::Judgment Day::

"The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." ::CS Lewis::

When we were at Blue Haven for the Sunset youth group senior high retreat, our main role was to do skits before the worship time. The five of us AIMers practiced most of the day for the skit, performed it and started on a new skit. The last night, we had a skit picked out for us, but it wasn't very relevant for teens. We thought about modifying it, but decided to just do a completely different skit we came up with in about an hour. We only practiced it twice because, well, it was really emotional for all of us. This is our skit.



I saw a shirt in Ruidoso, NM that summed up this skit in a not-so-humorous way: Friends don't let friends burn in hell.

Keep fighting; this is war and it's not over yet.
-ej

::Adieu & Adios::

"The universal principle of etymology in all languages: words are carried over from bodies and from the properties of bodies to express the things of the mind and spirit. The order of ideas must follow the order of things."
::Giambattista Vico::

This post is different than any other I've written so far; it is about etymology, or the study of the origin of words. It is an interest of mine so these posts might become more frequent. This first post involves two words commonly understood by Americans, but originating in other languages, and their English equivalent. I use both foreign words frequently in everyday language, thanks to my French and Spanish classes.

Adios:
Spanish, definition: "goodbye" or "farewell"
literal meaning: "a Dios" :: "to God"
origin: "a Dios vos acomiendo" :: "I commend you to God"

Adieu:
French, definition: also "goodbye" or "farewell"
literal meaning: "a Dieu" :: "to God"
origin: late 14c. Old French, "a Dieu (vous) commant" :: "I commend (you) to God"

Goodbye:
English, definition: "farewell"
meaning: a contraction "Godbwye" with influence "good day" and "good night"
origin: 1590s, "God be with ye"

Would you have ever realized that the root of these words was about God? When I use these words now, they have more meaning for me than just "farewell." They mean the equivalent of "God be with you." These words have more power than we give them credit; let's strive to use the original definition when we say these words.

Adieu.
-ej

::Sept 2010::

"He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads to. It is the means that determine the end." ::Harry Emerson Fosdick::

As part of AIM, I am sending out newsletters to my supporters to keep them updated. If you would like to download a pdf version of my newsletter to read, here it is: September Newsletter.

Also, if you'd like to receive the newsletter by email, please leave your email and let me know at http://kontactr.com/user/ejtotheworld.

I was also wondering who reads this, so please FOLLOW me and/or leave me a comment sometime! ;)

Thanks! Love you all.
-ej

::The Grand Canyon State::

"The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise." ::Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra::

We had a mission field presentation on Tuesday for Phoenix, Arizona. This is one of our 3 domestic fields. I co-led a spring break mission trip in 2009 to Chandler (a suburb of Phoenix) from Harding University. It was one of THE best weeks of my life, with wonderful friends, and great memories. We hosted a VBS and door-knocked around a poorer suburb of Chandler. It was wonderful to see it all come together and all of the desire the kids had to learn about Jesus.

Having been to Phoenix, I had an idea of the mission work needed there. The AIM team will live and work downtown. They will do a lot of inner-city work, as well as work with the college students going to school in downtown Phoenix. It may not be a "foreign" field, but working with the poorest neighborhood in the 5th largest city in the US is a challenge of its own.

So many times we overlook the mission field here in our back yard. Phoenix needs the Gospel just as much as South Africa; California, my home, needs the Gospel as does Lubbock, Texas. Just as Kris and Pat, the AIM Directors remind us, we already on the mission field. The mission is for every Christian; everywhere we go there are people who need God. So let's -you and me- go tell them!

-ej

::Heaven Stands::

"No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." ::CS Lewis::

There's a song that recently stood out to me on the radio. It's called "Your Hands," by JJ Heller. Right now, my world is not shaking, nor is my heart breaking; but I have been there. This song speaks to where I have been, and I think it can speak to everyone. I hope it also encourages you today, whatever is going on in your life right now and wherever you have been.



-ej

::Ciao!::

"Europeans, like some Americans, drive on the right side of the road, except in England, where they drive on both sides of the road; Italy, where they drive on the sidewalk; and France, where if necessary they will follow you right into the hotel lobby." ::Dave Barry::

We had our first mission field presentation last Thursday! It was for Prato, Italy. A field presentation is given by the missionaries in that place and details the work and life there. We will have a presentation from each location where AIM teams can be sent next spring. Missionaries typically come to present or send someone in their stead; if that is not possibly, we use skype (video phone calls)! They begin now and run through the end of October. November will be when we will form teams, and they will be finalized in December.

