Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 5/13/2012
To all the amazing women in my family,
Each of you are incredibly beautiful women of God and mean so much to me. I would not be where I am without your love and support. Thank you for always believing in me. I love you!
Mommy,
You are amazing! I am so blessed to have you as my mother. You are a truly beautiful woman and have continuously set a wonderful example for me to see what it looks like to trust the Lord. I am so proud of you for following your dreams! Thank you for always being there for me and for allowing me to go on this crazy adventure. I love you and miss you!!
and just for funsies....
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 4/9/2012
Well, it is now April. Time is flying by. And I have moved two countries since my last blog. I am in now in Ukraine, but before that we spent around 3 weeks in China. Two weeks doing ministry with our contacts and several days in Beijing for our squad 8 month debrief.
China was amazing in many ways, but also personally difficult. My team and another team were in Northern China. It was an extreme temperature change from Malaysia. It snowed maybe 5 days while we were there. I think the cold shocked some much needed life and adventure back into us. Our ministry included teaching English, getting to know college students and attending church. We were allowed to be very open with the gospel which was a blessing and totally not what I expected of China. Our contacts were great and I love the way they face the spiritual opposition head on.
In China, I worked through a lot of things with God. I felt very convicted about many things, such as my prayer life, how I’d been leading the team, how my life should be different when I go home, whether I am really willing to do whatever God asks me to do for the rest of my life, and continuing to let go of the past, just to name a few. It was a heavy time of reflection, and honestly a little depression in seeing that even though I grow I am in no way perfect. It felt as if the old me, the me before the Race, had snuck back in and wanted me to give up.
Before this point on the Race, I was in a very euphoric place. (which in no way am I saying is a bad place.) I was excited about God and the incredible ways He had shown Himself to me. He loves me! He loves everyone! He thinks I’m beautiful and is jealous for me! He told me plans he had for my life and while I wasn’t sure about them all I was super pumped about letting Him lead me.
And then I stalled out.
or maybe a better statement is that I freaked out.
I got overwhelmed with whether or not I actually had a choice in anything anymore. If God “called” me to do something do I just have to do it now? Where’s the freedom in that? What if I don’t want to? And what’s the point if I’m only doing it because He tells me to or is that the point? While wondering about these questions I also got hit with a wave of realization that I can fall so quickly back into my own selfishness.
Then one day while journaling during a Chinese church service, it all made sense. Or at least the part about choices. When I turned to selfishness nothing seemed like a choice because in the strangest of ways God was keeping me from doing what I wanted to do. Somehow what I wanted at that time was to have a choice and not feel forced to do anything. I didn’t even really want to necessarily take whatever the other option was I just wanted the option. I felt trapped in God’s will because I forgot the real reason I was in it. Technically, there is always a choice. I can choose to do what God calls me to or not whenever I want.
But once you’ve tasted the goodness that is in God’s will. It’s all you want.
The choice seems made because it’s already what I desire.
Even if what He wants doesn’t make sense or is way harder than whatever path I would ever choose for myself. He sees us as something greater than we see ourselves as. And He wants something greater for us. That's a very beautiful thing. And something that may take more thinking about before I can state much else. :)
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 2/24/2012
So, about a week ago, my teammate Sarah got a picture from God about what our time here in Malaysia has been like, perhaps what our purpose has been, in a way. She said that she saw us like the toy Lite Brite. I never actually had a Lite Brite, but my friend Leighann did and I always thought it was super cool and super fun to play with as a kid. For those of you who haven’t come in contact with this incredible toy, a Lite Brite is an electric board that you put colorful pegs in that light up and make beautiful colored designs and pictures. They also come with templates that already have the outline of a design, so all you have to do is put in the pegs.
This template is what Sarah referred to when she said she saw our time here as a Lite Brite. That God already has a plan in place, a design for the community and the future, and we are the pegs, just starting to poke through the holes in the design and let the light show through.
I absolutely loved this imagery, 1) because Lite Brites are awesome and I still maybe want one 15 years later and 2) because it perfectly describes how God has been moving in us and in the community.
