being 1 am. Wow, what a night. I found that my roommate had gotten me breakfast- a stale muffin, greasy sausage, an apple, and yogurt. I ate the muffin (well, tried to) and the sausage, journaled a little, and showered before we all took off for the airport to use our vouchers on good food. On our way to the airport we chatted with some other Brazilians in our same situation, but with two young girls and their flight wasn't until the next day. What a mess. Once we got to our destination, we had a little contest at La Madeline to see who could use the most of their voucher without having to pay extra. I don't remember who won, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't me. We then took the plane train over to another part of the airport to get a rental car. Mr. B and I wanted a sports car, but Mrs. B wouldn't have it. We rode an escalator down to get our car, and  we were having a petty argument or something, causing Mr. B to pull out his phone and clarify whatever we were talking about with Siri. Then, in my sleep-deprived brain, I had a brilliant idea: while he was speaking to Siri, I shouted "elephant!", causing Siri to mess up. We do it a lot in my family, and the look on his face was hilarious. I later found out that it had really surprised him and helped to show him my true colors. We got in our little rental car and drove to The World of Coca-Cola, knocking something off Mrs. B's bucket list. It was fun, tasting sodas from all around the world, but my stomach hurt so badly after, and I never wanted Coke again. After a quick stop a CVS, we were back to the airport because we had no where else to go. That's when Mr. B got a text.

to be continued in my next post when I get back from Mexico

-Emily

Adventures on the (Part-time) Mission Field {2}

          Welcome to the second post in my "adventures" series! Last post I wrote about a time when things went wrong, and today I have a story about the same. Wow, having things go wrong sure does make for exciting stories, huh?

          It was June 19th, and I was on my first overseas, plane-required mission trip. Our group was small- a married couple and myself. That day, we had flown into Atlanta, and would soon fly out to Brazil- a ten hour overnight flight. After dinner at Pei Wei, we went to our gate to wait. Our flight that was supposed to leave at ten was then delayed three and a half hours. My traveling companions realized we had a lot of time, so they pulled out their iPad mini to Skype their kids, while I decided to see if my friend was up for a chat. She was, and to my surprise, she was at another friends' house, twins, so I had three people to keep me entertained. I talked with them and we played Monopoly Deal over Skype (I won and will never forget that) and then my companions started a conversation with the Brazilians seated across from us. (Brazilians are really friendly, making this a pleasant layover) They kept talking and talking and I was trying to think of a way to tell my friends that I needed to go be friendly without just saying that out loud, cause, you know, they could hear me. I faked my internet problems and texted them that I needed to go, and then joined in the conversation around me. They were very nice- a husband, wife, and a little girl. We discussed the usual traveler stuff- jobs, beautiful places to visit in Brazil (we weren't going there as our final destination but at least we got tips for if any of us ever do), and kids. Then, there was an announcement. Our flight had been cancelled. Anger towards..well... everyone swelled up inside me.

Look out for the next section of the this sometime in the next few days.

-Emily

Adventures on the (Part-time) Mission Field {1}

          Welcome to my first installment of my series I call "Adventures on the (part-time) mission field"! I have so many stories swirling around in my head and it took a long time to figure out which one to write about first, but the following story holds a special place in my heart.

          It was the morning of December 31st, 2014 and it was time to leave Mexico. Our team of ten had an amazing time, but this day had one agenda: go home. As was discussed the night before at devotions, everyone would get up early and leave the hotel at 4:30, in order to cross the Mexican border quickly, so the out-of-state teams could catch their flights at the airport in the nearest American town. Our team, however, was a exception. We didn't fly to Mexico, we drove. This made sense, because we only lived six hours away. And, because my dad was leading our team and he likes his sleep, we decided to sleep in and leave the hotel two hours later, around 6:30. So, we woke up and did some last minute packing, but it didn't take long for problems to arise. My dad had gone out to our van (our only form of transportation) to load some luggage, finding it, well, not there. Others from our team who had loaded their luggage the night before began to wonder where their luggage (and our way home) was. It didn't take long to find out. Dad called the leader of the whole trip, who was at the airport dropping people off. He had our van. On the other side of the border. Oh, joy. The only logical next step was for us to load up in three taxis and drive to the border, then walk across the Rio Grande (on a bridge, of course). Typical day, right? To make things even better, it was cold. As in, the 40s. And raining. Fun fun. As we crazy gringos carried our luggage (it was at this point that I regretted bringing my stuff in three different bags) across the bridge with 4 inch puddles, I did a lot of thinking about the people who do this, cross the border, everyday, in search of hope. Keep looking, my friends, keep looking. After going through customs and getting a few funny looks (especially when my dad tried to make me do the splits against the wall of the customs office), someone from another church came to our rescue. After we dropped him off at the airport, we sped away before anyone else could take our van. We were on our way home, but not before having breakfast at Chick-Fil-A (there may have been a honey eating contest between myself and my pastor). That was a memorable and tiring trip indeed, as evidenced by the fact that I could barely stay awake to rush in the new year that night. Things didn't go right that day, but that made to all the better.

