June 7, 2010 by Emily Lewin
I should not have waited so long between posts, I now have SO MUCH that has happened, I’m not sure where to start…omg.
This is going to be in story board-ish format again…so last week, er make that two weeks ago:
I got to sneak into random bits of the MFM (MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries) retreat – all of the pastors and ministry leaders from the churches and ministries associated with M* come together for one big conference. I got to listen in to a little bit of it and sit on prophetic teams.
Todd Bentley sharing at the conference
Crazy crazy divine appointments that happened during MFM:
#1 I sat in a random seat in the 2nd row back, front and center on Sunday morning at the 11am service before MFM started and it ended up being the seat directly in front of the couple who were our pastors when we lived in New York 16 years ago. O_O
#2, I sat on prophetic teams with the associate pastor, from that same old church, who I recognized somehow…I was 7 last time I saw the man. Turns out my parents/family planted seeds in that church that area still thriving and producing fruit today which was very encouraging to hear! =)
As soon as that conference ended the Worship and Warfare conference began – these M* people are hardcore with their conference stamina…dang.
MSU Student Art Exbo during the W&W Conference
I spotted this bumper sticker on my way to my car after one of the sessions:
hm...ditto?
I explored Main Street a little bit and discovered that they actually have a thrift store…why do all thrift stores smell the same? Do they have an certain spray that they all use? Since my suitcase was barely under the weight limit on the way here I walked in and out quickly hehe.
Again, hmm...?
Because the house where I was staying was so close I walked to most of the sessions.
Climbing the little hill on the way to the house.
On one of those walks to the conference, I think it was the first morning, I saw these three large birds flying over the tower and then over the main building, circling around each other and up and down on the air currents.
I knew all my crazy proph friends would like that. 
I spent some time one afternoon in the Watch that they had going before, during, and after the conference. It was saucy in that room let me tell you. It always pays to go sit in the place where all the crazy, older, intercessor ladies are…oh, and the family with four sons who are all ridiculous multi-instrumentalists worshiping helped the atmosphere quite a bit too.
Intense.
Between the worship and the teaching it was quite a conference! There was so much that stood out and was so good that I’ll have to spend some other posts later sharing some of my notes…
As soon as that conference was over we had the Sunday morning service and dove straight into the last week of school for MSU…
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Charlotte, Conferences, divine appointments, Friends, MorningStar, My Life, North Carolina, Queen City, Summer, Travel, Update, Worship | Leave a Comment »
May 26, 2010 by Emily Lewin
Here’s another update for you! 
This one is going to be mostly photos with some commentary thrown in because I’m just processing all of the crazy fun things the Lord has been doing here…so many sweet encounters, divine appointments, provisions, and reminders. He’s good like that.
Last week I got to celebrate my Uncle David’s birthday with him:
and his family:
Uncle D lent me a car:
We’ve driven and walked past some fun street signs
Today we went grocery shopping. Here are my groceries – or the half that aren’t in the fridge…it was WEIRD shopping for one person…
We stopped at Bojangles’ afterward
because Gloria wanted some chicken.
I got to go eat dinner at the home of a lady named Freddie Power who travels to Africa once a year and runs 3 churches for the homeless in uptown Charlotte…quite a lady. She had butterflies all over her house. Oh and because some of you will think it’s fun, this was image #333 on my phone…yeah.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time at MorningStar
By the way, this is the only photo that’s duplicated between this blog and my photography site, to see more of my fancier photos go check out my updates.
Besides that I’m editing photos from Leif & Karen’s wedding and a few other projects and seeking the Lord for vision for this next year.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Charlotte, divine appointments, Family, Friends, Ft Mill, MorningStar, My Life, North Carolina, Photography, Photoramble, Photos, South Carolina, Travel, Update | Leave a Comment »
May 24, 2010 by Emily Lewin
Where to start…the last few days have been PACKED!! I put a bit of an update with photos on my photography site if you want to see a little glimpse of what I’ve been seeing over the last few days. I’ve been to MSU (MorningStar University) classes, a Fresh Fire meeting with Todd Bentley that I wrote about on my other other blog haha, gosh I have too many blogs…a few worship school classes, a Sunday morning meeting, a prophetic training class, a women’s meeting, and to lunch with a sweet Swiss couple that I met along the way. I feel like I’ve spent most of my time eating and sleeping which is good because I think my body has needed the rest! I’m trying hard to not push myself to go go go, although I’m sure the list I just named sounded like go go go to most people, I really have rested a lot!