We are the first team to ever be with our current contact in Malaysia, Pastor Samuel. We spent our first two weeks in Ampang, an area just outside of Kuala Lumpur doing prayer walks and door to door “outreach” in the neighborhoods across the street from the church where we lived. It’s important to know that in Malaysia, you can go to jail for this type of thing, if what you say rubs someone the wrong way. There are three main groups in Malaysia: Indians which are primarily Hindu, Chinese which follow Buddhism or Chinese religion, and Malay which are Muslim. (The Malay people hold a stronger authority than anyone else, what they say goes and for the most part they don’t need much evidence for any accusations, such as intent to convert.) Something I find very interesting about the culture here is that the living communities are so diverse. Buddhists live next to Muslims who live next to Hindus who live next to Christians. It’s not as segregated as I feel a lot of the world can be.
Ok, I’m sort of getting away from what I had to say which is that because we were the first team in this neighborhood, it sometimes felt like we didn’t really do that much, other than start a few relationships and lay a foundation for the next team that arrives. But as I type this, I remember that that’s actually doing a lot. I feel pretty honored that God would allow our team to start laying that foundation, to let our team be the first pegs in the Lite Brite. This month has increased my trust in the effectiveness & power of prayer, my faith in God’s plans, the fact that God has divine appointments for us each and every day and that He battles so much of what we cannot see for us. I love that God makes the design, but we get to start poking the holes to let the light shine through.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 2/14/2012
The obvious blog topic for Valentine's day is love. And I fell for it. I can honestly say I've learned a heck of a lot about love in the past 7 months. I've come to more distinctly see what love isn't and more readily see what love is. So in honor of this most cheesy holiday, I've come up with some words and explanations of what love is.
Love is Life, Others, Vulnerability, Encouragement.
Life - Love is a huge part of life, because life's main focus is on relationships. Whether those relationships are with family, friends, coworkers, or significant others, these interactions are at the core of our perceptions, our lives, and our beings. Life is also a huge part of love. How we relate to each other does one of two things. It either gives life or brings death. God has given us the freedom to choose which of those qualities we share with our neighbors by our actions, words and thoughts. The choice to love is the choice to bring life into our relationships and interactions regardless of who they are with.
Others - With the small exception of occasionally needing to learn to love and give grace to ourselves, loving is about others. We love because He first loved us. Even in the first instance of love, it was about the other being. God loved us first and He continues to love us all day, everyday. Love is about giving it to others all day, everyday. And while I'll be the first one to say that isn't always easy, the coolest part about it is that if everyone is giving love, then everyone is also receiving love. Our main goal as believers is to love God and to love others. Love is not selfish. It does not boast. It is not proud. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love IS patient and kind.
Vulnerability - I dare say, it is impossible to love without vulnerability. And I don't mean on the other person's part, I mean on yours. Love requires that we give trust without it being earned and that we give trust without expecting anything in return. We put our hearts on the line, because that's what Christ did for us. It looks more like, "I love you, so I trust you." Instead of, "I'll give you tiny portions of love as we try this thing out and you continuously prove that I don't need to be fearful of how you may hurt me." The love we have for other people is the same love Christ has for us. We hurt Him pretty much every day in a variety of ways, but His love never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out. By being vulnerable we say, "Here I am. Here's everything I've got. I'm choosing to love you and to give you something very, very precious & valuable to me. I'd really appreciate it if you took good care of it, but even if you don't, I gave it my all." When we do that, we not only allow ourselves to be open and grow, we also create a safe environment for those we love to do the same.
Encouragement – Encouragement is needed for love to grow. The ability to love is highly connected to our ability to accept love, so for many of us, including myself, this means that encouraging ourselves to accept the love God has for us is the first basic step in growing our ability to love. When we start to find our identity in the overwhelming love God has for us, it changes the way we see ourselves. We begin to see ourselves as the sons and daughters of God that we are. Our identity is no longer built on earthly ideas such as our occupation or our past; our identity is built on the very core of our existence, who we are in Christ. God loves us not for what we do, but for who we are, His children, His beautiful creations, His kingdom. Something that I’ve learned on the Race is that love is about seeing people as who they are in their identity in Christ, not what they do. We all have crap we need to be called up out of. We all have dishonoring things we do that we don’t even realize we’re doing. Love is about encouraging one another to be more than we see ourselves as. That’s what God does. When we learn not to view each other as our flaws, but as the truth of what each of us is capable of doing, we start pouring out more love than we even knew we had to give. Encouragement spreads like wildfire, because it’s two sided. When you encourage someone, it also encourages you, because it gives hope and it gives life.