-Emily (always being flexible)

     

Latest Happenings

Hello friends

It's been awhile. I know the cardinal rule of blogging is that you are never never supposed to apologize for not blogging, so I won't. Bust just saying, it has been awhile. I've been busy. School, dance, Jesus, traveling. Blogging hasn't been a priority. It doesn't have to be. I'm okay with that, and I hope you are too. But, I want to do something. So, I began to think about what I could write about. Blank. Then, I realized that I could write about what I love talking about: missions! So, over the next 4-6 posts, I'll share the most memorable things I've experienced on past mission trips, and I hope you enjoy them. After that, I hope to get a comprehensive list together of all of the spiritually-relating books I've read, along with a mini review of each, so you can enjoy them too, since books have been a huge part of my spiritual journey. Stay tuned to hear about my adventures, from random dance parties to blunders in Spanish!

-Emily

Following God ~ a young person's guide

       One thing I have been discovering these past few months is that there are teens and young adults out there who want to know God and who want consistency, but can't seem to get the hang of it, so to speak. I'm not saying I know everything, but I have a relationship with God and I have consistency, and it doesn't seem right to keep my tips and tricks to myself, so, I'm going to be sharing some resources and ideas on the blog over the next couple weeks/months. First up: wanting it.


      You have to want a relationship with God. You have to be awe-inspired by your Creator in order to pursue a relationship with Him. I don't feel my words are eloquent enough and reading books that relate to God by famous pastors and speakers has helped me grow tremendously, so I'm going to recommend two: Crazy Love and He Loves Me. Read a chapter or two a day, journal about it, and digest it. They're amazing.

Why I said no to Africa///an update

       The nice thing about being a ghost writer (surprise! I'm not really Emily Luken) is that I can share a lot without worrying too much about what others will think of me. Cause you don't really know me... whether or not this is a good thing I don't know, but let's move on. Sometime around last Friday, I was having some desperation. I told God that I wanted Him to tell me to do something. I'm young, yes, but that's no excuse. Well, on Sunday, between services at church, I was talking to my friend and her mom. The comment of "you need to save up your money and go to Rwanda with us this November!" was made, and it stuck. I love to go. But I hate coming back. I thought about it, a little. Maybe.... Fast forward to Monday, yesterday, at Target. I was telling my mom about a cute notebook I saw that said, "I just want to explore." My sister, in all her innocence, asked, "you just want to explore Target?" I, of course, explained to her that no, I wanted to explore the world. Then, my mom said it. "Well, then go to Rwanda." To quote what I wrote in my journal, "really, mom, really?" Yeah. So that afternoon I did even more thinking about it. Financially, I decided, it was possible. Maybe... Then I checked the dates for the trip. November 14-26. Nope, that won't work, that's during the Mexico mission trip. At this point in my life, I feel more of a pull toward Mexico than Africa, because I can go to Mexico multiple times a year and build relationships. So that was that. And then this morning during my quiet time, I felt God saying, "If you're not going to go to Africa with the Jones" (the last name has been changed) "then you're going to help them get there." So, this is all preliminary, but it looks like I might become knee-deep in fundraising for a mission trip I'm not going on. That's what's going on in my life. A little odd, maybe, but I'm following God's call, so whether or not it's odd doesn't really matter to me.

-Emily

A Beautiful Mess

     If you know me, you know that I LOVE to journal. I do it every day, and it helps me to grow leaps and bounds in my spiritual walk. Every once in awhile I write something "blog worthy" meaning it is poetic and not too personal. I thought I would share one of those times when I did:

     I am sitting in my room. My room is a mess. My life is a mess. But it is a beautiful mess. It seems so weird to say that my life is a mess because I love my life and it seems so perfect right now. But it is not. I sin. It stinks, but it is true and I can not stop it. So why try to sin less? You would try to at least slow down the train that is about to hit you, even if you knew that you could not stop it, would you not? I do not know if that is the right illustration, but it can work. At the end of our lives we will all have different sized train wrecks and we will all be judged on them by God. How big our train wrecks are and what they look like will not determine our place in eternity- a person who does not know Jesus with a small train wreck will still go to hell and a person who knows Jesus and has a big train wreck will go to heaven. What is based on our train wrecks is our crowns we are given- the ones we will give back to God. I want to work hard to get those crowns so I can give them back to God. 

     I hope you enjoyed having a peek inside my journal. The writing is raw and not always grammatically correct, but it is what is in my heart and I hope I conveyed the overall message to you.

     