I got to celebrate my Uncle David’s birthday with him and his kids on Friday which was great and he is letting me borrow a car so I’ve had transportation for the last few days which has been amazing!! I went to get the brakes done on it today and ended up driving for 45 minutes each way because I had to pull a couple u-turns each way (only one on the way back woo!) because the system of marking streets here is ridiculous. They have little tiny signs down on the street level on one corner – rather than being up near the light like they do everywhere else – so you can’t see what street it is until you’ve already passed it and sometimes not even then…needless to say I found this very frustrating. But at least I’m able to get around! While I was waiting for them to finish the brakes I spent 4 hours at Panera, which is one of my favorite places, and tried to get some work done. I was a little distracted by the two guys across from me who were trying to get into some kind of system and kept having it send activation codes of some sort to their friend’s cell phones…just a tad sketch if you ask me.
My view for most of the day
Interesting things I’ve learned since I’ve been here:
- There is a Denver, North Carolina that is not very far away from Charlotte so I’ve had to expand my customary, “I’m from Denver,” intro to include Colorado so that people can be duly impressed with the distance of my travel.
- Sweet tea is almost too sweet for me since I’m so used to unsweetened, but I did get some just so I could say that I did.
The way tea is done here.
- Charlotte street signs are ridiculous, oh I said that already.
- People at M* are liable to proph all over you at any time, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- My Papa brings redemption in ways that I never would have thought of.
- I make home everywhere I go. My heart is so for community that everywhere I go I immediately begin developing relationships and getting involved. Case in point, I’m sitting on prophetic teams tomorrow at M*…thanks to Joe S. for that hook up, and I went to a women’s ministry meeting. I’m willing to jump in with just about anything here to get a feel for it. I knit myself into the fabric of places very quickly and then leaving can be kinda hard…I don’t think that’s a bad thing though, just how I am.
This would be a small collection of shoes by our front door.
Overall this has been a great experience so far and I’m excited to see what the next 3 weeks bring!! Staying with these international girls has been so fun! Katrina just walked by going, “Why do I keep hearing the ring bell!?” They are so full of spirit and life and interesting things and perspectives. I’ve had some great conversations with Gloria (my Ugandan friend) and I will certainly miss them when I leave on Tuesday. Woo hoo! Adventures with Jesus are the BEST!
Something I noticed walking to class one day
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Charlotte, May, My Life, Queen City, Summer, Travel, Update | Leave a Comment »
May 19, 2010 by Emily Lewin
Hello there! One thing that I love about traveling is getting to meet new people, and from the time I left my mom at the airport in Denver yesterday morning meeting new people is pretty much all I’ve done. From the sweet methodist couple in the airport who were in transit from one daughter’s house to the other, to the 6’4″ graphic designer who is pretty high up in his company who chatted with me in between reading a book on his iPad on my first flight. There was the sweet lady, I think her name was Peggy or Patsy, or was it Patty? She works in IT at an energy company and told me all about the different attractions of Charlotte and where I should go or what I should do, including places to “indulge or partake” haha! Then there have been the girls who picked me up from the airport and that I’m staying with for the next week.
After my flights were delayed for various reasons it seemed to take a very long time for my bags to come down to the baggage claim, once they did mine was the first one on the carousel. Chalk one up to favor. I was picked up at the curb in a shiny silver sporty little convertible (I honestly wasn’t sure if all my stuff would fit but we managed…barely) containing Christy & Gloria.
Side note: it is so refreshing and fun to come outside of our little community and meet other radical, Holy Spirit following, Jesus loving people. No one things twice about me being out here on a Holy Spirit adventure. Love it.
Back to Christy and Gloria. Christy is from Wisconsin, recently returned from a trip to England with many detours courtesy of the volcanic ash from Iceland, and she won a ridiculous amount of money and a vacation on Wheel of Fortune thanks to Holy Spirit giving her the bonus round answer before she got there. Holler. Gloria is another radical from Uganda who has been a missionary in Nepal and will soon be going to other far reaches of the world. Both of them are MorningStar University (MSU) students, second and first year respectively. Gloria lives in a house with three other girls who are from three other countries. Katrina is from Italy, Beatrice from Brazil, and Sarah from the US. Sarah said something about how she lives at the UN with all of these girls from so many nations. I have so enjoyed the diversity of stories and accents and impressions thus far. All of the girls in this house are first year MSU students and they have a broad range of ages, backgrounds, dreams, plans, and gifts. I’ve met a few other students as well, one of the most prominent being Farmer, a stocky Northern Irishman who is a first year in the school of worship.
