by Emily | Nov 21, 2018 | Love, Prayer, Thanksgiving
It was my fifth time in Nigeria. The electricity was out, as usual. A water heater had been installed, but its reliance on electricity made the availability of a hot shower unpredictable. Fortunately, in July there were plenty of monsoons to fill up the water tanks,... by Emily | May 7, 2018 | Anxiety, Freedom, Glory, Prayer, Serving
The steep road was the kind where those who get car sick (me) have to avoid looking out the window. We were not quite sure of our exact destination (attempts to contact a local pastor had not yet been successful) as we headed up a mountain in the center of the island... by Emily | Mar 27, 2018 | Freedom, Love, Pain
by Emily | Dec 28, 2017 | Anxiety, Glory, Kingdom of Heaven, Persecution, Prayer, Serving
Part 1: March 2017 It seemed like an awesome opportunity! I had connected with a non-profit organization working in Iraq and they expressed interest in bringing me out there to provide trauma training. Since I was already planning to go in the summer to Africa, I... by Emily | Aug 23, 2017 | Freedom, Serving
“We are praying you will get married.” I couldn’t help but inwardly chuckle at the sincere promise from my students, all married Nigerian pastors, at the end of my time teaching in their seminary. I wasn’t quite sure how that would match their second... by Emily | Dec 11, 2016 | Freedom, Love, Pain, Persecution, Prayer
I recently returned from visiting multiple countries in the Middle East, where I heard stories from individuals, visited refugee/IDP camps, and met with leaders of various ministries, NGOs, and camps in Northern Iraq. Churches and organizations in Lebanon and Jordan...
by Emily | Nov 10, 2016 | Anxiety, Love, Prayer
In 2013, I was living in Kenya while their presidential elections were looming. Everyone was remembering the previous election in 2007, when violence erupted and over 1000 people died in the aftermath, as tribal differences were triggered. As expats, we had our...
by Emily | Jun 15, 2016 | Love, Pain, Prayer
After Sunday’s tragedy of the shooting in Orlando (and the one that almost occurred in California) I’ve watched a wide range of reactions unfold. Of course those directly affected showed their overwhelming grief. Many showed sympathy and empathy through...
by Emily | Jun 13, 2016 | Freedom, Love, Prayer
When offering the prototypical prayer that represented our relationship with God, Jesus included an interesting clause: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13a). Temptation is what draws people toward sin, toward selfishness. So...
by Emily | May 31, 2016 | Glory, Love, Pain
The question of “Why does God allow suffering?” has been present throughout history. This is an issue I’ve faced multiple times, and I’m guessing you have too! Have you reached a conclusion? For those who have yet to wrestle with this issue, it could be a stumbling...