Believing that You ARE Beautiful

        The subject of beauty is one that is very close to my heart. I have never struggled with self-worth, self-confidence, or hating my body, so when I see a young woman believing lies about herself, it breaks my heart. Why haven't I ever struggled with what is so common among my generation (and all generations)? I don't know. It's a way God has protected me, I suppose. First of all, God has given me a beautiful body, as He has everyone on this earth. From a young age, it was drilled into me (that probably sounds bad, but it's good) that I AM a child of God. I'm His daughter, and He made me perfect. I've rarely been criticized for my looks. I do, however, remember one time when I was at a sleepover, around age 9 that shaped what I believed, and even what I believe now. What happened that day was both encouraging and discouraging. We were piling into my friend's suburban to go to church, and I was wearing what I deemed cute: a cream and purple plaid skirt, with a matching shirt. It was one of my favorite outfits. Then from the backseat, I heard, "Why doesn't Emily....." (the last part was inaudible) and another replied, "It's because she knows what's important- your insides and not your clothes." I was, of course, offended at first, because this was my favorite outfit at the time and I thought it was very in-style. However, after a few silent minutes, I was proud. My efforts, years if you can say that, of dressing modest and trying to be cute at the same time, were noticed, and I was, in a way, praised for it. I knew what was important. How I longed to hear that! I look back and wonder, "Am I the same person today? Do I still know what's important, or have I succumbed to this world?" That's what I strive for.
        So why do I share all of this? Well, it's a story that goes along with my point. Personal stories are powerful, or that's what they say. Today I want to talk about beauty, and how all women are beautiful. So first, why is this idea rejected? I think we all know why- the world tells us that in order to be attractive, have friends, or be successful, we need to wear make up, show our skin, or change our bodies. Everyone just wants to be loved and accepted, so in hopes of achieving such things, we do what the world tells us to. That's mistake #1. In today's world we pretty much need to do the exact opposite of what it is telling us to do. People don't get attention by going with the flow, but by standing out, like me sitting in that suburban, wearing what was *apparently* not cute (I still believe it was).
       Let me go off on a little rabbit trail for a minute: make up. It is so controversial, whether or not Christian girls should wear it. Perhaps the heat has died down a bit, but it is still a popular topic of conversation (along with boy friends and *sigh* yoga pants) For the purpose of this post, I googled, "Should Christian girls wear makeup?" The first result talked about how it's really what's on the inside that matters, but the outside still matters too. Basically, make inner beauty your top priority. The second result taught about makeup in moderation. Sounds good to me, because I just wear concealer and mascara (it has something to do with the fact that I'm pretty much the opposite of a make up artist). The third result (the last one that I'll share with y'all) was from Lies Young Women Believe, the website. Ooh! I like that book! (really, y'all, go check it out) The post was thoughts from boys about make up. The jist of it was that boys are okay with it, but not too much. So that's what the internet says about Christian girls wearing make up. I agree with it. I love what the Duggar girls say in their book, or rather what their pastor says about makeup- any old barn looks better with some paint on it! Cracks. Me. Up. I personally like make up that enhances my beauty: mascara to lengthen my eye lashes, or some concealer to restore the skin I had at birth. So that's my little tidbit about make up... It's great in moderation.
        So moving right along, why do we need to believe that we are beautiful? Good question. Why not just learn to live with the fact that we're ugly? Two reasons: 1) It affects the way you see God and 2) Why not just learn to live with the fact that you're beautiful? So first, how does it affect the way we see God? When we see that we're ugly and that's how God created us, we start believing that He makes mistakes, He doesn't make everything beautiful, and even that He's ugly. We were, after all, made in His image, and is His image ugly? Nope. Although we may not realize it, what we believe about ourselves does affect our lives, how we see God, and how we see the world. That just happens whether we like it or not. And secondly, why not just learn to live with the fact that we're beautiful? I think some women are afraid to believe this, fearing that we might be seen as vain. Let me tell you girl, that if you believe that you are beautiful for the right reasons, you won't come off as vain, nor will you care what others think about you. It's a win-win!
      What does the Bible say about your beauty? Psalm 139:14- I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Song of Solomon 4:7- You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
      To wrap this up, how do we believe that we are beautiful? It's a process. First, it helps to focus on the inner, not the outer. Also, write out verses about beauty (like the ones listed above) on index cards and place them where you'll see them, on your desk, mirror, or kitchen sink. Daily encouragement of verses spoken by MY Creator helps me to combat the lies of this world.

Thank you so much for reading! What do you do to understand that you're beautiful?
-Emily

Where He's Leading Me

        I've been hinting about this post for awhile. Hopefully all of that suspense will be worth it... Anyways, God is calling me to crazy places. Back story: about a year and a half ago, friends of ours moved to South America to be missionaries. I longed to go visit them sometime, for the adventure, for Jesus. Well, over Christmas they came back announcing a mission trip! I immediately talked to my parents (it wasn't a surprise to them) and they said it was a go. Early February I started fundraising by sending out letters asking for prayers and money. Fifty three of them, to be precise. I was overwhelmed! Not only did that alone cover the cost of the trip, it covered more than that! So, yes, I even had to turn away a few donations. That was the first confirmation from God that this was where He wanted me to be. Now, that all probably sounds sunshine and rainbows, but it hasn't been. More than a few people doubted that it would work. I had one person tell me that they would wait to give until closer to the deadline, in case it didn't work out. They ended up forgetting the deadline, so by the time they sent a donation in, the trip was fully funded. Luckily (well, not luck but God's work), they wrote it in my name (not my churches' name) so I'm using it for extra expenses. But other people have questioned me, and I have just been reminding myself of 1 Timothy 4:12.  And also, a big thing for me is that it's a twelve hour plan ride to where I'm going. I haven't flown since I was a baby. And to fly with just two other people from my church, neither of which are my parents, I'm almost scared. But not really. It's just crazy. I'm not sure if it's hit me yet. It might not until I board the plan. Nonetheless, I am so excited (as I wrote in my journal, "estoy muy muy muy muy muy muy entusiasmada) to see God work. This summer is going to be great, because along with going to South America, God has provided for me to go to not one but two overnight church camps- one as a student and one a as junior counselor. Last summer I did very little- VBS, leading a day camp, and some ballet. This summer? A mission trip and two summer camps! (Along with day camp and ballet, but unfortunately not VBS because it's during my South America trip) My friends, sacrifice is worth it.