When I let the Lord plan and run my life and I go along and enjoy the unfolding of it I am constantly amazed at the timing and perfection with which He organizes things. He is simply amazing. Today I went to MSU chapel, worship, and class with the girls and the speaker was Rick Joyner. He was explaining to the students what MSU will look like next year. I know right, could the timing of that have been any more perfect? I don’t think so. I must admit I am quite interested in the school. I thought that I probably would be after coming and meeting people and seeing what it’s like but it really does sound amazing and right up my alley. It’s hard for me to think of leaving the glorious community that I have at home right now to start all over somewhere else…but it is tempting none the less.
More details on MSU later, for now I’m going to take advantage of having four hours with no where to be and nothing to do and spend some much needed time with my best Friend. I have a feeling that I’ll be doing a lot of that these next couple weeks hanging out here at M*. Bring it on. I desperately need the rest.
Two interesting quotes/thoughts from today:
The first is from Rick Joyner, he said that if we get our authority/power from the people then they are the ones that lead us, not the Lord. We have to love people and lay our lives down for people but not place our trust/hope/faith in people because it can put too much pressure on them and potentially even cause them to fall from the pressure. Plus then when people do struggle and even fall we won’t be so shaken by it and can continue on without so many going astray.
The second is from Molly Skaggs during the School of Worship class that I went to today. She said that we have authority over sound, that is the area where we (as musicians) have authority. She was asking them what that sounds like in the Kingdom, what does that look like? In terms of the sound we passionately release from the life source within us. It definitely has me thinking.
In parting I will just say that I asked someone to get me some allergy meds at the store because I think if those cleared up I’d be feeling pretty good, the cough/cold is only bad at night, and my hair is definitely jiving with the humidity.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Airports, Charlotte, divine appointments, MorningStar, Music, My Life, North Carolina, School, Summer, Update | 1 Comment »
May 5, 2010 by Emily Lewin
It’s that time again! Time for another update on my life haha! Although keeping up with this blog in a more regular fashion is one of my goals for this year, one of the primary purposes of writing here is to provide updates on my life, so there you go. Speaking of regular blogging, my friend Anna has been blogging every day for the last month and the posts that she has put out are amazing! It’s definitely worth your time to head over there and get a dose of her wisdom and insight.
If you have been following this blog for a while you know that I went to Charlotte, North Carolina for a week long worship school with Rita Springer. You can read about it here if you missed it. Shortly after I came home from Charlotte I began to want to go back, I kept feeling this tug on my heart that the Lord had something more for me there and I’ve wanted to go find out what that is. That feeling has only intensified over the last few months as I’ve begun to watch services at MorningStar, lead worship for conferences with MorningStar leaders as the main speakers, meet worship leaders from Charlotte, talk to people from the M* ministry school, meet random people from Charlotte, reconnect with people from DIVE…things keep happening to keep the Queen City on my mind.
For the last several months I’ve wanted to go to the Worship and Warfare Conference at MorningStar at the end of May. I’ve talked with friends about going to Charotte for the month of May to reconnect with friends from DIVE, hang out at M*, visit my extended family in the area, and get whatever it is that the Lord has for me there. When it came down to it, and after several conversations with my parents, I decided that I couldn’t go if my financial situation didn’t change. I’ve had some credit card debt that has been hard to get out from under after my last two trips (DIVE and Israel) being so expensive and so close in time to each other. I’ve been asking the Lord to provide work and income to help me pay this off…I also asked him to multiply my tax return so that I could use that to pay it off as well. It never hurts to ask right?!
Walking in faith is an interesting journey. I want to have billions of dollars in resources for the Kingdom go through my hands during the course of my life and I am not intimidated by money or debt, just sobered by it. It’s been interesting to discover that though I am full of faith for other people’s finances, it’s been hard to have faith for my own. I’ve prayed with friends and I’ve seen their school or medical debt reduced by thousands of dollars, more than once. I’ve believed with people for very specific provision and seen it come in. But when it comes to asking for myself I hesitate…why is that? Has the character of God suddenly changed when I’m asking for myself verses someone else? Is He suddenly less generous or good or loving or wealthy? No. It has been amazing to watch the Lord breaking paradigms of who He really is over the last few months with myself and my friends. He is a good, faithful, kind, loving Father who LOVES giving gifts to His kids. I’ve watched Him provide over and over for my friend Laura over the last few months as she’s raised money to go to Mozambique, Africa this summer, and now I’ve watched Him provide for me, yet again, in radical ways.
