PA, Rain, and Proposals

Greetings Friends & Family,

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I have written an update for you.  My time is flying!  I have less than a month left in New York before returning home for a week over Thanksgiving.  Wow!  I am excited to be at home for a week and then in Honduras, but I am glad we have a week of debriefing back in New York after we get back from Honduras.  I like this place. :)

I will share some highlights from the past month with you.

-We got to spend the week of October 17 in Pennsylvania.  That Sunday morning we got up really early and went to share our story with the youth and young adults at Manor Church in Lancaster.  After Sunday school we got to attend the worship service.  That was pretty awesome for me because I have missed worshiping in a setting with lots of believers.  And to make the day even better we all got to have lunch at my house, which was made by my amazing mother.  We went to Mike's Spanish church in York Springs that afternoon to share again.  We all went to the cabin in Dillsburg for our retreat with Kimberly Horst after that.  Our main focus for the 3 days was inner healing and prayer.  It was a great time of learning and growing as a team.  Here is one of my journal entries from the retreat.

"It is raining and I am sitting on the back deck.  It is so peaceful here.  All I can hear is the rain falling.  Such a drastic change from New York.  I think it is a God thing that it is raining.  Just a couple hours ago Melanie and I were swinging on the deck when I said how I like the sound and smell of rain and how I thought it would be cool to sit out here in the rain.  And now I'm sitting out here and it's raining!  How awesome is our God?!  He can change your perspective on things you normally wouldn't like into things you enjoy, like rain."

-We had teaching from Larry Locke this past week.  He is an amazing man of God and has a great testimony.  His theme of teaching was "A Mission To Die For... Dying To Self, Carrying Our Cross, Follow Jesus".  He had lots of great stories and analogies to go with his teaching.  This is one of the ones that really stuck out to me.  How does a jeweler show off his expensive diamonds?  With a black back drop.  You can see them best with a contrast.  In the same way God shows off His master pieces (us) best with a black back drop (the tough times in our lives).  

That subject has been coming up a lot in our training.  God usually uses the hardest times in our lives to teach us the most.  We have to learn how to fully rely on Him and trust Him through it all.  I have been struggling with this, but if the hard times are what grow us the most and bring us closer to God, then bring it on...

-I will tell you something funny that has been happening now.  I get lots of comments for my name, eyes, and hair.  And one for my blue sweat shirt.  There is a guy at breakfast ministry who said I look exactly like his ex-girlfriend.  He also told me that she was living in Florida when she was in a drunk driving accident.  As soon as he heard he flew down to see her as fast as he could.  She then died in his arms.  Not sure how much of that story is actually true... Then there is Lewis at the Bowery Mission.  He fell in love with me when I sat down to have lunch at his table because his first girlfriend's name was Emily.  Apparently I broke his heart because I am going to Honduras and he won't be able to come see me there.  The next week we were there he came and sat at the table I was eating at.  He then proposed to me and tried to convince me that I should marry him.  I then tried to convince him that it wasn't a good idea and he could just pretend that he was my grandpa (because he is old enough to be!).  And then on Saturday while working with Manna of Life I had another guy want to marry me.  He said that when I got home from work he would have the bath tub filled up and supper made.  He said "I hope you like mashed potatoes."  I told him that I am not allowed to date while in the STEP program and he said to look him up after we are done.  It is interesting that this homeless guy is going to have a house for me and a bath tub to fill up and I am the one that is going to have to go to work.  There have been countless other times while walking down the side walk that guys comment on the "pretty white ladies". 

-I have been challenged by the devotion book we have been reading.  It is called Extreme Devotion and has tons of true stories of people who have really suffered for their faith.  It is amazing to hear about what some people have to go through to be faithful to Christ.  And makes me wonder if I could stand firm through what they are going through...

My prayer requests are pretty much the same as last time.

-Unity and growth as a team

-To see other people the way Jesus sees them

-Courage to talk to people on the buses and subways (I have talked to some people but not nearly as many as I would like to)

Thank you so much for your prayers.  There are times when I can pretty much tell that people had to have been praying.

