Dreams come true. Africa.

 

Africa.

Africa.

Africa.

 

 

 

I have to tell myself over and over again because I feel like I am going to wake up and Africa is going to be just another dream.  My journey to Africa has been very rocky, very complicated, twisted, and overwhelmingly unexpected. 

  Some little girls dream of being a vet, or being a mommy.  Then some girls have the “I want to be a teacher” dream.  I didn’t.  I had an entirely different dream. I used to look at a map and wonder how I could get to every country on it.  I dreampt of airplanes and trains and orphans and widows and homeless shelters.  As soon as I found out about injustices I felt my heart break for them.  God broke my heart early for the things that break His heart.

When I went to Guatemala I fell in love. My life felt complete. 🙂 But I still had this longing to see Africa. I still had this desire to see the continent that held so much mystery for me.  I always had this other hidden dream to be able to be in Africa on my birthday. Just a little thing I had.  I have tried many times to get to Africa and all of my plans have failed.  That’s the thing. They were MY plans.

2 weeks ago, Caleb David, director of One Child Campaign and I began talking about some open spots he still had on an African trip to Ethiopia on…. my birthday.  It was so soon and I was no where near ready so I promised to pray about it.  And I did pray.  Lots. For some reason.. it seemed right.  I questioned God, we had a lot of, “Are you sure Lord?” conversations.  But I feel a total peace about it.

  One year ago my parents hearts were awakened to the idea of adoption and they began to go through the process to find the perfect country.  Somehow their hearts were led to Ethiopia and we have been in the process of adoption ever since.  🙂 On my mission trip, I am going to have the incredible opportunity to visit the orphanage  that our adoption agency works with. 🙂 I could meet my brother on this trip.  God is so good. 

   We are spending 9 days in Ethiopia loving on children who have no one to love them.  On our team there will also be photographers and videographers.  We will be interviewing people and documenting a day in the life of the people of Ethiopia.  We are hoping to bring those images and videos home in order to raise support for One Child’s organizations in ET. 

   I leave Washington D.C. for a 12 hour straight flight to Ethiopia.  I fly home on the 14th, my birthday, on a 16 hour flight home with a small stopover in Rome.  I am beyond excited for this trip. But I have so much work to do in order to prepare for this trip.  The total cost of my trip will be about $2700.  If you feel led to support me on my mission please e-mail me at emilyknorr@hotmail.com

  I am also selling Ethiopian prayer bracelets for $5.  They come with a prayer card with 7 specific prayer requests for every day I will be away.  I also have a map of Africa with 100 slots.  Everytime someone buys a bracelet, their name will go in a slot.  I am praying to be covered in prayer for both myself and for Africa by the time I leave.  If you would like to take part in this please e-mail me or leave a comment! 

   I will be updating often about the days ahead, getting everything ready for my adventure! Stay tuned! 🙂

4 months of…

It’s been 4 months of….

love

laughter

heartbreak

tears

ups

downs

good

bad

prayers

long walks through the desert

and everything in between.

I love God’s promises.  Things like “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

I can feel Him whispering to my heart as He has so many times over the past 4 months.  I love you. Will you love me back? Will you show me I am important to you? I have never left your side even when you wanted to ignore me.  I was right there. I have fought for you since before the beginning of time. You are my love and my life. All I want is for you to let me in. If you will…. I will take away the pain, I will carry the burdens, I will walk you to safety.  I will hold you all through the night.  I will take that shattered heart of yours and mend it into something beautiful so you can go show others love again. I will. If you will let me in. I know what I’m doing. I promise. I will not let you down. Will you let me?

Since I have posted last I have experienced more life than I EVER thought I was going to have to experience my senior year of high school.  There have been so many ups, accompanied by so many downs.  My heart has been broken, duct taped back together, and broken again.  My family has grown both in number and in heart.  And I have learned some lessons along the way.  When pain is involved we often want to run away.  WHen we’ve been hurt we often want to build up walls.  We never want to let anyone in, we never want to give anything away.  With love… comes pain. It’s just the way it is.  Jesus couldn’t choose to love us and choose to not hurt.  The pain came with the love.