-Emily

Is it Okay to Question God?

          I normally go on mission trips to Mexico twice a year, but because I went three times last year, I wasn't able to go on two this year, and so I didn't go this month. The trip is over, it went on without me, and I'm still sorting out my feelings. I questioned God a bit, asking "Why? Why don't you want me as a part of this?" Good question, Emily. The thing about Christianity is that the harvest is many, but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:37) So when something (time, money, resources) keeps us from serving abroad, what are we supposed to do? First of all, when it comes to questioning God, you have to trust. Trust that He knows, because He does. He has His reasons. Try to see it from all views, not just the selfish human one we are so prone to. Ask friends to pray for you and study the Bible harder than ever. But, back to the original question, "Is it okay to question God?" Short answer, yes. Rick Warren talks about it in his book The Purpose Driven Life.  (I really like that book if you can't tell) Warren explains that God likes it when we doubt, question, or argue with Him. Crazy right? He likes it because it requires communication, drawing us nearer to Him. After every exchange with God, I feel closer to Him and filled, even if I'm asking Him "Why?" In conclusion, questioning God is simply a part of being a Christian, and God even created it so that when we do, it draws us closer to Him. The best thing is to remember that no communication will not help or draw you closer to Him, so communication is key. Push through in the hard times. You have to go down in order to go up.

-Emily

Baptism: Why

       In my testimony I talked about how I had been mislead in my beliefs about baptism. I don't think there was a problem with my church, just that there was too much emphasis on the fact that baptism doesn't get you your salvation. This is true, however it is something that all the believers in the New Testament did. It's no secret that I love the book The Purpose Driven Life. Rick Warren talks about baptism in one section. No, it doesn't change the way your name is written in the Book of Life, but it is the first step to a life lived out loud. It's the profession of your faith, saying publicly "Yes! I am a Christian!" Being a Christian doesn't do much good if you're too embarrassed to say it, especially when Jesus commands us to "Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) Also, isn't it interesting that that verse says to not only proclaim Christ to them, but to baptize them? Accepting Him and baptism go hand in hand, often in the same day in the New Testament, points out Warren. Baptism is not how you get your salvation, but it is the very best way of showing everyone what happened on the inside and it is a great symbol of new life.

-Emily

Friday Night Thoughts

     Sometimes I get overwhelmed. We see pictures of starving children in Africa, dying babies in India, and orphans in China. We think, "Oh, I wish I could just rush into that picture and scoop up that precious child of God and never let go." That's what we think. That's wishful thinking. We, as Americans, tend to wish too much. We have our wishes. When we wish, we tend to wish for things that probably won't happen: marrying Ryan Gosling, living in the White House, or being famous. And then we have our want lists: the latest iPhone, that college, that nice purse you want. Honestly, as Americans, we can get that iPhone, go to that college, or buy that purse. Can we marry Ryan Gosling, live in the White House, or be famous? Not everyone can. So when we say, "Oh I wish I could go on that mission trip to orphanages in Haiti..." we assume it won't happen. Wishes don't always come true. But wants? A lot of my wants, from that cute shirt at Target to even a little sister, have been given to me. We need to change our thinking from "wishing to feed the starving children" to "wanting to feed the starving children, raising the money to feed the starving the children, feeding the starving children." We don't work towards our wishes, we just hope they come true. We work towards our wants, saving money for *that thing* When God called me to Paraguay, the call of blessing people with the word of the Lord wasn't what I heard. I heard adventure with Jesus, wherever He would call me. At church, we often sing a song that goes, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than me feet would ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior." People sing that thinking "Yes! Call me God!" But when a mission trip or service opportunity is presented, they don't go. "Oh, God isn't calling me to Africa. I want to go to Asia when I'm older." What about now? God is calling you everywhere. Jesus didn't tell us to find one nation that we like and tell those people about Jesus, He told us to go to all nations. I'm not saying you have to go on every mission trip, but if you keep on saying "next year" it's never going to come. Live in the now, viewing each day as your last. What if the upcoming mission trip was your last opportunity to serve? It only takes one trip before you get addicted. You have to start somewhere. Wherever you go, it will be because God wants you to be there and He will work there.