For Prato, Italy, we watched a youtube video the AIMers in Prato right now put together and then skyped the missionaries (and AIMers). Prato is a really neat place, and I definitely could picture myself there. However, I think I could say that about everywhere in the world! Prato is the second most culturally diverse city in Europe and close to the size of Lubbock. Italy is a difficult place to do mission work, because the people are not as receptive to Christianity. It is evangelism based on relationships. The church is very united throughout Italy, although small. The missionaries are wonderful, and very welcoming.

It is really exciting to begin hearing about places I could be in less than a year! I do have a number of fields at the top of my list, but I've kept my mind fairly open to most of the fields. There are a couple reasons for this: I don't want to be disappointed if I don't get my "first choice", I want to decide based on the mission work and missionaries there, and the team choice comes before field. If I wind up in a country I love but with people I don't work well with, I won't be able to be as effective in the mission work. It involves lots of prayer :). God already knows where I'll be in a year, and that's enough for me.

If you would also continue to pray for me and all of the AIMers as we continue to grow in faith through God's grace and in friendship with one another.

-ej

::Fork in the Road::

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." ::Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)::

One of the things I LOVE about AIM is our teachers really make us think about things. We aren't just learning knowledge of the Bible; we are challenged to change to be more like Jesus. I once heard someone say that Christians should be forks in the road; when people encounter us, they should be forced to choose between being pulled closer to Jesus or turn away from Him. The point is that we need to impact people so that they cannot remain the same. It's something I desire and strive to be, and fail at often.

When people met Jesus, they had to make a choice: believe He is the Son of God- the Messiah, or deny Him and go your own way alone. Jesus was the ultimate fork in the road. The teachers at AIM are striving to be like Jesus, and therefore they too are forks in the road. When they teach, we are encounter Jesus and are forced to make a choice. We either choose to become more like Jesus, or push Him farther away. But we cannot remain the same.

I wish I could share with you all of what I have learned. I do hope to share pieces of the treasures I am learning as time goes on. Here is a short skit we watched in my Life of Christ class that caused me to shed a few tears, even. This video is a fork in the road. Once you watch it, you will be faced with a choice. I know what I choose, and I pray you choose the same.



I am God's original masterpiece. So are you. I pray that God will continue to chisel both you and I until all people see is Jesus in us.

-ej

::A Thousand Words::

"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." ::Walt Disney::

Just a quick post to say I uploaded photos to Facebook and Picasa which are now available for viewing right here on my blog! Simply direct your attention to the right sidebar, and click on the little photos at bottom or the "play" button next to the "link" to view a slideshow. These pictures are from our trips to Canadian, TX; Amherst, TX; Clovis, NM; and Denver City, TX, all during the first month of AIM. More will come later this week, but for now, enjoy! :)

If you'd rather, here's a direct link to the facebook album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2141734&id=71005774&l=33c66558c6

-ej

::Rescue::

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" ::Romans 7:24-25::

One of our teachers used to have a managerial role in the group Acappella and played two different songs in videos for us. Acappella sang both of the songs during the concert in Denver City, but one of them brought me to tears. It is a powerful song, and I want to share it with you. It's called "Rescue."



I'm not posting the lyrics here, because I think there's more impact in just listening to the words. If you want to read them, here's a link:
Rescue lyrics by Acappella.

-ej

::Peregrination::

"The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land." ::G.K. Chesterton::

There are two things that are the foundation of many of the goals in my life: 1) I love to travel and 2) I love change. By change, I mean I dislike routines, schedules and consistency. As often as possible, I rearrange my room; I break routine; I create change in my life. Both of these are linked. I travel to experience something different and new. I don't want to stay in the same place very long.

My dream job would consist of something that I could go to a new place all the time. I honestly do not see myself building my "dream house" in my "ideal town" and living there forever. I don't want "roots" except to give me a place where I can briefly return. I have no problem with "home" being wherever I am. I finally realized my junior year of college that after switching majors so many time and never making up my mind that there is not one job I want to have forever. I have so many interests, and they all make up who I am.

I am at peace with the idea of changing jobs frequently; more than that, I love the idea. It makes me excited knowing I can pursue different interests in my life. If you understand that about me, it will not surprise you that I would not mind living out of a suitcase and traveling non-stop. I fully appreciate the fact that marrying and having a family will change that, but I'm single and happy to be so for now.

