Friday, April 25, 2008

An update

Well friends, it has been a while since I posted and I'd like to say it's because I have been galavanting all across Europe, but the reality of it is that I am in Scotland still!

It has been a great place to be for the last three weeks and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far. Basically, I have been praying a lot....for others and myself! For others, per the usual routine of our trips and for myself for some direction, clarity, and some breakthrough in areas that have been strategic!

I am also taking a trip to Germany to see my friend Michelle, and possibly back into London for a day before I head back to the States.

For my Tacoma friends, I miss you all! There is nothing like an extended time away from those you love to make you appreciate all you have!
Erin

Monday, April 07, 2008

Well, Life is good in Scotland! The last few days have been spent settling into my digs at the castle this YWAM base is located in....that's right people, a castle. However, the problems with actually living in a castle are numerous, the first being that the electrical system that controls the fire alarm has gone off several times the last few days. We are all praising Jesus, though, that it has not gone off super late at night, and it has not been raining or snowing here at all. In fact, I would say the weather here has been downright amazing. It has been sunny, and clear. The only time we had any hint of anything was the day week took a 45-minute ride on the train into Glasgow. The last hour we were in Glasgow it started to snow, but as soon as we got back toward Seamill/West Kilbride, it was clear again. They say since we are RIGHT on the water (about a 5 minute walk from the ocean) the weather here can be nicer. Can I get an AMEN!

Glasgow was fun. Not super big. I think I was expecting a slightly smaller version of London, but it was actually quite smaller than London. No chance of getting lost in this city! We saw some men in kilts playing bagpipes, which was cool! I'll upload some pictures as soon as I can find my camera cord. Did a little window shopping (which for me was really just looking) and grabbed some dinner before heading back to the base.

Had dinner with the base leaders on Friday night and that was fun! Had my first taste of something so heavenly that I cannot believe we do not have it in the states: Banoffee. It is a pie made with toffee, bananas and whipped cream. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.

Now, all of that sounds fun, and you might be wondering what MINSITRY we've been doing. We have prayed for some people, and done a lot of networking with the base leaders here and starting tomorrow we will do some teaching. But, really, this trip from the get-go was going to be different than any other anyone from our church had been on. This is because the base leaders here have already had much of our teaching, and there is a huge openness here. They would really like to have a team or two here on base for as long as possible. OJ and Suzanna are even talking several months. WE would have to pray about that, but it is open! There are some other bases in the world who have asked for the same, but not ususally on the first trip!! I am just falling in love with the hearts of Dave and Bryony and Caroline, the base leaders. So humble, so hungry, so in love with Jesus. It makes ME humble! I really know I have nothing to bring but Jesus!

On one last funny note, there is an Island directly across the water from us the we can see and it is called the Isle of Arran (pronounced Erin). I thought that was prophetic!
Erin

Friday, April 04, 2008

Beam me up Scotty!

Well, here I am in Scotland! My crazy adventure continues! I flew out on Wednesday and arrived yesterday severely jet lagged. I have this bad habit of not being able to sleep on the plane, and that bad habit continued. I was picked up at the airport by OJ and Suzanna McDowell and Pete Mahoney plus 1.5 year old baby Judah and 3 year old Ariel (OJ and Suzanna's kids). We immediately set out from Heathrow for a 7 hour drive from London to just outside of Glasgow.

Of course, with two kids it took a bit longer than 7 hours. I tried once to sleep and selpt for about 5 minutes so we pulled up to the YWAM base here in a little town called Seamill (RIGHT by the ocean) and I was very tired. I managed to stay up until about 10:30 Scotland time and fell right asleep once in bed. Then, slept til 11:30 AM!!!! I would have slept longer, but I knew that was too long already and I needed to drag myself out of bed and get my day up and going so I could sleep tonight at a normal hour.

This first day we have prayed for a few people already and then tonight we will go out to dinner with the base leaders: Dave, Bryony and Caroline. This trip is about a lot of relationship building and some praying for people. VEry different from other trips I have taken where it's been a lot more about praying than relationship building.

We will be in Scotland until the 20th of April and then head out from here. We are not sure yet where we will be going.

Some of you are probably wondering if my funds came through and the answer is no!! But, I am here in faith, believing that while I am gone they will come in. I have enough to get me through for a bit here, but will still be needing most of that first amount that I needed.

If it does not come through, I am slated to come back on May 1. If it does come through, I will be back on June 4. So, we will just have to see what happens with all of that!!

My immediate prayer needs are to get over jet lag! And, for the Lord to develop those key relationships that we need to meet while here!
Blessings,
Erin

Saturday, March 29, 2008

My Crazy Adventure

March 28, 2008
Dear Family and Friends,
As many of you may already know, for the last year and a half I have had the opportunity to work for my church on staff. My church has had a great relationship with YWAM for quite some time and the leaders of 'YWAM-Europe' have requested that we send over some teams to teach, pray and network with various YWAM bases across Europe. Staring in April, I will have a new opportunity; to go to Europe for two months on behalf of my church and Youth With a Mission (YWAM).

For those of you who are not familiar with YWAM, here is a blurb from their website:'Youth With A Mission is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM (pronounced 'WHY-wham'), our calling is to know God and to make Him known. Back when we began in 1960, our main focus was to get youth into short-term mission work and to give them opportunities to reach out in Jesus' name. Today, we still focus on youth, and we also involve people of almost every age (even many people who choose to spend their 'retirement' in active service). Our many ministries fit into three main categories: evangelism, training and mercy ministry. We are currently operating in more than 1000 locations in over 149 countries, with a staff of nearly 16,000.'