  That works the same way with us.  If we are going to choose to love, choose to meet the needs of those around us…. we just may get hurt.  But please… don’t let that stop you.  Please don’t let your fear of pain keep you from a life of joy.  One of my lessons I have learned is                              Broken=Beautiful

When our hearts are broken it can be something beautiful. THe process is beautiful.  We have the privelege of watching God pick up the pieces… all of those pieces that we feel are unfixable and mend them into something beautiful.  He can turn your pieces into a masterpiece, if you’ll give them to Him.  THrough this process you will find… you become closer to the Healer.  WHen we love others… we find Him. Because that is where He is.  Don’t be afraid.  Get messy.  Get involved.  Find someone… and love them.  Because chances are there are many people in your life who need you to be Jesus to them.  They need you to be His hands and feet. YOU. So… do it.  Ask God for direction, get ready, and go.  Your life will never… ever… be the same.

Ordinary hero.

Life has been crazy these past few weeks! I know I keep saying that but it truly has been. Having a relationship with God is truly the most adventurous, crazy, overwhelmingly amazing choice I have ever made. I never know what my tomorrow holds. 🙂 And I love it that way.  I would love to update my heart out about all God is doing, has done, and will do in my life, but there are some things that just need to stay with me and God right now.  In time though. I am excited about that moment. 🙂

What I would really love to share about however is what God is doing in my life and through an organization called Ordinary Hero. I wrote about Amazima ministries awhile back… and this is another amazing organization you must know about. Kelly at Ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com is changing the world. Let me clarify, she is allowing God to change the world through her.  While OH definitely has a hear for orphans, international aid, and spreading God’s message to those that have never heard, they are also truly focused on their community.   They provide countless opportunities to work with the people right outside their door who need God and His message. 

I have really been inspired to search out what God is doing in my community and… I have found it. It’s amazing. overwhelming. We spent the day yesterday at a local women’s and children’s shelter and it wrecked my life. Go. Do whatever it is He is asking… and just go.  You may get dirty, it may be uncomfortable, it may get crazy. But just do it. It will be so worth it. I promise. Praying. ❤

It’s been too long.

I have been gone a long time… but I have missed blogging so very much!!

I have good reason for my absense however… I took a little trip to see the country.  40 days on the road with my 4 favorite people.  We went just about everywhere… traveled all up and down route 66… over to Montana… out to Portland… down to Boise… in to dallas… straight to Vegas!.. Up to Oklahoma… out to Colorado… down to Arkansas… yeah… just about everywhere.  And on that trip, my life was changed. I will never be the same because of that trip my mom “drug” us on… Our lives were forever changed.  You can read about our journey on: thejourneythroughtmyeyes.blogspot.com

Life has been interesting since getting home.  I am back to work… and school.  Life is busier than it was on the road! I have been smacked in the face with college decisions… scholarships… future plans… career choices… mission trip opportunities. It’s difficult to breathe sometimes.  But God is so faithful… still.  And I will look back at all of these… roadblocks… obstacles.. and challenges.. and laugh 🙂

I am just another Israelite… on a journey to my promised land.

This may not seem to have a lot to do with Chicago.  But it really does. Since being home so many things have been a struggle, including my personal time with God. But that is a very normal thing to happen after coming home from a missions trip.  I believe it’s Satan’s oldest trick in the book. But I have been doing my best not to allow him to win.  My first real encounter with God.. I mean real and raw and completely Holy SPirit led was about a week ago.  I was reading the book of Numbers about a time in Moses’ life where He was overwhelmed and at a lost for wisdom and words when it hit me. 

I am just another Israelite.

When the Israelites were alone in the wilderness they were angry.  They were confused as to why life was not going as easy as they planned.  They were questioning why God only gave them manna when they thought they needed meat.  They were questioning Moses and Aaron and their leadership skills.  They were quarreling with each other over insignificant issues.  And they were forgetting of all God’s promises.  They even began wondering if His promises were even worth it.

