Category: Religion

My Mission Trip to Kenya

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

Some of you may already know that I have been selected to go on a short term mission trip to Kenya this summer. Ever since I graduated from college in 2010, my heart’s been yearning to go out and do God’s work. This opportunity arose last year when I attended a young adult small group at the Dream Center, which is a part of Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC. There was a panel of young adults sharing about their experiences and service all of over the world. While listening to each of them speak, I could feel my heart wanting to burst out of my chest. I just knew that God was leading me to do more with my life and this trip to Africa was my first step. So that night, I decided to sign up for my first mission trip.

15dd35f1a9088bd653cf4c1e6f91e04eThe mission is the first two weeks in July and is affiliated with the Bread of Life Mission (BOL), a non-profit group that focuses on reaching the unreached by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, enhancing discipleship in communities and showing compassion by serving people in need. BOL is currently serving four different people groups/areas in Africa: the Maasai, Pokot, Turkana, and Toposa. I will be serving in Turkana with about ten other people, spreading God’s love by continuing to build the community and ministering to its people.

God has opened this door for me and I plan to experience every aspect of the journey. But before I can walk through that door, I will need to prepare myself spiritually, physically, relationally and financially. The total amount of money that I need to raise is $3,500. This pays for travel, food and accommodations. Any amount would make a huge impact to my trip and would be such a blessing. If you feel lead to donate to my trip, please click here and then click on “support.” You can donate as a guest and select my name, Emily Steele, for the team member that you would like to support.

If you are unable to donate at this time, I completely understand. In that case, I just ask for your prayers as I step out on faith to reach heights I never knew existed. I am so excited to see God’s work and to experience His presence unlike ever before. I know that He is good and He will provide for you and for me and for the beautiful people that I will meet in Kenya. I can’t wait to share the experience with you through testimony, pictures and videos when I get back. I love you all so much and I am so grateful to have support and love from all of you in whatever form that may be.

In closing I want to share a word that God lead me to recently while praying about my trip, Psalm 34:

“I will extol the Lord at all times, his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord, let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. Lions may grow weak and hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desire to see many good days, keep you tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”

Thank you for your time to read this and thank you in advance for any donation or prayer that you send my way. Thank you also for being a blessing to me as friends and family in Christ!

To learn more about Bread of Life Missions, please click here.

Hydrants of Love

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

He made us to be like water

Our bodies as hydrants of love

Designed to dwell on a diluted sphere

Which consequently is as wet in form

 

He created us to be strong enough to hold ships

Yet feeble enough to slip through cracks

To constantly keep flowing

And to hydrate others in drought

 

When our fruit becomes tasteless and bland

Or our flesh needs to be dampened

We drink of His lubricating word

And soak in His quenching perspiration

 

With each sprinkle our souls are baptized and moistened

And a great flood destroys all unholy land

We are wiped clean to start anew

To be His replenishing well for the thirsty

 

03976841e3700c99ca09d6b902289759Michelle Williams once said in an interview that she wanted to “be like water, to slip through fingers but also hold up ships.” This quote conveys such imagery that it got me thinking about how complex water is and the different forms it takes. Think about it’s significance to our well being and existence. It’s crazy that God created us and created our world simply around a liquid.

In the Bible, God usually used water to cleanse or to baptize people and things that were unholy. So, what if God made us to be like water? To be the solvent that breaks the unrighteousness in each other or the chemical that causes reactions that change the world? Or what if we are meant to be the rain that washes away the mess the darkness leaves behind and furthermore, creates grow in earthly living?

Vision

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

Curious to Your plans

I will forge ahead nearsighted

Arm lengths will touch each trespasser

Protecting the gifts You instilled

The zigzagged path bears interruption

Causing lapses of certainty

Yet my thirst has no end

 

Unclear to its intensity

I crave Your purpose to emerge

Solidify this fervent longing

And create farsighted perspective

For I am a daughter of Your light

And Your image is to be fruitful

I was unblinded by Your grace

And to this I will bring sight

Anchor

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

Regrets sink it to depths

Deep dark blues surround it

As it drops it takes the light with it

The free fall is messy and unpredictable

In the descending it becomes blind

Unable to seek refuge from the capsizing

It reaches for ledges to decelerate the plunge

But that only diverges the path

The inevitable plummet is needed

Its security will create stillness

A calmness where mercy is given

As the iron digs into the floor

It becomes a cornerstone of protection

It fights against the doubt

Battles the decaying of the foundation

And guards the spoiling of its fruit

The stronghold grips the rope

It leaves enough slack for growth and extension

But it holds tight enough to keep one from getting lost

 

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19

faithhopeloveanchor

What inspired this poem was the thought that hope is what keeps things going but what also keeps things in check as well. Hope keeps us anchored in our faith. What would we have faith in if we didn’t have hope for redemption, hope to see Jesus in heaven or hope for better things, a better life? I’ve been growing deeper in my faith recently and always seem to hit a plateau. But I have discovered that hope is what keeps me walking that plateau until He is ready for me to take that climb to the next level. And it’s His love that gives me the confidence to actually make the climb. I pray that my hope will keep my faith secure and strong to help fight against the detours and stumbling blocks along my path.

Chasing Dragonflies

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

Her wings are as translucent as the water she flies over

Unable to see through completely but eye-catching nevertheless

She reflects the light that blinds the predators below the surface

Each one expecting her to drop low enough to catch

Yet she drifts along the shore inspecting color after color

And no longer is she afraid of what she will discover next