-Emily

What God Has Been Teaching Me (James 4:8)

       God has been teaching me a lot lately. I haven't ever felt so spiritually alive as I have now. Why? Two reasons: 1) I'm spending much more time with Him and 2) I said yes to Him (more on that later). How much time? An hour a day, sometimes more. It's amazing. I recently finished reading through the entire Bible for the third time. This time it took me seven months. Not too shabby. (What am I saying? I'm really proud of myself!) Also, I've read my Bible and journaled everyday since December 13th. Consistency and time combined with reading The Purpose Driven Life has caused me to grow leaps and bounds spiritually. What specifically? Several times the past month or so He has lead me to James 4:8. I love the book of James. At one point in my short life, I had the first chapter memorized. I want to memorize the second chapter, as well as refresh the first one. Some day... Anyways, James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." This verse shows that you have to act in order to be changed, you can't just wait for Him to do something. Part of His nature is that He doesn't force Himself on us (as evidenced by the fact that He doesn't force us to love Him). In order to accomplish real spiritual growth, we first must draw near to Him by changing our thinking, as The Purpose Driven Life states. How? Behind every action we need to think, "Is this bringing glory to God? How can I make it bring glory to God?" Whether it be simply listening to more Christian music or saying "yes" to a mission trip, changing our thinking will change the way we live. Watch your thoughts. They become words. Watch your words. They become deeds. Watch your deeds. They become habits. Watch your habits. They become character. Character is everything. -Qi. 

What has He been pressing on your heart lately?
-Emily

My Testimony

        Awhile ago I did a post about testimonies, promising mine soon. Soon has come! This is my testimony. It may not look super powerful on the outside, but I think a lot of people can relate and be encouraged.

        I was born and raised in a Christian home, along with two older brothers. I saw them accept Christ, get baptized, and go on their way. They didn't seem that different to me, and I wondered about all of this stuff. After seeing a friend of mine get baptized when I was about seven, I myself decided to ask Jesus into my heart. Things felt the same. My parents tried to talk me into baptism, but I was very shy and didn't see it as a necessary thing, because I had been told that it doesn't change your heart, salvation, or the fact that you're going to heaven. Boy was I wrong! I finally got baptized when I was ten, and around age eleven I started reading my Bible more consistently. There hasn't, however, been one place in my life where it really clicked or things turned around. That's the wonderful thing about Christianity: God is infinite and so is your journey with Him. Between the ages of eleven and thirteen, things really started moving along. I read the entire Bible (twice), journaled A LOT, studied the Bible, and discipled with my friends. Also, when I was twelve, God called me to missions. Now I have been to Mexico seven times, and I have one more trip planned this year. I am such a small part of the work God is doing in Mexico, but I am a part of it. I love that God allows us humans to be a part of His greater scheme. Now I'm fourteen and my spiritual walk is flourishing. God has protected me from a lot, and I hope He will continue to. Through being consistent and following Him, I have fallen completely in love with Him. He is leading me to crazy places (see upcoming post) and I love it. I honestly can not express how I feel about God. I love Him. He's good, crazy (a little known aspect of His character), loving, and my best friend. I could go on and on! But instead, I want to hear YOUR story. Are you following Him? Curious about this Jesus thing? What's your story?

-Emily

Falling in Love with God

        I went through a super poetic stage a while ago. I wrote it all down in my journal, and I enjoy reading over it. What prompted it? A boy. There is, at this point, pretty much only one boy I would ever consider marrying. I'm young, but for now that is it. And that's good, I suppose. Better one than twelve, right? Anyways, as I was writing about him, I thought about love. And how I just can't wait to fall in love. Love is a beautiful thing. And I want to save it for the one. For now, the only man I truly love is God. I'm already His bride, and it's a beautiful thing. Falling in love with Him is the best thing you could ever do. Why? Three reasons: 1) It teaches you how to truly love 2) It teaches you unconditional love 3) it ensures that when a special person comes around, it will be the one, (really the two), the only other one.

It teaches you how to truly love

How to truly love: loving a person for them, not their looks or "benefits." I can't believe I'm going here, but it's such a big thing. God created sex as a good thing, but not before you know the person. When you fall in love with God, you can't fall in love with Him to please your want for sex, only after your in love with Him will He free you from that bondage. Falling in love with God teaches you how to fall in love with a person: for them. I fell in love with God because He loves me for me. Loving someone for who they are, all of their little quirks and flaws included, is the love I want to both give and receive.

It teaches you unconditional love

God is perfect. You aren't. So when you fail in loving Him, He will always forgive you. Falling in love with Him first doesn't ensure that you won't mess up with the one comes along, but when the one comes along and messes up, you will be reminded of how to respond according to the ways of God, Love, and the same for the one you love. The number one thing I'm looking for in a man is a man who not only loves God, but falls in love with Him every day. After that, all he has to be is taller than me and a godly man. 

It ensures true love with the one

There was a quote going around Pinterest a while back that said, "Dance with God and He will let the right man cut in." It's true. Falling in love with God means having a relationship with Him, and so when someone comes around, He will guide your steps. Love is a beautiful thing, and I want to save it for the one special man God has for me, so I want Him to guide my steps as I get older. 

        So, there you have it. Me on love. I can't wait to fall in love. Again tomorrow when I wake up and when a special boy comes around. (whether or not it's the one I like now) When I think about "that" boy, I always try to curb my feelings. It doesn't work. It works much better if you direct them somewhere else. For me, that was right back at God. God is Love. I love Love. 

