A Twisted, Messed Up Tango

Ladies-
As you read this, I need to you silently put one hand in the air if you have spoken negatively of another woman in the past twenty-four hours. I would be lying if I told you both of my hands weren't straight in the air. Why is it that we feel the need to constantly talk about someone behind their back? Some have better excuses than others, but when it comes down to it, they are merely excuses. Suzie said something about my boyfriend. Did you see what Jane was wearing yesterday? O man.. I could hit Margret for what she did to me! All of these, minus the names, are phrases I hear almost every day. The reality of the matter is that no one really cares what you say about someone. We all look like complete idiots when we open our mouths about someone else, because guess what?? It doesn't make us better than anyone!

If we claim to be daughters of the Almighty King, then isn't it about time we started acting as such? If we really love our friends as much as we say, isn't it time to encourage them? I get so frustrated when we choose to spend our time gossiping about someone. Does me talking about a comment someone else made that hurt my feelings make the comment somehow disappear? I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that, in fact, it makes it worse. It just fuels the fire.

I'm not saying I am completely innocent of such behavior. I am just as guilty as anyone, but I am saying that we need to fix it.

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it."
1 Peter 3:9-11

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."
James 1:26

It's time to start living as daughters in the light of our Creator. It's time to treat each other with respect. It's time to keep our comments to ourselves and instead of speaking poorly to one another, we must lift each other up. I challenge you to be the change in your office, your school or even your family. Relationships are breaking all over the place, and it's partly due to our inability to properly respect and love one another with the love of Christ.

I hope this finds you having an incredible week! I love you all more than you know!
Forever His,
EmilyJo

I Will Go Where You Send Me!

I get to be the hands and feet our my Precious Savior!!! I keep thinking about that awesome fact today. Not only is He allowing me to travel all over the world to spread His name, but He allows me to be His hands and feet every day, everywhere I go.. me EmilyJo... just an average person! What an awesome responsibility!

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
1 Corinthians 15:57-58

I hope you're loving Him today! It's Wednesday... half way there! I love you all more than you know!
Forever His,
EmilyJo

I'm Leavin on a Jet Plane...

In case you were wondering, I finally got my itenerary for our trip to Constanta, Romania. I leave Dallas on July 1st to go to Austin, only to fly to DFW on the 2nd to begin our long journey! It's really kind of complicated and sounds silly to drive out there just to fly to the airport that happens to be twenty minutes from my house, but it will be a fun adventure!


We are planning to spend our days split into two teams. One team will work VBS at the Constanta Day Center (look them up on facebook) and the other have will be doing some evangelism through some near by cities. The people going on the trip are Sandi Adair, Troy Allen, Cindy Boucher, Todd Chafin, Shelly Clopton, Pam Griswold, Autumn Hibner, Patti Knight, Greg Knight, Roger Morrison, Angie Ray, Rich Schiller, Mike Tackett and myself. I ask that you would specifically pray for each of our team members. Each of us has a special set of gifts and talents, and our prayer is the Lord would allow us to put them to good use!

I don't have a lot of details regarding the trip. This group is based out of Georgetown, TX, so I have not made it to any of the meetings. I have kind of enjoyed not being in on the planning. I think I'm going to like going over there and seeing what happens!

I'll let you know more as I find out more! Pray! Pray! Pray! The team has decided to make Thursdays prayer and fasting days until we leave. Here is the call, will you participate? Starting this Thursday, fervently pray that our relentless God would reign not only in the lives of each team member, but in all the lives we will come in contact with during our short stay and if you feel led to participate in the fasting, please do! I'm so very excited to be apart of this, and ask that you would choose to be as well!

I love you all more than you know!
Forever His,
EmilyJo

I Need Grace...

I know you have all been on the edge of your seats anticipating my next post... well here you go, Aunt Debbie! My most faithful follower! Sorry it has been so long. I don't know where the time has gone, but I would really love to find it and get some back!

As I've been seeking Christ through planning out my summer, I've noticed one thing I've been lacking for quite some time. My eyes have been sown shut. Not by a hurtful past, not by a loser friend, but through my own willingness and desire to stay in my own bubble. I want to plan my life out the way I see it happening. Meet someone at 23, get degree at 24, settle down at 25. But the beauty of His grace is He doesn't care what is "normal". He doesn't care where my friends or family think I should be or think I should be doing. God's plan is so much greater than all the silly ones I come up with!

Speaking of summer plans, I would love to share mine! Next week I'm taking an awesome group of 4th grade girls to GA Camp. I'm a little nervous, but I'm so excited to be an example to them and to learn from them as well! Our trip to Romania is coming up so fast! I'm sooo not ready! But when you answer the call to go, He prepares you! I'm asking that you guys would commit to praying for both trips. Pray that the Holy Spirit would go before us and create a way. Pray that the Lord would be glorified in our small efforts to exalt His name. Pray that He would meet us both at GA Camp and Romania. I have a prayer guide for our Romania trip. I would love to send you a copy. Shoot me an email if you're interested!

I know this post was kind of all over the place, but I promise they will get better! I'll post about more ways to pray for Romania soon! I promise... and plan to keep that promise this time! I hope your summer is going well, and I hope you can see His grace today!

I love you all more than you know!
Forever His,
EmilyJo

Psalm 73:23-28... Will You Read it??

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish;

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

There's Just Something About That Name

For my birthday, my friend Cassie, decorated my car with window paint. A few of the windows said things like, "I'm 22!" and "Happy Birthday, Emily". On my back windshield, written no bigger than an inch high read "Emily Loves Jesus". It was written so tiny, I figured no one really noticed that part next to the huge "I'M 22!" signs. So yesterday I was sitting outside my school, waiting for my class to start and all of the sudden I feel someone hitting the back of my car. I looked in the rare view mirror, only to find two girls standing behind me, clearly upset. They started yelling things like, "Bible Thumper!" and "OOO Emily loves Jesus... well we HATE you and your Jesus". They obviously had no idea I was in the car. The look of embarrassment on their faces was priceless as they approached my diver's side window. I just looked up at them, smiled, and went back to reading my book. They quickly got into the car next to me and drove away.

At that moment, I wanted to say something to them, anything to make them feel stupid for acting so immaturely. Then I realized that nothing I could have said would have taken back their acts of hate towards my Savior. They are lost. They are obviously mad at God, or they wouldn't have even thought about the inch tall letters on the back of a stranger's car. My heart began to break for these girls. Beautiful girls with bright futures, but with the biggest and darkest clouds hanging over their heads. Their lives are empty. Their lives lack purpose and direction, and they felt it appropriate to take it out on my car. I never knew three little words could make a perfect stranger act out in such dislike. I began to earnestly pray that God would somehow save them. That He would wrap His loving arms around those girls, whisper His promises in their ears, and turn their lives into lives that glorify and honor Him. I prayed that those girls would no longer take their anger with God out of other people, but that they would learn to forgive and let go of the bitterness they have in their hearts. Won't you pray with me? They are in desperate need of a Savior!

Impossible in NOT a Word!