Ok, ok, so I could basically talk about these ideas for forever, but alas, I shall conclude…with a challenge. My challenge to you, reader, is to try loving in a new way this Valentine’s day. Think outside the box on how to show your love to others. I don’t mean bigger flowers or sweeter chocolate. I mean try telling your spouse in person the things you love most about their character, or your friends how much it meant to hang out with them or showing a little more patience to the waitress at a restaurant. Love is contagious. Be the one to spread it around. It’ll change your world. I know it has changed mine.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 1/26/2012
First of all, I'M FULLY FUNDED!!! actually, I'm OVER funded**!! God is so good. Thank you all so much for your incredible generosity.
Two of my teammates, Jenny Menier and Carl Prox, are still in need of funding by February 1st in order to stay on the Race. Please pray for this need and pray about possibly blessing them with some financial support.
So, just a short update. I'm in Cambodia!! We got here a little over a week ago and are volunteering at a Teen Challenge boys home. It's been a bit of a switch from working with only women last month in Thailand to only boys and men this month! We have been teaching English and Bible lessons everyday. It's been great to get to build relationships with them just by hanging out and playing games. We have about a week left in Cambodia....
and then on to Malaysia!
**This means monthly donors not longer need to send in monthly support. Thank you, thank you! for all the support and encouragement you gave to me for this trip. I couldn't have done it without you.
| |
|
Posted in Support Raising by Erin Miller on 1/18/2012
*My teammate Tommy made this blog for our team. Check out these lovely people and please help us to continue our journey.
So our final support deadline is fastly approaching. If we are all not fully funded by Feb. 1, we will be sent home. This concerns me because there is so much left for us to do around the world. There are so many children who need to be held. There are so many women who need to be told that they are worthy. There are so many people veiled by false religions and idols. There is so MUCH left to be done.
With that being said, check out the awesome people on my team who still need your help to bring the love of Christ to these people.
TEAM CANNONBALL!!
Meet Erin Miller
She's our fearless leader and tender-hearted mother. This girl has such a huge heart. She is fired up for the Lord and carries herself with grace and compassion.
$50- All she needs to continue this journey.
http://erinmiller.theworldrace.org/
Meet Carl Prox
Carl is the bro of all bros. He's got a love for people that reaches past their exterior into their hearts. He's always got a smile on and is ready for any thing. He's the only guy on my team so I would be forever in your debt if you'd help keep him on my team ha. But seriously though, I love this dude. Let's come together and support this man of God.
$3,000- Until he's fully funded.
Check him out: http://carlprox.theworldrace.org/
Meet Sarah Ball
This girl has got a love for children. She's patient and caring and can make ya laugh. She's also fully funded so you're in the clear on this one.
$0-FULLY FUNDED!!
Still check her out though. She's pretty kool.
http://sarahball.theworldrace.org/
Meet Jenny Meunier
She's my favorite Canadian. She has one of the most sweetest hearts I have ever encountered. She has a nuturering, caring and motherly spirit. Children around the world still need to feel her embrace. Let's gather around and make that happen.
$1,000- Left until she's fully funded.
Check her out, eh: http://jennymeunier.theworldrace.org/
Meet Elizabeth White
This girl has some powerful words. The Lord has gifted her with a way with words that'll make ya cry. They keep you going when you don't want to. You can't forget them. They stick to you. People around the world need to hear these encouraging words. Be apart of that.
$1,300- Until she's fully funded.
Check her out: http://lizwhite.theworldrace.org/
Meet Allie Elliot
This woman can make some delicious pies, let me tell you. Besides that though, she is a prayer warrior. Good thing she's fully funded!
$0- FULLY FUNDED!!
Check her out: http://allieelliott.theworldrace.org/
You know me already but..
