Tag: prayer

A Bird’s Song

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

As a bird sings even before the rising of the sun

I will give praise even if my burden is too strong

With melodies of hope from rhythms so instrumental

I shall match their pitch disregarding my inevitable failure

And as each verse resounds in heavenly tones

Echoing abilities untouchable to my very own

I will continually sing over and over, note after note

Attempting to match a pitch so eloquently prosed

Because this is the way I want to speak to my Savior

To give Him the glory and to be deserving of His favor

Outside The Box Believers

~ Em ~ Leave a comment

Faith cannot be placed into a box.

Yet the faithful feel forced to fit into a mold.

A mold made by doubt within our own kind and carried out by nonbelievers just waiting to say, “I told you so.”

We’re not perfect and though we should strive for it, we shall never let our pride or sense of togetherness make anyone else feel small or not good enough.

Because the truth is none of us would sacrifice our last breath to honor a notion that we did not understand.

Yet we would give up a nourishing meal to live up to standards set by these box makers.

And we become numb to these insecurities because it’s easier to bury scars than to wear them proudly.

Yet when we do, we put ourselves in that same box and fear pushing the envelope might cause gossip and judgments by fellow box dwellers.

But we are not called to be in corners, we are called to break down barriers, be relatable, be scarred, be inspiring.

Be outside the box thinkers.

For Noah’s arc was outside the box.

Esther’s boldness was outside the box.

Paul’s change of heart was outside the box.

So we shouldn’t try to fit our faith inside this little box, we should let it grow into vineyards of luscious fruit.

Let it spiral in directions off the beaten path.

Let the wrong turns and spoiled vines be lessons to legions of followers.

Let them strengthen your heart so that it becomes durable to what ever trials it may face.

For God didn’t create us in our mothers’ wombs to be frail box inhabitants.

We are wonderful, fearless, one of a kind, box breakers formed to be soldiers in His army.

To stand up for what is right by him and to not be held down by these rules that minimize Him.

We are who we are for a purpose and denying what makes us that denies Him.

Let us all love each other for that reason so that we no longer judge each other by denominations or by sins but learn to love with grace and gratitude.

Let us help others out of their boxes to be revolutionaries of their own faith.

For God has a relationship with all of us and it’s in that relationship that we are molded and it’s in Him where we find our strength.

And no box could ever contain the love that He has for us and the love that His spirit will bring.

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.