A few weeks ago I realized that I was trying to live in faith while simultaneously trying to guard myself from disappointment in case whatever I was stepping out and believing for didn’t happen – or didn’t happen the way I wanted it to – which really isn’t faith at all. If I believe that it might not happen then I don’t have faith. So I decided to release that fear and self protection and to trust the Lord that He had it and knew what was best, and I told Him what I was feeling and gave it all to Him (honestly with God is the best policy). A couple days later I found out that my tax return was going to be enough to completely pay off my credit card debt. Should I say that again? As soon as my Federal check comes through my bank I will be out of credit card debt. Haha! I already booked my ticket to Charlotte with much glee and a tad bit of trepidation (this is actually happening!)!!
I’m leaving for Charlotte on May 18th and returning home fairly late at night on June 12th. I delayed my trip for a couple of weeks because my brother David is graduating from college and there were a few other events that came up that I felt like I needed to be here for. I am staying with a couple of girls who are attending MorningStar University for the first week, I’m excited to get to know them and jump in on some classes with them! Then I’m going to the Worship and Warfare Conference woo! And then I’m not sure what I’ll do yet…which is part of the fun!! Knowing what a planner I am Jesus likes to take me on adventures where He plans the trip. I still need quite a bit of money to live on while I’m there and pay my bills while I’m gone but the Lord is providing!! If you want to partner with me financially in any way for this journey let me know! I would LOVE to have your prayers while I’m preparing to go, while I’m there, and when I transition back home. I think that it is going to be an exciting time!! As far as what I’m looking to get in Charlotte, I think it has to do with creativity, worship, and freedom. We’ll see what that all looks like as I go!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Charlotte, Faith, MorningStar, My Life, Provision, Queen City, Summer, Travel, Update, Worship | 1 Comment »
April 22, 2010 by Emily Lewin
My good friend Laura Reed is going to Africa this summer and through a variety of ways I’ve been helping her raise support however I can. That has included doing a photoshoot for her to use for her support letters, designing her support letter, making tie-dye, wearing tie-dye, and now doing a benefit concert. That’s right. I’m going to be playing and singing some of my own original music a week from tomorrow at the Warren’s house for a house concert turned benefit concert for Laura. There will be 5 other amazing artists playing as well, I’m actually quite humbled, honored, and a little nervous to be joining Todd & Ashley Warren, Maggie Britt, Ben Anderson, and my brother David. All excellent musicians and singers, all creative people, all gathering to support our mutual friend Laura. This is a big step for me to be singing and playing my songs not only in public but in the presence and amidst the artistry of other musicians/songwriters whom I highly respect. That this will be a good concert is a given, to say that it will be worth your time and money should be obvious, so come and bring all of your friends, as a creative community gathers to send one off to meet her destiny.
Click here to download a PDF of this flyer if you want to print it out to remind yourself or invite friends. I hope to see you there!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Africa, Ben Anderson, Benefit Concert, David Lewin, Friends, FWB, Laura Reed, Maggie Britt, Music, My Life, My Songs, Songwriting, Todd & Ashley Warren, Worship | Leave a Comment »
April 14, 2010 by Emily Lewin
My family celebrates Passover every year as a part of our family traditions to honor the Jewish heritage of my Dad’s family that has been passed down through the generations and as a celebration of the fullness of our belief in Jesus as the Messiah. It is amazing how many parallels there are. I didn’t take tons of photos because I was doing a lot of the cooking this year but I did get a few to document the day which is fun! We invited David’s girlfriend Alicia and her family to join us and they had never been to a Passover seder before! We really enjoyed having them and introducing them to this facet of our faith.
Alicia helped make macaroons for desert!
It’s amazing to sit at a table and eat food, pray prayers, ask questions, and honor the Lord in a similar fashion to what is being done all over the world, and has been done for hundreds of years to commemorate freedom. I heard this year for the first time that Passover is called the Festival of Freedom. How amazing is that? It’s also the proper time to celebrate the death & resurrection of Jesus since he was killed during the time of the Passover and raised three days later.