$611.75- What I need to be fully funded!
So if God is placing us on your heart, I pray that you listen to His voice. We need your help to continue our mission of spreading the love of Christ to the nations. If you don't feel called to support, I ask that you keep us in your prayers. Our God provides. Thank you.
Much love,
Team Cannonball
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 12/26/2011
At the beginning of this week our squad was staying at YWAM Bangkok for our month 4 debrief. This is a time of restoration where AIM leaders come out to speak a lot of life back into us, help us figure out where we’re headed, and remind us of the culture of honor we have agreed to live in. During one of the talk sessions Sean used a phrase to describe people on the World Race that is rather impeccable. He talked about how being with world racers is sort of like being home and something which distinguishes that is that “there’s a slight funk in the air.”
That phrase stuck out to me for a couple of reasons. One reason being that the giant room serving as the meeting room and the girls’ sleeping quarters reeked of one of the most funky and uniquely disturbing odors I have ever experienced. (which I later noticed was very strongly infused into my towel.) The second reason being that I think that “funk in the air” is more than an odor. I think it’s a lovely metaphor for the presence of God that comes with us as we travel. A funk that we as Christians bring into the world.
A couple days ago, 14 other lovely ladies and I arrived in Phuket, Thailand to work with SHE Ministries, a ministry whose passion is to bring hope and freedom to women working in prostitution. A big part of the ministry is going into the open bars at night to begin building relationships with the women working there. Our first day in Phuket, after traveling 12 hours on an overnight bus, we went out to the main bar road twice, once in the afternoon to get a feel for the street and prayer walk, and again at night to get to know some girls. It was a very strange merging of two worlds. A clash, really. Between light and darkness. My past and my future. A real smile and eyes filled with emptiness. Searching and a glimmer of hope. Walking around those streets with over 200 bars, I felt different. But I couldn’t place why exactly. And I felt like maybe we added a different funk into the street air.
In thinking about what to write in this blog, I remembered that the world isn’t going to like the way Christians smell. Or if we’re really living as God calls us to it shouldn’t. Because we’re supposed to be different. We’re light instead of darkness. Hope instead of despair. Freedom instead of bondage. Love in place of lust. and Life rather than death. We are these things because that’s who God is. We are these things because He has redeemed us.
There are points in my life where I didn’t want to be different, because being the same meant being accepted by the majority. “Fitting in.” And in all honesty, there are still moments I fight wanting to be just like the rest of the world. Because it’s easier and looks pretty comfortable and it usually means I get to do whatever the heck I want. But right now, I’m so thankful to be the difference and bring that hope into the night. So thankful for the freedom God has brought me into. That first night in the bars, I think I fully realized that more of me won’t be who I was when I left home than I ever realized. At this point, I’m still processing what that means, but I know it will be good. And I’m hoping it will be a little funky.
And do not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 11/16/2011
Here are 3 moments that have touched me so far this month. I hope they give you a little insight into life on the Race.
Part of our ministry this month is to clear a huge area of dirt from some land so they can begin construction on a center for pregnant women to have their babies in a clean and more calm environment. A few days ago, a group of about 8 girls and I went out for the afternoon digging session. On the way to the site, a little boy and girl joined us, as usual, to hang out and see where we were going. They watched us for a few minutes as we began putting gloves on, picking up shovels, and digging into the dirt. Then, without any prompting, both the little boy and little girl picked up a couple of extra shovels and began getting as much dirt on it as they could handle, which wasn't much, and putting it in the buckets to get carried away. The kids couldn't have been much more than 4 years old. The shovels were bigger than they were. But seeing their hearts in wanting to join us and help meant the world to me in that moment. I think God sent them with us to give each of us the strength to keep going, to keep digging.
A "feeding" is where we take some hearty soup with rice into different areas of the community and give a couple scoops to the children and parents that come get in line. KIM does ten feedings a week, each one in a different community, either in the morning or evening. The first feeding I went on was only about 5 minutes away from the house where we stay. We brought the big buckets of food down to a community basketball court and kids started coming over as soon as they saw us with their containers to hold their dinner. Most of the kids had tupperware bowls. Some kids had cups. Others had little metal plates. But the ones that stood out the most to me, were the kids that brought little sandwich bags. Not heavier plastic ziplock bags. Sandwich bags. To hold soup that is so hot it can burn your fingers if you touch the bottom of the container it's in. But they brought those bags because it's all they had. to hold the food they need. and they said thank you.
