Monday, February 11, 2008
Vancouver: Day 1

Hey guys!

1. I miss you.
2. This place is awesome.
3. The weather is definitely nicer here.
4. God is AWESOME! (Bump this to the top of the list!)

I just wanted to say a quick hi to everyone...hopefully you are checking this even though I'm gone. I plan to update at least a couple times during the week.

I don't have a lot of time to write tonight, but I just wanted to share with you something a good friend of my said to me before I left.

"God, keep them safe, but don't allow them to be safe."

I'm praying this for my entire team, and for everyone at home, too. This trip is all about stretching and stepping outside of our comfort zones. Being safe, but not being safe with ourselves, letting ourselves take chances and risks that we might not have thought possible.

Today we went to East Hastings Street. I don't know how much you guys know about it, but it is basically a street where the homeless live. Lots of drugs, prostitutes, and depravity. We had the opportunity to hand out clothing and socks to some people, and to talk to them. It was really great, and reminded me a lot of being in Mexico and the times I shared with you guys there.

Peace in Christ.

Labels: Erika's Life Updates, Spiritual Life

Sunday, February 03, 2008
Love

I'm not sure if anyone from my class reads this anymore, but if you are, aren't you excited for our mission's trip??? I can't believe we're leaving in less than a week!

To fill the rest of you in, the theme verse we have picked is found in Matthew 17:20...

"I tell you the truth: if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you".

To that I just wanted to add something I came across as I was reading this week in 1 Corinthians 13. Interesting, because it's a very commonly read chapter of the Bible, but I came across a few verses at the beginning of the chapter that everybody always seems to skim over.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing".

This was a good reminder that we need to come together as a team in love, because despite any amount of faith or anything else we may possess, we will have absolutely nothing if we do not have love toward each other and toward others.

Labels: Spiritual Life