Our table, we were trying to squeeze nine people around it!
I love how God instructs the Jewish people to celebrate these various festivals and feasts in order to keep the memory of what He has done for them fresh in their minds every year. Passover, or Pesach, is the to remember freedom from Egypt, if you know the story of Moses you know the story of Passover. It’s called Passover because the Angel of Death “passed over” the houses that had the blood of the passover lamb spread on the door. Sound familiar? We are saved from death by the blood of the Lamb being spread over the door of our hearts. Leaven is a traditional symbol of sin in scripture and at Pesach Jewish people traditionally clean out the leaven from their houses – they shine a light into every corner to make sure that it is all gone – just as the Holy Spirit cleanses us and shines His light into our hearts cleansing us of all unrighteousness. The unleavened bread, called matzo, is eaten during Passover and for a week afterward during what is called the Feast of Unleavened bread. The reason the bread was unleavened originally is because they had to be ready to leave Egypt at a moments notice and they didn’t have time to wait for the bread to rise. An interesting parallel is that the bread is striped and pierced, just like Jesus was. It is amazing to see how He is the fulfillment of so many of these prophetic traditions.
Dipping our fingers into the wine and dotting it on our napkins to signify the 10 plagues
In Jewish holidays everything means something. This year I was in charge of making the charoset, a type of apple sauce, which represents the mortar used to make the bricks by the Israelites when they were in slavery. It’s made out of apples, raisins, nuts, wine, cinnamon, and honey. It is the best part of the meal!
Charoset...YUM!
We probably have one of the most non-traditional seders that you could have but we still get the heart of what is happening. Because the Jewish people are scattered from their homeland and waiting to return Pesach is the holiday at which everyone says, “Next year in Jerusalem!” anticipating with hope the return of the people to their land to celebrate these feasts in their rightful place. That simple phrase meant so much more to me this year after having been there so recently and because this was the first holiday since I’d been home. Pesach is to Judaism what Easter is to Christianity in importance of holidays. Non-religious Jews go to congregation on Pesach just like nominal Christians go to church on Easter. Jesus celebrated this holiday as well every year for His whole life, most significantly we know it as the Last Supper.
My dad reading from a hagaddah (traditional prayer book) from the 1950s that we were arguing over who gets to inherit...eventually.
The seder plate has bowls of things that represent different aspects of slavery – what they were freed from. There’s parsley, which represents the hyssop that was dipped into the blood of the lamb to spread it on the doorways and there’s salt water to represent tears, at one point the herbs are dipped in the salt water and eaten to remind us of the tears in the time of slavery. The charoset is there as the mortar, there is traditionally a lamb shank to represent the sacrifice that was offered before leaving Egypt, bitter herbs (horse raddish) to represent the bitterness of slavery, and a hard boiled egg to represent the renewal of life after slavery and the traditional sacrifice that was brought to the temple at this holiday time.
Our poor, broken seder plate that has lasted through two moves across country & one across the world!
What a joy it is to be able to celebrate family traditions that have meaning and continue a heritage that has been passed on for generations! I do hope to be able to observe the Passover feast next year in Jerusalem.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Charoset, Christianity, Family, Freedom, Friends, Hagaddah, Holidays, Israel, Jerusalem, Jesus, Judaism, Messiah, Messianic, My Life, Passover, Pesach, Traditions | 6 Comments »
February 6, 2010 by Emily Lewin
I figured now that I’ve processed out some of what was going on with me post-Israel with you all I should probably bring you up to date on what’s actually going on in my life now, or at least as much as I know at present. (I feel like I should have that voice right here that they always have in infomercials that gives the terms and conditions really fast, offer only good at participating locations, terms and conditions subject to change…in other words, this could all change and I don’t really know but it’s a fun ride! Jesus!) Just as a side note what do you think about having posts with or without pictures? Boring or ok?
One of the biggest changes is that I’m no longer working with S.P.I.K.E., the non-profit that I worked closely with this last year. That has been a huge change mostly because it totally shifted what I’m spending my time on since I was putting a lot of time doing things to help build that organization. It was a good year and a great opportunity and I have learned a lot in walking with, through, and out of SPIKE. The people that are still doing SPIKE are all still wonderful people and I love them all, it’s just not the place where God has me anymore. (*ehem* transition *ehem*) A lot of my vision for what I was doing with my time and life in general was also tied up in SPIKE so this has really given me an opportunity to step back and think about what my vision is for my life and what things the Lord has for me to pursue now.