Obviously, this opportunity is one that is once in a lifetime and I am eager to go. I have been working the last few months to figure out a way to go without having to ask anyone for support. I have been able to find ways to help support me financially. Unfortunately, the amount I have been given is just not quite enough to cover all of my expenses while gone. I am in need of about $1000 at this time to cover some bills at home (as I won't be able to work while gone) as well as some traveling expenses.

I am asking you to to pray about whether you would consider helping me in one of two ways, either through supporting me financially, or in prayer. Obviously any amount you would give would be greatly appreciated, but what I covet most is your prayer support. Please let me know if you would like to receive updates on what I am doing while I am gone to know how to be praying, and I will gladly do so!

If do decide to support me financially, please make all checks payable to me and send them to either, 1414 S. Adams St. Tacoma, WA 98405 or to 907 W Main St. Puyallup, WA 98371 Thank you SO MUCH, and I look forward to seeing all that the Lord will do through this!
Erin

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Crazy Faith

So, in the last few weeks there have been some crazy new developments in my life.

First, I have been feeling for the last few months that my time at my current job might be coming to and end soon. I have been feeling discontent with my job. I thought for quite a while that this was just me...meaning that sometimes when feelings of discontentment come up, they can be entirely from within and our own fleshly response to circumstances. I was praying about this whole thing just before Christmas and I was reminded of a conversation a friend of mine had with our pastor a number of years ago. This conversation struck me back then and our pastors words came back to mind. He said that sometimes discontentment is the Lord's way of saying that it is time for a change. He said that sometimes the Lord allows stuff to be stirred in you as a way of spurring that change.

The more I prayed about it, the more I became convinced that this was the case with me: change was imminent. Now, just because change is on its way, does not mean that it is coming NOW. That has been the battle I have had the last few weeks: knowing change is coming, but not knowing when. My sense was possibly things could change over the summer.

Well, it appears that the changes might be coming sooner than I expected and look different than I expected.

Our church has had a very close relationship with YWAM for a number of years, and two of the four trips I have taken abroad the last few years have been to work directly with YWAM. They are almost always keen to have folks from our church come out to their bases and help in a variety of ways....praying for people, teaching, leading DTS (discipleship training schools), and other things. They have written to us asking if we could send some teams out to Europe for 3-6 months this spring. This would entail traveling to places like Hungary, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, and England. We are in the process of gathering teams together to help YWAM out this Spring.

Meanwhile, here at the office we have been talking for a few months about me switching my administrative duties from the church over to our international ministry. This is the change that I thought would be coming for me. I thought that I would still be here in Tacoma and working on our international stuff from here and be able to take some trips now and again to various places.

However, it now appears that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to go to this European tour for at least a few months of the time.

This is going to require some major praying on my part. I am in need of huge financial provision for this to happen. And, maybe even more necessary, is someone to rent my house while I am gone. Not only would they have to rent it, they would have to rent it with a lot of my stuff still in it and with the idea that I would be coming home to live in it when the European trip is done. A tall order, but not too tall for the Lord.

Would you join me in praying for the Lord to provide, if this is His will? I believe that I am supposed to go for at least a chunk of this trip, and for that to happen, I need things to fall into place within the next month.
Blessings to you!
Erin

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Leadership

In light of the upcoming primaries, I have been thinking a LOT lately about what it means to be a leader and what to expect out of those in leadership positions....

This is a topic that is so extensive and has so many facets and nuances that I cannot cover the extent of what this topic could be about. Nor is a blog really a forum for the fullness of what I could write here, but I thougt I would give a brief synopsis of what I have been learning lately.

There is one aspect of I have been realizing: how high my expectations are for those who are in leadership positions....whether it be in job, family, church or country. I have such a high standard and I have been wondering have I been not only expecting the wrong things from them, have I been looking for the wrong things all together? I have realized how much expect them to be perfect, more perfect than anyone could be.

The Lord has been speaking to me about how when I look at outward behavior in people I will ALWAYS be disappointed and how much I can get caught up in the details rather than the bigger picture. I won't be able to see the forest for the trees. If I am looking at things that people do right or wrong, I will ALWAYS be able to find something. I mean, I look at the Bible itself...it is littered with leaders who messed up, and messed up pretty royally too. David himself, the "leader of leaders" in the Bible slept with a married woman, got her pregnant, killed her husband to marry her, lied and covered it up!! That is a pretty hefty laundry list of sins! Yet, at the end of the day, what did the Lord say about David? He was a man after God's own heart.

And so, really, I am realizing more and more how MUCH more important the hearts of those leading me is!! Really, the Lord is ALWAYS more concerned with hearts than behaviors...you know? And so, what I am looking for in those who are leaders....what are their hearts, where are their hearts? I am crying out daily for the Lord to show me the hearts of leaders in my life: family, church, job and our country.....LORD show me their hearts!!!

I can guarantee you that those who lead will mess up...they are human and just like all of us have flesh that is wicked and deceitful above all else, they are not exempt from that! But above all, I want to know their hearts....that is what I am concerned with more than anything else. Once I believe what the Lord is showing me about their hearts, then I can proceed.

Obviously some people's hearts are harder to discern....I don't personally know President Bush for example. And so, this is taking a lot of faith on my part....to trust the Lord that He will show me what I need to know!!
Be blessed,
Erin