Puzzling Questions I've had to answer along the way

While on this journey, I have learned so much - and also learned there's still a lot of questions I don't have answers to. I have enjoyed being stretched and challenged, and would like to challenge you to ponder these questions:

1. What are your gifts/talents/strengths? What activities lead to a feeling of competence?
2. Do you use/access these gifts/talents/strengths almost every day? 
3. Do you like where you are headed (with life)? 
4. Do you feel needed and/or feel that you are making a difference in the world & in the lives of others?
5. If you answered no to questions 2, 3 or 4 - how can you change this? What can you do to make sure you feel competent everyday? What do you need to change in your life (or about yourself) so you are proud of where you are headed?
6. What and/or who is so important to you that you would risk your life for? What do you want to take with you when you leave this earth? (Relationships: People? God?)
7. How are those relationships currently? How is your relationship with God? Are you satisfied where they are at, or are there people you wish you treated better or spent more quality time with?
8. Make a list of the little things in life that you enjoy...how long has it been since you've done some of these things? 
9. Make a list of your dreams and dreams God has given you...are you doing anything about them? Have you made short and long term goals to reach these dreams? 
10. What are you passionate about? What really gets you going? How often do you do these things?
11. Are you enjoying life right now? Do you make time to relax and laugh? Or are you too caught up with the things and tasks of this life that you have forgotten to sit back and enjoy?
12. If you could change one thing about your life right now, what would it be? Is there anything you can do to change it?
13. Are you serving God? Would you like to serve Him better? How could you do this-be specific and realistic?

.
.
.
.

Take time to reflect on these questions...but don't just think - DO! Take action! You don't want to be one of those people who looks back on their life and realizes that they could have done so much more.

Signing off
Em

Thank you

This post is a thank you to anyone who is or has supported me throughout this process with prayer, finances, and support - and thanks to God for giving me such an opportunity!

Thank you Thank you Thank you! to everyone who has supported my decision in coming to Thailand! I cannot express how truly blessed and changed I am because of this opportunity.
To my parents: While initially you may not have been thrilled about me coming to a place, so far away, with political protests breaking out, THANK YOU for your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for prayerfully considering this and listening for God's voice saying 'do not fear, I will protect her!' Thank you for everything you sacrificed by sending me here. It has been worth every penny - and every tear (because obviously you have been crying a lot since you miss me so much :)

To the rest of my family: Thank you for sending me messages, letters and skype calls! I really miss you guys - more than I thought was possible.  But it has definitely made it easier being here for so long with all your encouragement. Thank you for all your prayers, God is definitely listening and is doing incredible things here. I miss you and cannot wait to get back and party!!!!!!!!!!!! (Jenna and Brittany's graduation could not have come at a better time - I will get to see everyone within a few days of getting back to the US.)

To all the people who supported me financially: I would not be here without you! I wanted to come so bad, and really felt like God wanted me here, but knew I could not come up with that amount of money on my own. Thank you for your faithfulness to God and for your passion to increase the Kingdom of God! Not only am I thankful, but the Thai people are as well, 5 people have already come to Christ since we've been here and I am expecting God to do many other incredible things.

To my friends: I MISS YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH. I want to be there with you - sometimes I consider using my sky miles to fly home and see you real quick - but I know I can't because I have 2 weddings this summer that I need them for! But I thank you for being the best friends I could ever ask for. For encouraging me spiritually, for challenging me to be a better servant of Christ, and most of all, for being ridiculously fun!  I cannot wait to get back and hang out - I'm sure you guys are together right now doing something fun and picture worthy (Ashley you're all over that) haha. but I love you guys and cannot WAIT TIL THIS SUMMER. Watch out world!

And now - to the One I owe my life - but instead He gives me life, unconditional love, and blessings beyond measure. Thank you. Thank you for saving me from the pits of hell. Instead, You have given me the best life. Word cannot attest to what exactly You are doing in my life, but I will try to testify - only to bring You glory. While I was disobedient, and did not respond to Your call for me to come here, You still worked it out so I could come. When I was unsure of how on earth I would come up with the money to come, You provided the exact amount I needed. And since I've been here, You have surrounded me with Your presence, especially in the times of loneliness. You are stretching me, and bringing to surface the areas I need to improve on to best further Your Kingdom, but You also know that I am tenderhearted and so You are doing it slowly and in a way that I can handle.  You never give me more than I can handle, but just enough to bring me to my knees and realize, I can never handle it alone - but with You, all things are truly possible.
Thank you for giving me the passion for people, to help them develop as a person, the patience to teach, and for my passion to learn! All I have to say is, thank you for knowing me better than I know myself and for having the most incredible plan for my life.