In honor of new things, a never before posted photo! This is from a recent ramble that I took through my neighborhood.
I started a girls group through Family Without Borders (our family night) called FWB Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I realized that it’s the first thing that I’ve actually been the leader of which is a big change. I’ve been an assistant leader or helper or behind the scenes leader of many things but never led something on my own which has been a fun and good (stretching) experience so far. Welcome to my life this season. The lovely thing about it is that we really don’t have an agenda, which is funny for someone as systems oriented as I am. We get together and start talking about life and what’s going on with people’s week or life in general and we’ve have ended up talking through some really deep issues where the girls have been really vulnerable which has been amazing! We’ve had a different group of girls every single time which has made it really interesting, we average about six or seven girls every time, and I think if everyone came who could potentially we could have quite a few people…so it’s really fun and diverse and spontaneous and mostly just about being friends and walking through life together. We did a cookie exchange party for Christmas and I managed to take pictures of all of the cookies and none of the girls…typical haha! I get caught up in details sometimes…
These are Reeces for my Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies which were SO GOOD!
A large part of my time and attention has turned to pursuing photography and taking more initiative to make that my full time occupation, although I am still working in radiology occasionally. I started the year very discouraged about photography with no prospects of work in 2010 and at this point I’ve been asked to shoot at least 3 weddings so far this year with more possibilities on the horizon, as well as engagements and other portrait work. If you need any photography work done this year let me know! I do more than just weddings and one of those weddings is out of state so I’m more than willing to travel as well.
I’m also having more opportunities with music as the Lord continues to open doors for me to play and lead worship at various places. I love the concept of not promoting yourself and allowing the Lord to put you where He wants you so that’s what I’m seeking to do with my life especially in the area of music. By promoting myself I mean going out and trying to get myself invited places or trying to just build some big thing or ministry for myself, I don’t know if that makes sense. 
I think that if I build something for myself out of my own effort then I have all of the weight and pressure of maintaining it, but if the Lord builds it and I go along for the ride, just doing what I see Him doing with me specifically in this season then He will increase or decrease it as He sees fit. I had the opportunity to lead worship for the opening session of a large business/economic summit this last week here in Arvada recently which was a HUGE honor and really quite a surprise – this was also a situation where I did almost everything I could to mess it up and was extended grace far above and beyond what I deserved…I also have a great group of girls that have been playing with me and it’s such a privilege to have people who love the Spirit and are super gifted musicians who are willing to come along side me and support me and worship with me! Love you girls! A huge desire of my heart for this year is to step into songwriting more as well as develop my skills on the instruments that I already play and maybe learn one more…any suggestions? More looping/synth skills, bass, and drums are on my list for sure.
I’m under renovation…
This has undoubtedly been one of the hardest seasons of my life so far. By season I’m encompassing the time since things really shifted and began propelling me into the place that I’m in now, which would be from about May of 2009 until now, although things have definitely intensified since mid-July and it seems like everything has hit the fan since I came back from Israel. In the midst of all of this change the Lord has been digging really deep into my heart and rooting out a lot of lies from the enemy that I have believed and replacing them with His truth about who I really am. This is one of those “this hurts so good” seasons, the best of times and the worst of times at the same time. I feel as if I’ve learned and am learning many things all the time, but it’s kind of the same thing over and over, if that makes sense.
This has been a continual journey of breaking and letting the Lord be the one who holds me together more and more. Rather than trying to be strong all the time I’m learning to glory in weakness. Rather than trying to be perfect I’m learning that it’s ok to “fail” and make mistakes and that receiving grace is much harder (and grows your character much more – humility!) than receiving punishment. I’m rooting out fear in any and every area and walking with boldness, confidence, and courage. I’m also learning that there is much more grace available to me than I ever would have thought and that I’m not responsible for people’s responses to my decisions, just my own. I’m learning that I can really trust God to be who He says that He is and that I am who He says that I am and that I can trust my friends with what they say as well. I’m also learning how to be truly vulnerable with the people around me and how to love without trying to protect myself because He is my Strong Tower. I’m also learning how to receive love from God and people.
I am His masterpiece.
