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. :)

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