-Emily

Testimonies

        Lots of things were on my to-do list yesterday. Writing a blog post was one of them. Lots of things got done. Writing a blog post was not one of them. *sigh* Consistency in my writing around here has been... spotty at best. But I'm trying. I hope my effort pleases Him. It's all I have: this worn, body with a tired brain but full soul. It's what He gave me, and I'm going to use it to the best of my ability to please Him. So what are we talking about today? Testimonies. Testimonies are powerful. A lot of Christians think that theirs isn't because they were born and raised in Christian home, never broke the law outside of a speeding ticket, etc etc etc. Maybe you can relate. All I can say is that God gave you your testimony, and so He will use it to impact someone, somewhere. In Acts 22 Paul shares his testimony in a simple way: he shares who he was before Christ, how he came to Christ, and who he is now. This is an easy way to share your testimony, because it's three things that every Christian can speak on, even if they don't think there's much of a "before and after" difference. If you think that, maybe you should make one! I'm not saying that you should go out, do drugs and alcohol, and then come back to Jesus, I'm just saying if there's no difference in your life since you've accepted Christ, isn't there something wrong? Live radically for Him and that's all the difference you need. Next week I'll share my testimony as an example.

-Emily (saved by Him)

More Sunday Inspiration

          This is fun! It's easy enough for me to start a busy week with a song and a verse, and it keeps me going. I've decided my new blogging schedule will be Sunday and Wednesday, because Tuesdays just haven't been working. Anyways, here's some inspiration for you!

Say It by Britt Nicole:

Say It

I like this song because it talks about embracing the God who created you and living your life to the fullest every day. Britt Nicole has a beautiful voice and I really enjoy this song that inspires me to make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5b)

Matthew 10:8b

Freely you have received, freely give.

This is a verse for everyone to remember in our daily lives. Whether it be sharing a cookie with the girl you don't like or giving when you don't really have the money, we give because God gave us life, the ultimate gift. Nothing here on this earth is ours, nor did we do anything to earn it, and so with that mentality we should give with reckless abandon, knowing the God will supply our needs. 

Prodigal God

      For the past week, I've been reading Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. I got this book thinking it would be about, well, God and that was about it. But I was wrong! It's about the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I was like, "A whole book about the Parable of the Prodigal Son? That's crazy!" Maybe it is, but I really liked this book. There is so much more to this parable found in Luke 15 than just "like the father, Jesus welcomes us back with welcoming arms." Timothy Keller eloquently explains how, really, both brothers are lost and the fault in our church in regards to being "older brothers." Did I pique your interest? I hope so! I would tell you more about how much I loved this book, explain it to you, and express my love for the last chapter, but I don't want to spoil it for you and I want you to read this book! I would strongly encourage you to check this book out from your library or buy it. It would be a great aid for your small group study, and I hope to read through it again with my friends at youth group this summer. It's not your typical God-relating book, and it's just so awesome, a wonderful resource for diving into the Bible. Keller has written other books, and I can't wait to read them!

-Emily

Sunday Inspiration

        So I think I'm going to start something new here on the blog: posting a song a verse every Sunday as some spiritual inspiration for the week. So this week.....

Lay Me Down by Chris Tomlin:

Lay Me Down

(Sorry, I can't figure out how to embed the video)

I love this song. So much. It's my favorite song of all time. (yes, even more than Roar by Katy Perry) (that's not saying much cause I don't really like that song) But anyways, I love this song because it so accurately describes what I'm trying to do every day in every part of my life: lay it down. I don't understand why this song isn't more popular. I've never heard it on the radio. They never play it at church. My friends have never heard of it. Why? I don't know. I love it and it's been very powerful in my life. 

My verse of the week:

Acts 13:38-39

Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 

I love this verse because it's similar, but not the same, to John 3:16. I love this verse because it centers on Jesus, the center of my life. I love how it's basically saying, "Through Jesus you are not only saved from your sins you would normally be saved from by sacrificing, but also those from which not amount of sacrificing could save you from." Jesus is not only the greatest sacrifice, He is all the sacrifices and more. 

-Emily

On Why There is a God

          Hey guys! Sorry I kind of dropped out of the blogging world for a week :( Things have been pretty busy. I've been prepping for a debate in my biology class this week. My topic is, "Is there a God?" Since I'm on the creation side of the debate, I have been prayerfully writing my short speech on why there is a God. I've decided to post it here as well. Enjoy!