Oh how I wish I could say that doesn’t resemble my life but it so does.  We are all on our own journeys to our promised land. The Bible is full of promises made by God to His people.  Promises about our self-worth, promises about His love, promises about our future… and yet when life gets hard. Or when I am getting manna instead of what I want I begin to question.  I begin to ask God why He didn’t just let me have it my way.  I am not proud of this but I am just trying to be real.  I question, I wonder, I beg God for answers. 

But I have realized that just like the israelites, I can’t see my big picture.  I can’t see why I am walking through the wilderness. I can’t see why I am eating manna when that’s not what I want.  I can’t see where the promised land is and sometimes I don’t even want to believe there is one.  But all of that doesn’t matter.  God sees.  He sees it all.  He sees my promised land… He sees me in the wilderness.  He holds time in His hands and He is the God of this city.. and the God of my heart.  So… I want to end my life as an Israelite.

I want to make it to the promised land strong, through my weaknesses.  I want to say… I made it through the seasons of manna.  I want to be totally content in my God and the promises He has over my life.

 

My family.

Ok… so my first installment of Chicago updates.

I want to introduce you to my family.

This is my crazy dysfunctional family.  I have never met 23 people with more different, conflicting personalities…. It was a crazy intense 21 days.  But we learned what it meant to be a family.  By the last few days we actually didn’t want it to end.  I miss the stress believe it or not.  I miss the dysfunctionalism… 🙂  I thank God for all these people. They all taught me lessons in their own way.  I love you guys.

These pictures are in no particular order:

This is Dawn.  Quite arguably the most amazing Missionary Mentor to ever walk the planet.  She is the most beautiful example of a woman of God.  She was so encouraging and she was always there at the most perfect times.  She was my big sister on this trip.  I thank God for her and for all our missionary mentors… you guys sacrificed so much for us.  We love you.

Kassandra! 🙂 I would love for everyone I know to be able to meet this amazing girl! She is amazing in every way.  From her salsa lessons to her all nighters she pulled with us…. she is incredible.  She has so much wisdom that she graciously shares with anyone that wants to hear it. She is fiesty and I love it 🙂 You want to stay on her good side because everyone wants to protect their sweet kassandra 😉 She taught me how to be strong, how to forgive, and how to choose to make negatives positives. I can’t wait to hang out with her on future trips to Chicago! I love you my Puerto Rican Sister!

Miss Josie Love.  Ah… This girl 🙂 We got to spend the week together at Harding Park and I fully believe it was a God thing.  She is amazing 🙂 We have what seems like a hundred years of memories.  She taught me what it means to accept… just because.  She is so strong and she doesn’t even know it.  She is beautiful inside and out!  I love her to death and I am so excited about our future full of roadtrips and chex mix 😉 Joz, Bec, and I spent many many hours laughing, sharing, and loving that amazing city.  We have more memories than I care to count.  We have a special sisterhood bond thing that only God can create. 

Becca.. Boston 🙂  Another gift from God.  Becca is amazing in every possible way.  She is unique and she owns it 🙂 She is anything but judgemental and she is proud to be God’s daughter.  She accepts her flaws and she is on a journey to weakness and through that she is becoming so incredibly strong.  I am so proud of her and all the difficult things she has had to overcome.  I love our late night chats and I love that come fall she will be 11 hours closer than she is now!!  There are so many road trips in our future.  Thank you girl for all your encouragement and for always being able to see right through me… speaking truth into my life when I need it the most. You were there for me when I didn’t even think I needed someone… but I so did. I love you to Chicago and back 🙂

The boys 🙂 Isaac is sadly missing from this picture… but he is very much one of our boys!  These guys were amazing! They were our tour guides, salsa teachers, pancake makers, my big brothers, our best friends, and during that 21 days well… their family became our Puerto Rican family 🙂 Nancy, Willie, Kassandra, Nashima… the whole Maldonado/Garcia family taught me so much!! They taught me what joy means.  They taught me what family means.  They taught me how to be strong during adversity and to look at opposition as opportunity… I love them to death and can’t wait to go to one of their wonderful Puerto Rican family meals!! I miss you guys more than you know 😦

Jackie. Mi Chequita Hermana.  This girl is the strongest person I have ever met.  She is an inspiration and a complete role model for me.  I had the life-changing opportunity to walk Jackie to Christ during our week of Super Summer Jam.  Please please pray for her.. and for her brothers.  Life is not easy where she lives.  She is raising her brothers and she carries a lot of weight on her 10 year old shoulders.  She has grown up in the catholic church and a life of following Jesus will not be easy for her.  Please just pray for my little sister, that God will just protect her heart and her family by both the spiritual and physical warfare going on in her neighborhood.  I love you! And I miss you so very much.

