Author: Adventures

“Emma, I didn’t take you on this trip so you could do great things for me. I took you on this trip to show you who I am.”  The Lord spoke to me these words on the flight from Georgia to Guatemala, the beginning of what would be the adventure of a lifetime. I had put months of praying, preparing, and expecting God to do huge things in and through me on this trip. I had so much faith for everything He was going to do, and truly felt like this would be a keystone experience of my life. I also believed and hoped that the Lord would give me some more clear direction about...

I left home thinking that I was going on a mission trip to impact people’s lives, and came home realizing that it was actually my life that was profoundly impacted.            I was so excited about going on this trip, especially when my team was informed that the majority of our time would be spent with kids and Vacation Bible Schools. Kids have a very special place in my heart. My family has been a foster home for over 40 children over the past 3 years. It had made my heart smile to pour love into every single one of those precious lives. Love can hurt...

In Guatemala, we had prayer sessions dubbed “Ask the Lord’s”, or ATLs. During these ATLs, we would go off by ourselves and just listen for the Lord’s voice…which can be somewhat new and intimidating and exciting and slightly uncomfortable. You sit by yourself and open your heart and ask the Lord to show up. You ask Him to show you someone you can have an interaction with; you ask Him to show you something that you need to see; you ask Him to just show up and speak to you. After we spent some time in prayer and quiet reflection, we’d group up and walk...

Coming into this trip, I prayed for an open heart and open mind – typical pre-mission trip prayers. I prayed the prayers and raised the money. I guess I had some pre-conceived notions coming into this trip. I’ve gone on two trips, I know the ropes, I’ve got this. Right? Oh man. God absolutely turned those pre-conceived notions completely on end. It started with training camp. Training camp was something I was not necessarily looking forward to. I wanted to be on the field, “doing something”. I had no desire to spend a few days two short hours from my home when...

Over the last couple weeks I’ve been thinking how to sum up the month of July 2016 into words; What did I learn? A lot. What did I experience? A lot. What emotions do I feel being home? A lot.But I can’t sum up a month of spiritual madness in just, “A lot”. So here it is.My God is savior, He is love, He is a good father, but something He isn’t is comfortable. My God is not safe, He is not easy, or “normal”, He is the exact opposite. My God is challenging, uncomfortable, paranormal, and extraordinary x1000. Looking back on my month in...

Here I sit soaking in the reality of re­entry. Having feelings of separation, loneliness, anduncertainty.  While I begin to process these things for what feels like the hundredth time, if feel asense of peace and joy from the unexpected that occurred during the past month in Guatemala.As I look back on pre­trip preparations I remember reminding myself to go into this newexperience without expectations, being...