It Ain't Pretty

I've started surfing. I've always wanted to surf, it's been a goal of mine for a long time. I just recently got my own board, which I am totally excited about, now I don't have to feel like a jerk for borrowing other people's board. This board is a beautifully used WRV 6'7" tail very well repaired from being broken almost all the way through, and a bubble in the rail. Yes my friends it is useable and still very good to surf with. It's a thin little sucker width wise and kind of hard to balance on when sitting on it in the ocean but I am very quickly getting used to it.

I found this board in the Rodanthe Surf Shop, a very small surf shop right beside a gas station. I just went in there just to see if they had anything new since the last time I went in (like at least 3 years ago). Looking at the boards I see this one for $125, the cheapest board I have found. So the next day we went back to check it out, the owner of the store told us everything that was "wrong" with it. But you know what I saw? Promise. This previously owned board looked awesome to me, even though there are much better ones out there, and a lot more pretty, I was looking at my first surf board ever in life.

You must be thinking..ok Emilie get to the point. Well here it is sometimes beauty doesn't really have to be beautiful. I found this board without anticipating actually finding a board that I would take home after a night. It's discolored, previously damaged, yet very well repaired. It rides beautifully. It's easy to paddle out with and I feel safe with it. Looking at it, it doesn't look new, and if you look closely you can see the repair. So let me get spiritual for a minute. I picked this board yeah because it was cheap, but when I surfed it, when I really knew what it is capable of still, it's previous life didn't matter anymore. Isn't that how God see's us? We are damaged, disfigured little creatures, but if you look real close you can see the repair aka Jesus.

Everybody can tell us exactly whats wrong with us, why we should be wary of our own selves. Lowering our self value to oh say $125 just because we've been broken, yet our repair is amazing and priceless. God uses us because though we are messed up once people understand what Jesus is capable of once the Holy Spirit comes through us to minister, then people will see the smooth times that lie ahead once they understand the eternal reward of their second life. Like riding a wave, once you take that once busted up board out there and see what it's got then you can see it's long-term benefits for you. It's really a beautiful way to think about it if I do say so myself.

I'm sure God sees us as beautiful despite our brokenness, and how warped we are. The world takes it's toll, waves take their toll. But our repair stands eternal.

All to God.

Cheers to the end and a beginning

2009-2010 school year has officially ended, as I type right now I am sitting at my parents house. Car still has everything that was in my dorm room in it, I'm a little lazy. I sit here with excitement and contemplation in my heart. I feel the need to lean on God more than ever at this point and just let go.

I have about two weeks until I leave for this mission trip, I have a friend leaving for Africa tomorrow, and I know right about now she is freaking out, and if she is reading this then I want her to know that I love her SOOOO much and I'm praying for her. There is a lot that needs to be done in preparation for this summer, and I have two weeks to do it. Crazy.

Spending time with my family is pretty much what I want to do these few weeks home. I know for some people this trip wouldn't be a big deal but to me it is. I have never ridden an airplane, I've never been out of the country, I've never been out of the country to minister to people, I've never done this. It's a summer full of firsts and I'm excited for it, but really nervous at the same time.

So many people from school are going out of the country this summer and I am so excited to come back from my far away land to hear their stories from their far away lands. May God work this summer in us all this summer as we go out to minister to those who do not know Jesus.

All to God.

The days grow shorter

The days get shorter and shorter until the end of the semester, until my first mission trip to Eastern Europe, until I can see it. When I mean it I mean a whole other realm of the world, a whole different people, a different way of living. Also when I mean it I mean to be able to see God in our purpose this summer.

More than anything I want to know God, love God, and feel God. God is my ultimate desire, He is the one being that my trust is completely in, that I can't fully understand but want to so badly! I want to give thanks to Jesus more, daily grasp that He lives in my heart, contemplate His words daily, and have Him as my guide to figure out this life of mine. It's almost like hanging onto a cliff because you are to afraid to fall, and your so high up that the clouds cover the ground, and someone on the cliff tells you to loosen your grip. When you finally do, you are scared to death but at the same time you feel the exhilaration of the free fall. As you get closer to the ground you brace yourself for impact only to find yourself swooped up by an eagle, or something romantic like that. But that's how God's love is, it's romantic. The Bible is romantic, the playing out of His plan is romantic.

God desires that I follow Him closely, does He need me too? No, He's God, He really needs nothing, but He wants me, He desires me to love Him just as He loves me. How incredible! The God of the entire anything you can think of that has been discovered or undiscovered desires a speck on the earth like me. He calls me, He counsels me, He gave up His life with pain for me.

The days grow shorter, until the end of this semester, until my first real mission trip, until my first overseas experience, even until the day the Lord appears on the earth again, and I want to bring many with me.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

God is with us, He is in us, and we shall fear no evil, we should fear nothing, the light of the world is in us!

All to God

They are the reason....