So far in AIM, every weekend has involved a trip somewhere. It's been wonderful, especially for someone like me who loves traveling all the time! ;) The first weekend we went to Canadian, Texas which was absolutely amazing. They are family, and I am hoping to visit again this fall at some point. Our class had one week under our belt before this trip. The church there is incredibly supportive of AIM, and God led me, walking by faith to Canadian. I was encouraged and challenged in a short weekend, but more than that, it solidified my reasons for coming to AIM. God showed me at Canadian that He had me right where He wants me. The family in Canadian holds a special place in my heart, and I am blessed by seeing their faith in action

The following weekend we went to an ice-cream social in Amherst, Texas and were blessed by the family there. What they lack in size, they make up for in love. We spent the rest of the weekend in Clovis, New Mexico. In Canadian and Clovis, I stayed with wonderful couples who made us feel right at home. I was really hoping Clovis would be my area church simply based on the support they showed to our class.

The third weekend, the last weekend in August, I went to Denver City for the Teenage Christian Conference. There were 4 great lessons, hundreds of faithful teens, and a few of the Sunset youth group there to remind us that we are to be Jesus wherever we go. That night was an Acappella concert, my third, which was amazing. I always forget just how much I love listening to Acappella. Their songs have a way of reaching to the heart of the matter and calling me out on what I need to change in my life.

As time flies, this leads me up to this past weekend when I headed to Las Vegas, New Mexico for the Sunset senior high Blue Haven retreat. The theme was "Illumination," and not only the teens were impacted by the weekend. I have a new outlook on being light in a dark world. Our skits went well, and the last one we did really impacted the teens and adults in the audience. I have a recording of it that I will try to upload in the next few days.

Blue Haven was fun but exhausting. I got to know a lot of the teens and am excited to join them every week for these next few months. Their youth group is how I wish mine had been growing up. I don't know if they even realize the impact they have as a group on everyone around them. It is so encouraging to see a group of committed Christian teens with the desire and ability to change the world. I am blessed just by hanging around them.

After Blue Haven, I needed a retreat from the retreat and that's when we found ourselves in Ruidoso, New Mexico. We were challenged to look at our hearts to examine what needs to be broken and molded by our Saviour. Our class really connected and grew together during the week, and I pray we continue to do so. Ruidoso is a beautiful mountain town, as well as a ski resort area. Just picture this covered in snow. It made me miss the Sierra Nevadas and Yosemite.

(Photo Credit: Brittney Williams)

Each day we had some free time which included ultimate frisbee, naps, taking a trip into town and hiking up to a 1930's fire lookout tower. I am grateful for the time we had to spend together away from the world, but by Friday it was time to come down off the mountain. I was at a camp for 8 days and am now ready to dive back into school and homework, but I can't wait for that next trip somewhere new ;).

-ej

::postscript::

Peregrination [per-i-gruh-ney-shuhn] -noun 
def: a course of travel; journey (dictionary.com)

::Never Forget::

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew." 

::President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001::

(Photo Credit: Lisa Gurney)

-ej

::Retreat!::

"That perfect tranquillity of life, which is nowhere to be found but in retreat, a faithful friend and a good library." ::Aphra Behn::

I apologize for my lack of posts this week! It is the fourth week and therefore midterm. We have been busy each and every night to the point that I have barely been online this week; highly unusual for me. My tests went well, thanks for asking, but I'm very glad it's Friday!

This weekend, as a part of the Sunset area church, I am going to Blue Haven camp for the high school retreat. I am leaving in an hour for New Mexico and won't return for a full week. We will be putting on skits and doing anything that needs done. Instead of coming back to Lubbock on Monday with the rest of the group, the 5 AIMers going to Sunset congregation and our assistants will hang around the mountains of New Mexico for an extra day.

Our AIM class retreat begins on Tuesday, so we will meet up with the other AIMers at the Mountain View camp elsewhere in New Mexico. Our retreat runs from Tuesday through Friday with no cell phones, internet, movies, tv or outside distractions. I am really looking forward to 8 days away from modern society!

After I return, I promise a nice long blog post about the week and how things are going for our class. Please pray for all of the AIMers to enjoy the rest and really get to bond with each other, as well as for safe travel.

And just for your enjoyment, here's a brand new Owl City song from the movie "Legend of the Guardians." :)


-ej