         First of all, no one can definitely say whether or not there is a God. The arguments on both sides are just too good, however, with faith, many people have come to believe in the infinite, powerful God.
        Let's talk about faith for a minute. Faith is a word many Atheists tend to shy from, because they think it implies religion. Truthfully, it doesn't, it simply implies belief, and while you can believe in a religion, you can believe in other things as well. But even if it did imply religion, it wouldn't matter because Atheism can be classified as a religion. There are many accepted definitions of religion and one is this: a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. I know of a lot of Atheists who definitely ascribe supreme importance to Atheism, so I'd say that Atheism counts as a religion. So, we can say that Atheists believe in Atheism, therefore they have faith. Why? Because of the definition of belief, "Trust, confidence, or faith in something." So, now we see that having faith is not an unreasonable thing. But what about faith in God? Is that crazy? Is it crazy to believe that there is a divine creator behind this world, or did we just evolve? Do you know the chances of a snowman just appearing? Yeah, that's crazy. So why is it crazy to believe that we were created? I don't know! Obviously humans are much more complex than snowmen! So, you might say, maybe there is a God. But, there are still arguments again one, like the fact that there is definitely bad in this world. If there is a God and He is good as you say, then why did He create bad? To answer your question, God indirectly created bad. He created an angel named Lucifer, and Lucifer, on his own free will (a gift from God) turned against God and went into the world to create sin. Now, of course, God could have stopped Lucifer, but He had a better idea. That idea? Jesus Christ. (yup, it all points back to Jesus!) You see, God so loved the world that He was willing to sacrifice His only son so that we sinful humans could spend eternity with Him. Because God is good, He cannot be in the presence of bad, but Jesus washed away our sins, making us good before God.
       So, getting back to the main point of God and faith, what do we say now? That we did evolve because, given billions of years, it could have possibly happened? Why, then, do we see evidence for an earth that is only 6,000 years old? I think most evolutionists would agree that us evolving in just 6,000 years is quite crazy. What evidence for a young earth is there? you may ask. There are many examples, but for times sake I'll just give you two. Take, for example, the recession of the moon. For complicated, science-y reasons, over time the moon moves. If the earth is indeed 6,000 years old as creationists say, then the moon has moved about 800 feet, no big deal. If, however, it's billions of years old, then we are in trouble, because about 1.5 billion years ago, the moon would have been touching the earth. That, my friends, is bad, very bad. So there's the whole moon-touching-earth thing, and another example I have: the world's population. We can get a relatively conservative estimate of the population by simply taking the starting number of people and doubling it for every 150 years humans have been around. When we do this, we get figures consistent with the age of the earth being 6,000 years. If however, we draw out our calculations to figure that humans have been roaming the earth for a mere 50,000 years, we get a giant figure: 10 to the 99th power. Yeah, that's a lot of people. So, those two examples plus many others that can be found on the Answers in Genesis website provide ample evidence for a young earth.
      Now we see that while the idea of a young earth isn't absurd, the idea that we evolved is, creating a basis for a divine creator. One final argument comes to mind now: if God created us, then who created God? I don't know if you were listening earlier when I said that God is infinite, but, well, He is. That means that He wasn't created, He has simply always been and always will be, a Biblical principle hard for our tiny little finite human brains to understand.
      In conclusion, the only thing that will truly convince a person of the existence of God is their own faith. We might not ever prove that there is a God because it's one of those things that can't be proven, but I think it's pretty cool that this God is a God who doesn't force Himself upon us, but rather lets us, in faith, make our own decisions as to whether or not we believe in Him and love Him.

-Emily

Modesty: The {Outside} Scoop

          Talk of modesty (as in clothes) is a very popular topic on Christian blogs, especially in the summer. It's winter, but why not talk about it? It's still relevant. So many posts by middle-aged women go viral because, well, because why? Their views and words on modesty are eye-opening, sometimes saying modest is the only way to go, and sometimes saying to throw it out the window. My views and words will probably lean towards the former, I can assure you that, but I hope my personal views help someone, open their eyes, as they come from a 14 year old girl following hard after Jesus.

         So, first thing's first: why do we dress modestly? Sadly, one of the number one reasons I hear is that "we don't want boys to be distracted." I, personally, hate this reason. (Just wait. I'm not trying to be insensitive to boys, it's just that there are reasons far more important than boy's minds) Especially when I was younger, I blamed boys for having minds like that and didn't care. Now, I don't hate that reason because I hate boys and want them to fall into a lustful path (I don't, believe me), but because that's the reason Christian bloggers are putting first and foremost as to why girls have to dress modestly. For boys, so they don't daydream about girls and their bodies. I think the logic here is flawed. There should be one reason we girls dress modestly, and everything else should be a benefit. That reason? Because God tells us too!  1 Timothy 1:9, "Likewise, also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control." All the other reasons are, as I said, simply benefits. And let me say, there are a lot of benefits. Guys not being distracted is one of them. It's helpful to them, and to us girls. Because they're not distracted by the skin you're showing, they can get know you, your personality, your heart, not the skin of your upper thighs or lower chest. That, my friends, will get you a boy who loves Jesus and values modesty. Getting a boy isn't the only thing, but if I'm going to get married, I want a boy who values modesty and loves Jesus. If you want a boy who values modesty, dress modestly! Another benefit, I suppose, is that when you dress modestly, it's an outward expression of your heart, or at least that you are trying hard to follow Jesus. People notice, boys notice (in good ways), and you'll earn respect, especially from your elders. Now, respect from your elders might not be what you want right now, but trust me, it's awesome when your elders treat you like the person you are: a girl following hard after Jesus.
       
