My classes at MACU are becoming to be interesting. I'm learning more and more about the missions feild and how to deal with other cultures and I get excited to feel it. To experience the difference in another culture excites me and I'm super ready to get out there.

Although I'm excited to venture out and bring people the truth I know that in the small city there is much to be done. This is where I start my mission, this place right here in my grasp. I can't go out on a mission without first realizing there is more here too. It's kinda like looking at everyone elses "faults" and not noticing your own, but I am aware of the urgent need here as well.

Most people in the U.S. have heard the name Jesus Christ and maybe they think he's a fluke or a story character with good morals. This is the hardest mission of them all, going to people who have heard of this man and his good works and still have yet to believe he is a real Holy being. These are the skeptics who challenge you at everything you say and we must be ready to answer, we gotta know our stuff.

Missions classes are helping me realize that YES this is what I want to do, I want to get dirty and gross. I want to use the bathroom in a hole, I want to eat the food, travel as they do even if it's by foot only. Let me be sent! All of this for the glory of God? Yes please. That is my prayer, the famous saying, here I am God, send me!

Peace.

Now I'm here

I'm back at MACU I've been back for a couple of days now and it's been different but in a good way. I'm not so focused on other things so much, I feel much more dedicated to my work. I've met a ton of promising people here again. The freshmen seem to be adjusting well I just pray they don't get caught up in other things as I did last year.

Ever since the first chapel this year it seems everyone that has been speaking has spoken about focus and dedication. This makes sense, it's the beginning of the year so encouragement is needed. However something stuck out to me, one speaker said something that caught my attention more than anything. He said, "while your here your doing your ministry." He went on to say that doing our homework diligently is our ministry, getting good rest is our ministry, studying and studying well is our ministry. I never thought about that before and it really spoke to me and made me realize how truly important it is to be focused.

I am enjoying myself as well as being studious which is a sweet thing in my mind. Only with God is this able to be done.

Peace.

Seems like a long road

Well, tomorrow is the day. The end to a long journey, but the beginning of an entirely longer journey. Tomorrow I will move back into the dorms as a student at the once named Roanoke Bible College, now named Mid-Atlantic Christian University. I am in such relief that this learning experience of the past semester and summer have come to an end. I've learned more about myself in these last nine months than I have ever in my life.

Tomorrow is the test to see if I have truely changed. Have I really become a better person? I believe so but actions speak volumes among anything else. It's my hope that I can be that person I think I have become and show everyone especially my family that this is me now.

I hope I can be an inspiration to the freshman that are coming in. I hope I can be a blessing without knowing it. I hope I can help anyone who needs it instead of being a selfish jerk, but I don't want to be a door mat. My prayer for myself and others is that we will be a family and help each other out instead of talk about each other. This is what Jesus told us, to become a unit, to be as one. This is my prayer.

Best of luck to everyone going into the school year.

Peace.

The time is coming!

The time is near! The day is coming close! As you may know I am ecstatic about getting back to school, not only am I excited about seeing all of my friends again but I am super excited about getting into these classes and learning. I'm incredibly ready to learn what I need to learn to get to where God wants me to go.

It's only a week until I move in again and I have a completely different outlook on how this year is going to happen. Last year about this time I was so stoked to meet new people and be on my own for the first time, so much so that I was blinded from the real reason why I was there. This year I am not blinded by independence, but I can see that relationships are important and more important fulfilling God's plan for me.

So that's what I'm going to do, I will put my best foot forward toward learning and doing my best academically as well as spiritually. I am more excited to learn this year than I have ever been in my entire life. With God's help and some good accountability and my determination, this will be an amazing year.

Peace.

The Last

So my time in New Bern is coming to a close, and I thank God for letting me have this experience. I have learned a lot about myself, I have become more solid in my faith, and I met some really amazing people. I made friends with people I would otherwise just pass on the street and have no second thought about it. I stayed with some pretty sweet people, heard some really good music, and praised God more than I ever have in my life.

I became fast friends with many people, I had much fellowship which warmed my heart. I had great counseling with a great friend that I respect and love very much, she was a blessing. I've found a greater deeper love for my family that was hiding for a long time. I love my Mom, Dad, Sisters, and my Brother in law now more than I ever knew I would. My respect for them has risen leaps and bounds. God is my foundation, they are my base structure which is probably the most important part other than the foundation.

I have begun to love people I don't even know which was my prayer all along. Because of this experience my view of God has changed for the better. Instead of Him being this far off entity that was only reached if you were in times of trouble, He became a very near real father who responds actively to those He loves. I praised Him while I worked, before I slept, before I ate, and at any point in the day I was praising Him. When my heart was troubled and I prayed I was instantly at peace. That is no overexageration, this is what my Father did for me, I give Him all the glory.

I am so excited to get back home and show my family the new and improved Emilie for a while. I am so excited to show them what God has done in my life these past couple of months. I am so amped to show my home church the love God has given me, and how glad I am that they have played a major role in my life. Never in my life have I ever been so ready to help "the least of these" and make a difference and take none of the credit, I'll only do it for His glory.

Thank you New Bern, thank you new found friends, thank you anyone who I came in contact with that helped my walk. Most of all thank you God for being astronomically amazing in every way, and for surrounding me with your love this summer. Amazing grace and peace fills me tonight.

With love,
Peace.