My value comes from who I am and not what I do. I live and walk from a place of rest. I am a peace bringer, a hope giver, and a joy leaker. There are things that I see and feel and notice that no one else does. There’s an atmosphere and a presence that I carry that is irreplaceable. I have songs and pictures and creative ideas that no one else does! I’m beginning to tap into the creative swirl of the Holy Spirit around me without limiting it to the expectations or approval of my peers or leaders. I’m loved and wanted and valued for who I am and what I bring in just being me and not for what I produce or do. He thinks I’m funny. There is no place for comparison or jealously in me or my life because I have the best Father in the world who loves to give me good gifts and is continually working every circumstance of my life for my good and His glory and I am fully satisfied in Him.
You want to know what the best part is? All of those things I just mentioned are true of you too. He is just that good and because of Him you are just that awesome.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, Goodness, My Life, seasons, Transition, Update | 3 Comments »
February 5, 2010 by Emily Lewin
Does that sound like a familiar word to anyone? Transition. This has certainly been a season of transition! In case you didn’t know, and I’m sure that anyone who followed this blog knows by now, I did arrive home safely from Israel. Immediately upon arriving home I was plunged into the strange twilight zone-esque place that anyone who has gone on a life changing trip to another country, experienced a different culture, lived a different life in essence for a season has to face. I knew that I had changed, I knew that everyone at home had changed, and I didn’t want to come home and have things be the same as they were before I left – I didn’t want to fall back into the same habits and mindsets that I had before.
Part of what made my transition back into normal life hard is that I didn’t have any time to do it. I didn’t have time to process what had just happened to me, and believe me, a lot happened. Much more than I know even now three and a half months after coming home. Because of different things that I was involved with I had to help host and lead worship for a conference within seven days of stepping foot back in the country, including meeting with and practicing with the team the day after I got home, doing admin work…
I had to help lead worship for another event the next weekend, and then there was an event the third weekend after I got home that I decided not to go to because I was so raw and the Lord was doing or trying to do so much in my heart that I just needed time to let Him do it. When the Great Physician is doing open heart surgery and you’re laying there on the operating table, sliced wide open, with his hands in your heart, you just can’t do the same things that you could do before.
I was ruined for a nation. I was opened up to a much deeper place in my identity, culture, and history than I had experienced or acknowledged fully before. My world broadened in the way that I think it only can when you step totally outside your comfort zone and dive into a different culture and try to assimilate as much as possible in a month.
I realized that the world is a much bigger place than my little circle in Arvada. I saw that I could be a totally different person than who I was used to being just by virtue of the parts of your personality that come out in a different culture. I saw that the Kingdom of God is advancing and breaking forth everywhere. One of the amazing things about this trip were the opportunities that I was given to experience the international Church. I got to go to two different, highly diverse international conferences and see people from many cultures.
I got to hear many stories, and if you don’t know this about me yet, I love stories. Especially of people’s lives. Most especially if they involve Jesus. I got to hear the long and very detailed stories of how Jim & Leslie (our hosts in Jerusalem) got lost, got saved, got married, and got to Israel where they’ve lived for the last 23 years.
I sat with Karen and listened to Anna tell her story of living through the Holocaust as a child over tea in the appartment of a 90 year old woman, Irene, who had lived in Israel since 1948 and had quite a few stories of her own, some of which we heard as well.
We met a young man named John Paul who oversees many churches in a large state in India and heard his story of encountering the power of God as a teenager as he stood trying to get the courage to throw himself under a bus.
I became friends with young Israeli believers who are in the army or are living and working in various cities throughout the country. I met young Americans who came to Israel just to serve in the army. Avi told us how his mom was one of the first messianic believers in the country and the righteous heritage that was passed down to them, and now he is one of the major leaders of the rapidly growing messianic movement in the country. I visited several different congregations and gatherings throughout the country.
One of the most amazing stories was how I had a divine appointment with a man named Aaron McKenzie, who works with Iris Bethlehem (the Israel branch of Heidi Baker’s ministry that works with Palestinians) and has one of the hugest father hearts of anyone I’ve ever met.
Jim spontaneously drove us up to the top of the Mount of Olives a few hours after we were even supposed to be in the area and introduced me to Aaron. David & Joe had met Aaron when they were in Jerusalem for OneThing Jerusalem a couple years ago and they told me I should try to meet him and I had told Jim that I wanted to at the beginning of my stay with them. That precious man said he remembered my brothers and had just been facebook chatting with one of them and then proceeded to give me a word about what the Lord was teaching me and doing in me that so blessed me and has encouraged me greatly throughout this season as I have continued to go forward.