I am really going to try to write another update before I go home for Thanksgiving.  I guess you will see if it actually happens. 

I love you all!

~Emily Joy

Oh, PS You can still send mail.  It is always fun to receive. :)

c/o Priority 1 Ministries/UDC

490 E. 181st st., Apt 4A

Bronx, NY 10457

In PA

I don't have time to give a long update, but I need to tell you that I will be in Pennsylvania all of next week.  We are leaving early tomorrow morning to head to Manor Church in Lancaster.  Our team will be sharing with the youth and young adult Sunday School class.  After church we are all going to my house for lunch!  I am so excited to have lunch with my family!  After lunch we will go to the Spanish Church in York Springs.  From there we will go to a cabin in the Dillsburg area for our retreat with Kimberly Horst.  That will end on Wednesday morning and then I will get to spend the rest of that day and night at my house, maybe with a couple of my team members.  We will then be in the Chambersburg area from Thursday to Sunday getting ready for and then helping with a volleyball tournament.  It is a fundraiser for Priority 1 Ministries.  If you are available you should come to see us and support the ministry.  It is at Antrim BIC Church - 24 Kauffman Road East, Chambersburg, PA.  The games are Friday the 22nd at 6pm and Saturday the 23rd starting at 8am.  You can learn more at priority1ministries.org

I am so excited to be spending the week in Pennsylvania!

Rain, Hugs, Cats, Spanish, and wishing I could have spent the day with my family

Hello People,
I don't really like writing so I am doing a bad job of keeping you updated.
We have been doing lots of stuff and I don't have time to tell all of it, but I will tell you about Saturday, which was a pretty cool day.
Erin Wolf and her fiance Matt were here.  She gave us some pointers for childrens ministry and taught us some cool rope tricks to go with Bible stories.  We had leftovers for lunch and just hung out for awhile.  Erin, Matt, and Steve went to Little Italy for the afternoon.  Carey, Evi, Melanie, Ben, and I then went to Central Park.  We met up with Jeremy, Tyler, Rachel, and Mary.  It was so good to see them!  The point of the Pathway teem coming to New York was to talk to people.  I got to go around with Rachel to talk to people.  While in Central Park you will have a countless number of people ask if you would like to rent a bike.  One of them was very interested in talking and didn't want us to keep walking so we got to ask him about what he believed.  After we got past all the bikes we went down to the playground.  Rachel is amazing!  She can walk up to a complete stranger and start a conversation!  I am so proud of her...
For supper we went to Jeremy's favorite place to eat in New York.  A little vendor that sells Greek food.  We all got the lamb and or chicken platter.  It was so good.  I would like to go back some time before we leave if possible. :)
After I said good bye we came back to the apartment and watched To Save A Life.  I could watch that movie many times and be challenged by it every time.  It makes you want to be nice to everyone.  So Saturday was a very good day.

I will tell you about today now.
I got to sleep in until 7:30 today because I didn't have to help with breakfast ministry.  I have been feeling kind of dry while doing devotions recently so this morning I let God know.  I let him know how I was feeling and asked for a touch from Him.  While I was praying, lyrics from the song "Deep in Love With You" by Michael W. Smith keep coming into my head.  When I was listened to it on my ipod at first it felt like I was sitting at Gods feet just listening to Him.  But then I got a hug from Him!  So awesome, and an answer to my prayer.
We had the lesson Blessed to be a Blessing this morning taught by Bonnie.  Then Ben met up with one of his friends and the girls went to Barns and Noble to read.  We had Spanish class this afternoon at the church.  I am having a really hard time remembering all the stuff we talk about.
It was a dreary, cloudy, rainy day.  I got a couple texts from mom telling about what they were doing with pictures of Rachel and her cat.  I am wishing I could have spent the day with my family.  I want to curl up on the couch with them and a blanket and watch a movie.  I miss them...
Oh and I have been getting mail with my name on that really isn't for me.  So that is kinda disappointing.
My day started awesomely with God got kinda sad and now I am going to go and try to end it happily with God.  We'll see how it goes...
Good night