The list could go on and on….Felicia~my chicago mama, Val, PA, Chad, Tyrone, Gooshie, Mooney, Joel, Dj, Ronda, Matt, Anthony, Lamell, Latrelle, Sarah,  and countless others became my family over those 3 weeks.  The best part is we have a huge family reunion planned in Heaven and I am pretty excited 🙂 

New Hope family: You may never read this, but I just want to say I am so thankful for you.  I am thankful for your faith and for the way you act it out.  I know it’s not always easy and I know that at times it seems your work is all in vain but you have no idea the lives you have changed.  I am so proud to call you my church family.  You are real and honest and most importantly totally sold out for Christ! Thank you for the example and encouragement you are!! ❤

Obedience changes lives. It’s that big.

Obedience.  It’s crazy.  It can alter your life in every single way.

On my journey to Chicago I learned many lessons about obedience.  It’s not easy. It’s not a one-time deal. And the scariest thing about obediendce, it always leads to another choice.  It’s not like when you decide you are going to be obedient in one area, everything else falls into place.  It’s an everyday, every minute choice.  We have to die to ourselves and pick up our crosses.  And sometimes…. it’s really hard.

Just because I chose Chi-town to begin with doesn’t mean obedience ended there.  I remember sitting in the church thinking about my life.  I was thinking …” There is a possibility I may not come home.  There is a possibility God will ask for my life.”  I had to choose God over my safety.  I had to choose obedience to my mission over safety… and that was so not easy!

I went with our church to pick up the Guate team from the airport.  Another test.  To see them all together, to hear all their stories.  To see what I missed.  To hear what I will never know.  Once again I had to choose being content in obedience over having the desires of my heart.  And that’s so hard! 

I am just being real. Because I suck at being fake.  Obedience is not easy.  But when we walk in obedience we are saying,

“God this doesn’t make sense to me.  I can’t see what is on the other side.  I am not even sure why you brought me to this place.  But I am going to trust you.  I am going to choose you when it seems difficult. Choose you when it doesn’t make sense.  Choose you when it’s confusing.  Choose you when the other path looks more enjoyable.  Choose you.”

I encourage you today to choose Him.  Many of my closest and sweetest friends and I are struggling day by day to choose Him.  It’s an uphill battle.  I want to encourage you guys!  Choose Him! 🙂 You will be blessed!

Think about it today.

Wow :) What a ride…

Hello everyone

Sorry there were no posts about my trip.  I didn’t have access to internet reliable enough to write a blog post. However, I did write a few notes on facebook and of course my journal.  So I will be uploading a few of those so you guys can know some of what went on during my past 3 weeks. 

This has been the craziest experience of my life.  I expected orphans, volcanos, and markets for me this summer.  Instead God gave me gang members, crack addicts, alcoholics, drug deals, and homeless people. I loved every minute of it.  There were times I doubted.  Times I was afraid. Times I was angry. Times I was confused. Times I wanted to go home. Times I thought God was all wrong. Times I doubted my faith. Times I questioned my purpose. Times I couldn’t find a smile. Times I just wanted to come home. And times where time seemed to stand still. But oh how I loved every minute of it.  Oh how I am thankful for every single thing god allowed into my life over the past 3 weeks.

This trip was not one of the those happy, everything is wonderful, praise God kind of trips.  My trip was long, hard, exhausting, frusterating, stressful, and at times incredibly difficult.  It stretched me in ways I never wanted to be stretched and it made me ask myself questions I never wanted to ask. 