        Now we know why we dress modestly: to honor God, first and foremost. But what does dressing modestly look like? For some odd reason, it looks different for everyone. I hope I'm not the only one who finds this strange, but that's how it is. I know some pastor's daughters who wear bikinis, and some who don't. Some who wear short shorts, and some who don't. Interestingly, I find the ones who don't wear bikinis or short shorts to have better attitudes..... That's an example of how being modest on the outside effects your inside.
         I've seen many modesty surveys, and they all have similar results from Christian men: short shorts/skirts/dresses, bikinis, and see-through shirts (even with a tank underneath) are not modest, studies show. I was very surprised by that last one. Really? That's what the men say.... Of course, low-cut shirts, tight fitting shirts, and tank tops are also not modest. And your bra strap? Don't let it be seen! This one kind of bothers me. I mean, all girls have to wear bras! I would think these lumps under our shirts would be just as, if not more provoking than a bra strap. But, in efforts to please God, aid men, and dress modest, I don't let mine show, but, and maybe I'm crazy for saying this, but I'd like to at least have the option. As for swimsuits, most men in these studies I read say only one pieces are modest, not tankinis. (although, some are divided, saying both are modest) Now, personally, I wear a tankini. One piece suits simply do not fit me. However, I really don't like there being any chance of my stomach being seen, so what do I do? Well, first of all, I buy tankini tops I know are one the longer side, and to go with them, a pair of coordinating, high-waisted bottoms. Being able to buy separate tops and bottoms is, like, the only thing you can do these days, and along with the fact that high-waisted is "in," makes for the perfect success story for modesty, because then there's a 5 inch overlap, making the chances of my belly being seen slim. Things like that, little successes against the battle of immodesty, makes myself and God happy, because it's definitely a battle worth fighting. So there's swim suits (I'm not even going to go into the topic of one pieces versus swim dresses), but what about the rest? Shorts are probably the hardest thing for me, because I had a pair of shorts this summer that I wore everyday (except to church) that I absolutely loved. My dad? Eh... He didn't like the length. But it was those or Nike shorts, and I know my dad hates those. My friends complain about their parents not letting them wear Nike shorts (I see where their parents are coming from, though) and I just kind of sit there with my mouth shut. When I wear Nike shorts, I can practically see the disgust on my dad's face. Does that make me want to wear them? Nope, it only discourages me. If my earthly father doesn't like them, does my heavenly father? Not at all. Wearing a different pair of shorts to please my dad is the perfect metaphor for dressing modestly to please God. I'm sure God's face is the same as my dads's face when I wear short shorts. (*Note: I'm not condemning Nike, their shorts, or anything. It's just that it was a good metaphor to use. I do wear them at ballet, to sleep, and on occasional lazy summer days.)
         
           In conclusion, modesty is a battle we girls (and everyone) fight everyday. Why do we dress modestly? For God! That's the thing I want all of my readers to get out of this: that I'm writing this to get the message out about modesty: it pleases God, aids men, and helps your heart. I want to please God! How do I dress then? It looks different for everyone, but some principles are the same, and well, I'm just gonna say them: no bikinis, no short shorts, no low-cut shirts. Those are the modesty standards I hold for myself, and if you don't have the same, I'm not judging you, but that's what I have objectively found to be true. I hope this post helps you as we enter into summer (in like 5 months).

-Emily
What are your thoughts on modesty? Comment below, I'd love to know!

Searching for Answers in the Midst of Silence

     The need to write a blog post engulfs me. For some reason, I feel that every Tuesday and Friday/Saturday I must post here. Why? I don't know. Perhaps in hopes that my words will make a difference, or because I believe that's what I need to do to be fully committed to this blog God has called me to. Sometimes, when facing a decision, big or little, it's hard to know what to do. People say, "Ask God, He'll give you direction." But if God doesn't speak audibly, how can we hear Him? This is what I'm going through right now. I'm searching for answers. I'm about to make a big decision in my life (as big as they can get when you're 14), and I want solely God to influence the answer. I feel He is calling me to quit my hobby, so I can better follow Him. I don't feel like this hobby is taking time away from Him, but maybe, maybe it is. I don't want to regret my decision, but if I say, "Yes, God, I will give it up" when it turns out He wasn't calling me to give it up in the first place, is there any reversing it? I don't know. Sometimes, I'm okay with not knowing, but right now I want to know, I want answers. But in the midst of this "silence", I feel so close to God, so intimate with Him. How can this be? How can I hear silence when He is teaching me so much? I suppose His answer is, "Wait, little child. Wait and I will tell you in My perfect time."
      For those seeking answers from Him, I encourage you, be patient along with me. God, in His perfect timing, will reveal the answer.

-Emily, waiting for answers

Mexico Mission Trip 2014

        This holiday season, I was blessed to be able to go on a mission trip to Mexico with 9 others from my church and 150 other people from 5 states. It was amazing! I love going on mission trips (this was my seventh) and seeing God work. There is just something about being in a foreign place and sharing Jesus that is just so.... amazing. I saw God work in a lot of ways, the big and the little, but most of all I saw him through our worship every morning and evening. It was amazing to see 160 people singing in unison to one God, the True God. Can you imagine how God-orchestrated it was? 160 people, 5 states, 6 churches, multiple planes, vans, and buses- all for us to gather in one Mexican city to make a difference for Jesus! It's beautiful, it really is. I hope I'll go back next December, as well as March and maybe November.
          God is moving in Mexico! I was reminded of that Sunday morning when I could hear a church meeting in progress- they must have been singing for over 30 minutes! They really trust the God that sustains them, for He is their hope on this earth. I pray that that will be true for me on this earth as well.          Overall, it was a great, God-ordained trip, and I can't wait to go back!

-Emily, pumped for Jesus