My story has been continuing with many twists and turns along the way. The plot has taken a major turn toward character development and the author is looking deeply into true identity, calling, purpose, and character of the main player(s) in this story. I can truly say that I came home and got my prayer answered, not one thing has been the same since I came home. My life has changed and transitioned in every single area. The obvious reason being because I’ve changed and grown and so the way that I relate to everything and everyone around me changed as well. Here’s to digging deep and pressing into the fullness.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010, change, divine appointments, Family, February, Israel, My Life, seasons, Transition, Update, Worship | 2 Comments »
October 12, 2009 by Emily Lewin
Here are some fun little facts about Israel in general but especially Jerusalem since that’s where I’m spent most of my time.
- Almost every toilet in Israel has two handles, one is typically smaller than the other. The smaller one uses half of the tank of water per flush and the larger one used the full tank, you get to decide how much you need. It’s a country in the desert and the middle of a drought so it’s a pretty witty invention if you ask me. I think we could use those at home too…
- While we’re on the topic of bathrooms I noticed that many of the bathrooms in people’s homes don’t have locks. I wondered what type of lock they would use (they were usually painted over) until I came to the last few places I’ve stayed and they had skeleton key locks in all of the bathrooms! It’s so fun! Though I have gotten myself kinda stuck a few times…I figured it out eventually…of all places to get stuck I can think of worse ones than the bathroom.
- Another shirutim (sheer-oo-teem yeah it means bathroom) note is that some of them are unisex, you go in to a row of stalls and sinks and it doesn’t matter who or what you are you just use ‘em.
- There is a prolific system of crosswalks, many of them with signs, everywhere and most people obey the signs (it’s pretty dangerous not to – the drivers are kinda crazy here – and apparently there’s a fine if you j-walk.) The funny thing about it is that most of the people who j-walk are either the ultra orthodox or old people. I imagine that both groups really just don’t give a…hoot…about waiting hehe. It’s kinda nice to have the right of way established since we’ve walked almost everywhere, but sometimes it takes a long time to get through a busy intersection because the cross walks are in weird places or in halves (you cross the street half way on one light but the next half has another light that may be red and you have to wait on the island in the middle.)
- The Israeli people are very direct, they will just tell it to you like it is. They are usually helpful if you ask and often very generous. Many of them speak English which has been super helpful and many people who live here are from the states or another English country and have been in Israel for long enough that they blend into the culture.
- No one smiles back at you if you smile at them on the street. If they smile back they’re most likely not Israeli.
- No one waves at the drivers at crosswalks to thank them for letting you cross. If they do, they’re not Israeli.
- If you are standing in line that does not guarantee that you’ll be helped in the order that you arrived. People have an astounding ability to just move their way up, and no one really thinks it’s rude, it’s just what they do.
- You have to be a little bit pushy to get onto a bus or in a line haha, you just do, otherwise you won’t make it.
- Bus drivers don’t give a…hoot. They will shut the door in your face. Many of them are helpful when asked.
- The two beaches that I’ve been to here are really different from each other.
- Every major city seems to have it’s own area of expertise that it adds to the rest of the country. Tel Aviv is the high tech area, Haifa is industry, Galilee is agriculture, Jerusalem is the spiritual hub, Be’er Sheva is the desert…I’m sure that’s a huge generalization. They also have different spiritual and cultural atmospheres. I guess that’s true of any town that you go to in any country.
- Every area I’ve visited has had a different look and feel to it. The land here is super diverse. You can drive an hour in any direction from Jerusalem and be in totally different looking territory.
- While the people here may be brusque they are very friendly and welcoming and hospitable.
- The food here is amazing. Can’t beat humus and pita (oh and that chocolate spread!!), but there’s also much much more to be had and it’s all good! Eggplant is served in several delicious ways…there’s always a variety of salads if you eat out anywhere. Pickles are served with lunch almost anywhere you go.
- There’s really no where quite like this place and these people. There is something ancient and deep about this land. The atmosphere spiritually and naturally in each place is different, the people are different, the “vibe” is different, and the culture is a bit different. Israel has definitely found a place in my heart.
In a bus tunnel (under a street) near the Central Bus Station
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2009, Israel, Jerusalem, My Life, Travel, Update | 2 Comments »
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