Today I had an encounter, one that I knew would happen just never really thought I would see it so soon. I guess I'm a bit ignorant sometimes. But anyways here goes; Someone blatantly opposed my work that I am going to do overseas. However, I am somewhat grateful this happened. It opened my eyes to how quickly this can happen and with people you don't expect. I love this person, I do, and I am glad they showed me this, I count it as the smallest precursor to the opposition I will encounter later in life.

I prayed for this person, I say that not to seem noble or holy, but to say that these people need prayer, it is the only thing that will touch them. I can't help but wonder what could be accomplished if these strong willed people would only turn their gaze to Christ. We would see more love and commitment if they would only see. Pray for them.

All to God.

Every Altering Sacrifice Teaches Eternal Resurrection

This Easter there is a lot that has been going through my mind. Of course the theme of anything I think about is Christ's Resurrection. My preacher today in service explained something that I never really put much thought into. He said that when Christ was resurrected he went to the souls who went before him, so that they might hear the good news. He went to save the ones who were already dead, not only did he come to save the living but he came to save the ones who seemed to be unsaveable.

This is my Savior's power and I am nothing without it. Hearing that today made me want to go into the world and teach people even more! I want everyone to know the love that I feel and freely have everyday, I praise God that I can have it. My preacher emphasized going, baptizing, and teaching, and I felt like he was talking straight to me.

He is my strength, He is my love, He is my power, He is my will, my hope, and nothing will stand in the way of the purpose set before me.

All to God.

Umption in your Gumption

I'm in a really happy mood tonight, I think it's because I had a really goofy dream while I was taking a nap this afternoon. I wasn't doing anything except just goofing off being me in my dream just happy and full of fun! Praise God for that! It feels awesome to wake up from something that is suppose to be in reality. Often I lose the real goofy me, it was nice to see myself be that way again, even if it was in a dream. I thank God for that dream.

In my happy state I have to really understand priorities and understand the things I really have to focus on. Unfortunately we can't have complete joy and a carefree sense of being until we are whole and with God. We have to toil here on the earth until the work is done. Though the work is not done yet God gives us tiny pieces of what we will have. He gives us good people to rely on and amazing moments of pure awe at the works of His hands and the mention of His good news.

Needless to say I have a lot of respect for people who seem really and truly joyful most of the time. As I enter the mission field, short-term or long-term, I aim to have that joy, the kind that only God can bring. God has given me a sense of adventure, a love of laughter, and a yearning for good community. All of which make me an extremely happy and joyous person, not to mention the love of Christ, and the effective application of His teachings. I hope to be a joyful person and spread that joy with the message that I intend to share.

Me, Myself, and I

From here on out I am going to start each blog with a praise to God. Because so often I feel I start off with negative things and build to make them positive. This time however, I choose to say, praise God! The deadline has come and gone! Phew! No worries on that, just a few dollars short because the mail is slow. He has brought me through the first real step of this entire experience, and has taught me to have great faith in Him.

These past few weeks I have concentrated on a number of things spiritually, but one subject in general has caught my eye. Greed. That nasty little word that sneaks into all our lives even in the slightest. I hate it, I can honestly say I loath greed. I hate it so much because it can literally be like an anaconda coiling around its prey and squeezing it until there is no more life. Money conscious to the point that the homeless guy on the street becomes the person we say "get a job like the rest of us" to. Basically material greed, wanting the next best thing that arrives on the market, consuming until you realize that there is still a void in your life that no thing can fill.

But what has been on my mind lately on the subject of greed is the money aspect. since I have started raising support God has given and given and given, yet I feel I have given nothing back. I have a rather busy schedule, not so busy there isn't any down time but on the whole pretty filled. My mind has wandered from "giving back" I'm the poor college kid who is trying to raise money just to go to this other country to live for roughly two months. Sorry. That's what you call that excuse, purely rotten words to come out of someone who is supposed to be a devout follower of Christ. Of course I never said those words, but I have thought it, in a rephrased kind of way. What faith is this? This is greed. This is fear. This is uncertainty of a certain God. Pitiful.

So I have acted, I am starting to give back, because the little greed that creeps into my life I refuse to let it take away the life of me. Proverbs 1:19 " So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain: It takes away the life of it's owners." Spiritually I do not want greed to be the culprit of stamping out my fire. Everything is God's and God will take care of everything.

I am a worrier, I worry but I don't let people see it much and if they have they either live in extremely close proximity or are my family. My worry does not come without a touch of greed. When will I be able to get more money for the security of MY safety? This question is asked out of greed and worry. Did I mention I hate greed? The question should say, " When will I be able to give to those who are in need?" Money is temporary, it will pass away with the world and thanks be to God for that. Nothing is mine yet I strive to own it.

Like I said in the beginning through this experience of raising money, God has opened my heart to giving. He has made me want to share the things He has lent me to the world. I hope that I can do this. The prayers being sent for me come from hearts that are willing, that are not filled with greed. The money being sent for me to do this mission that I believe God has set before me comes from faithful believers, and their hearts are also not overrun with greed. I thank you all for support, prayers and financially. I thank God for all that He has given me, and for what He has given me to share with the world.

All to God.