Yesterday, I went on my second feeding trip. This one was about 30 minutes away at "Tent City". Tent City is a community of people that were displaced because of the typhoon that hit about two years ago. Many people were not allowed to go back to their land or rebuild their houses, so either the government or Red Cross built a bunch of tiny houses for the families. The houses are pretty much one room, with the bottom built from cinder blocks, the top a sort of thatch, and the roof is made of tin. We served the food from the back of the van this time. People came from all directions. In a way, the feedings are so obviously rewarding. They are a very tangible gift of love, and being on the other side you see the huge smile and hear the sincere thank you. It makes you feel like you're really DOING something. And it's a very joyful time overall. At least it had been for me. Because at the first feeding I went to everybody got food. But this time, not everyone did. We ran out before some kids could get any. That struck me pretty hard. Woke me up to the reality again. I don't want to lessen the value of those that got fed and shared smiles and said thank yous. Those people are extremely important and building those relationships even if just for moment is vital. But it's also important to remember the kids that left with empty bowls. It's important for you to know that in the Philippines and around the world and in America, kids have empty bowls.
I honestly cant remember the last time I didn't have food available. It may not be my first choice food, but I've at least had food on my plate for as long as I can remember. What an incredible blessing from God. Really, that is what it is, a blessing. And to think I get a little cranky when I dont have the midnight snack I'm craving. Kids have empty bowls that need food and empty hearts that need God's love. Your love. Are you doing anything about it?
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; not does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glority your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Erin Miller on 11/16/2011
My goodness. There have been a LOT of changes over the past 2 or 3 weeks. One change is that I am writing this to you from The Philippines! Originally, our race route was to be in the country of Thailand for month 4, but because of the extensive flooding happening there we have been moved to the Philippines. We will actually be in the Philippines for 6 weeks instead of the usual 4 weeks, which will probably mean a few more changes in the rest of the route as well. I have come to see these types of changes as pretty exciting, because it makes our race all the more unique.
A second rather big change is that we got new squad leaders and new teams! Our squad leaders (the people who step up to replace the alumni leaders returning home) are Mike Desmond, Andrea Garcia, and Kevin Buzzie. I am so excited for what all God is going to do through them and how He will grow them in this new chapter of the Race. Making the switch to new teams has been exciting, but also a little hard in letting go of our old teams. However, I am absolutely in love with each one of my new team members on Team Cannonball. They are Allie Elliot, Carl Prox, Liz White, Sarah Ball, Tommy Chapman, and Jenny Meunier! (please feel free to check out their blogs, encourage them, and pray for them.)
A huge personal change for me beginning this month is that I have become a team leader. Being asked to take on this role is both exciting and very humbling. It definitely stretches me in new ways and causes me to step out in faith, knowing that God has called me to this for a purpose and that my adequacy comes directly from Him. I know God is going to do great things in and through each one of us on this team. We are jumping into what God has for us, and although cannonballing may not always be the most graceful and elegant, it certainly makes a splash and causes some ripples.
This month in The Philippines we (four of our six teams) are working with Kids International Ministries (KIM) which is run by Jeff Long and his family. Their ministry and vision are just incredible. We have the opportunity to work with a children's home and nursery, a boys home for ex-street kids, and a girls home called Josie's Angels. We also get to do construction, neighborhood feedings and spend time with street kids. There are so many amazing opportunities to share God's love, to encourage one another, and to pursue our passions, which is such a big blessing. It already is and I know will continue to be a wonderful and growing time here in Asia!
Thank you, again, to each of you for your support, prayers, and encouragement. You bring encouragement even just by reading my blogs. I am so blessed to have so much love and support coming from back home. I don't think thank you fully expresses how grateful I am to every one of you.
"For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
| |
|
Next 10 Articles >>
|
|
|