One thing I want to share is during one of our worship rallies we sang our theme song: Hosanna.  If you know my story you know this song has been my prayer over my life for the past few months.  But this time… it was different.  I couldn’t bring myself to sing, “Break my heart for what breaks yours.  Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause.  Show me how to love like you have loved me.”  I was really scared.  What would that mean in my life??  How would God answer that?  I will never forget tears rolling down my face as I finally meant it…  that song will continue to be the prayer of my heart.  Even here. 

Father…. Break my heart for what breaks yours.

More to come later… please be in prayer for my team.  Please pray for my heart as this has been much harder than I expected.  Please pray for my Chicago family at New Hope Bible Church…. they live this life.  They need strength and encouragement.  And  please pray for the city of Chicago.  There is immense spiritual warfare going on in that city and our prayer is that the Lord will overcome and take hold of the hearts and minds of all those beautiful people!

                                                                                        Surrendered, Emily

Today is the day!!

I can’t believe the day is finally here!  Tonight I will be meeting my team or my “family” for the next few weeks!  I just want to share something beautifully amazing.  I am at total peace.  I KNOW I am exactly where God wants me to be.  And before I leave I just wanted to share something with you guys.  It’s wonderful.  If there is something that God is asking of you… or something He is asking you to give up.  Do it.  It will be the best and possibly hardest decision.  But it is worth it.  To know that I am in the center of His will for me is just awesome. It’s so exciting to know His hand is on me.  It also makes me feel somewhat invicible in a good way.  Nothing and no one will be able to interupt God’s prefect and pleasing will… so whatever happens.  Whatever Satan trys to use to attack me will all work together for good because I love the Lord Romans 8:28

Please be in prayer for my team and I.. for unity, health, and safety

Please pray for my heart that I will be open to the gentle whisper of God

Please pray for my family as the trust me into the hands of God for the next few weeks.  Pray they are reminded of God’s great and awesome power.

Please pray for homesickness, that we will all remember where our true home is

Please pray for the people of Chicago.  They are in desperation for a message of love, forgiveness, and hope. 

I will try to update as much as I can but know very little about what my trip is going to entail!  Thank you for the prayers!

                                                                                                                    Surrendered,

                                                                                                                                     Emily

50 people. Shot.

Latest headlines read:

50 people shot.   All in downtown Chicago.

It has been nicknamed the bloody 40 hours.  Last weekend 50 people were shot over the span of 3 days.  50. 

I can choose to look at this 1 of 2 ways.

Option 1: Oh my goodness.  What am I doing?!! Guatemala was safer than this.  Most of the shootings happened as drive-bys or by accident.  I could be number 51! I think I would rather stay in the comfort of my own home than go out and be Jesus to murderers, addicts, and abusers.

Option 2:  Satan is trying to use this to attack me, but instead it just excites me.  For so long I doubted if America even deserved to hear about Jesus multiple times.  But God is showing me how desperate they are for Him.  50 people.. they need Him now.  They need His message of hope, grace, love, and forgiveness.  They need Him.  And I need Him.  I need to trust Him now and know this is His plan.  I need to walk confidently in the direction of His will.  He doesn’t promise me safety.  He doesn’t promise us comfort.  Walking in His will could easily mean becoming victim # 51.  But I said I would follow Him.  And I am going to do it. 

Unfortunately for Satan, I choose Option 2.  I choose to trust Him.  I choose to walk confidently in His shadow.  And I know He will have His hand on me.  Because “If our God is for us, then who could stand against us?”  Please pray for me that I will continue to choose option 2.  Please pray for my family as they choose option 2 in deciding to hand me completely over to God and trusting His promises over my life.

I made a promise to God a few months back.  I thought this promise would lead me back to Guatemala.  But I confidently can tell you… it didn’t.  But I am so incredibly blessed and at peace with this.

I’ll follow you into the homes of the broken.  I’ll follow you into the world.  I’ll

meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.  I’ll follow you into the world.

I give all myself, I give all myself to you.

                                                                 Follow you-Leeland & Brandon Heath