Love you all! 

The power in the His Name: Jesus

Philippians 2 - Imitating Christ's Humility
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from HIS LOVE, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
DO NOTHING out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider OTHERS better than yourselves.  Each of you should not look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the SAME as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself NOTHING, taking the very nature of a SERVANT, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and
gave HIM THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME, that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That is my prayer. Not only while I am here in Thailand - but for every day of my life. To live a life that is focused on others, not on myself. Both in the little things, and the big. To see through the eyes of Jesus - and not my own. For my ambitions to become God's ambitions. How different would my life be, and the lives of those around me if I actually started living like this? To really live out, "consider OTHERS better than myself and to look at their interests more important than mine"!

God, begin to work in my heart, and especially on this trip, to see You first and others next, and then myself.  I pray that I will be here only to serve these people, and took look for opportunities to do so. To take advantage of this incredible experience.

I challenge everyone to reread Philippians 2:1-13! Ask what God is trying to tell you through that.

Word of God Speak

Do you ever find yourself singing along with old, familiar songs, and then you realize you have no idea what the words are saying or what the song is about? This song is classic, but it is beautiful!

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

Nothing is impossible

As I have told many of you, God is doing so many awesome things in Bangkok! Yes there is a lot of darkness, but there is definitely a light awakening the people. 

Since being here, God has totally opened up a totally new vision of what missions is supposed to look like. Find out what is important to the culture, what they want to be good at/what skill they want to acquire/what they would love to be able to accomplish, and OFFER IT FOR FREE! Just so happens, Thai people want to learn English - I think I can handle that. You won't believe the doors God has opened up for us, and continues to open just because we can speak English.  We are able to go into the biggest University in the World, as well as a few churches, and teach English for free.  People come (some from as far as 2 hours away) to learn english.  Then, we or the church staff, invite them to church.  We have already had 7 people who have never been to church before (they are Buddhist) commit to coming all because they found out about it through English Hour.
PRAY PRAY PRAY that God will use us to reach these people. That He will set up divine appointments and give us favor with these people. Pray that we can be effective with our teaching, so more people will come, and we can build relationships with these people. By showing them the love of Christ, and hopefully becoming friends with these people, we can invite them to church. 

As I am reading through Acts, I am continually reminded that nothing is impossible with God.  When the apostles were arrested and thrown in jail by the Sadducees, God sent an angel in the night and opened the door.  How cool is that?! God will work things out if it is according to His plan and His will for you.  Even if that means sending an angel to open up a jail cell door.

UPG

UPG stands for Unreached People Groups.

In all seriousness-I am warning you, before you read this blog post, it is not like any other. It will change your life.

If you are at all interested in ever going on a mission trip, doing long term missions, financially supporting missionaries, or pray for missions - this video and website will drastically move your heart and spirit. With the help of the Holy Spirit, it is powerful enough to cause you to want to become a full time missionary and do something about these statistics. It will only take about 7 minutes to get a glimpse of reality of the UPG.

 

Joshua Project Progress Map

The Parable of the Sower

Today in my quiet time I was reading through Mark. I have to read through it a couple times for a class so I figured I could kill two birds with one stone and incorporate some of the reading into my quiet time.

Yes, this parable is quiet common, but when was the last time you really studied it and reflected upon which sower you are? I did today, and it was a reality check!

Mark 4
"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering his seed..." some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up
Are you:
1. The seed that fell along the path? As soon as it fell on the path, the birds came and ate it. As soon as you hear the Word, does Satan come and take away the word that was sown in you? Do you allow your desires to run your life?

2. The seed that fell on a rocky place, without much soil? Like the seed sown on rocky places, you hear the Word and at once receive it with joy. But since you have no root, it only lasts a short time. Yes-it sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow, but when the sun came up the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, do you quickly fall away?

3. Or are you the seed that fell among thorns, which grew up and chocked on the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Do you hear the word, but because the worries of life, the deceitfulness of wealth and desires for other things come in and choke the word, become unfruitful?

4. Or are you planted in good soil? Which grows and produces a good crop, multiplying up to a hundred times? You hear the Word, accept it, and produce a crop greater than what was sown?

Mark 4:11 "The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to YOU"