What's been happeing in Erica's life?
So I thought I would post an update on what's been happening since I've returned from my travels overseas.....
I've started working at All God's Children Intl, an international adoption agency and orphan care ministry. I LOVE my job! Seriously, that is a big thing for me to say considering how windy of a path I've taken to get here. When I graduated college 5 years ago I never would have guessed I'd be doing what I am doing today. God is just good like that, isn't He? I am doing marketing and development work for AGCI, mostly in the orphan care ministry side of things. I get to do a lot of writing, which is something I haven't done a lot of since school. I was an editor on my High School newspaper staff and I've always enjoyed writing...especially during this recent trip overseas. It is so awesome that I am able to explore writing again. I will be traveling to one of our orphan care homes in Guatemala next month. I'm so excited to see first hand the kind of exceptional care that we provide abandoned children. I plan on writing updates on my trips when I travel and also to tell you more about what I am doing for All God's Children. You can check out our website in the mean time if you are interested: www.allgodschildren.org.
If you know me well, then you know that my life is always quite chaotic. I've been living out of boxes and slept on an innumerable amount of beds this past year. Most of my 26 years of life are all boxed up and living in my parent's garage. My stuff, my parents and myself of course are all very excited to be finally moving into a real home! YEAH! I cant wait to decorate a room and have roommates again! I'll be moving in with my friend Christina after her roommate Linsey gets married. (By the way Christina's brain tumor has completely been removed after radiation...praise the Lord!!! Thank you for all your prayers). My good friend Karen will be moving in the house as well next month.
I just turned in my application to Multnomah Bible Seminary here in Portland. I've applied for a graduate program in Women's pastoral care. After the vision trip I took with OCI I really felt that this was the next step God was leading me to take. God has given me a great hunger for His Word and I want to go and learn not only to be more equipped as an instrument for the Lord, but also to learn how to nurture and feed my own soul. One of the struggles of being on the mission field was the lack of opportunities to be "fed" by others. By that I mean, from amazing spirit-filled teachings, small groups, and bible classes. I really discovered that living on the field required a great deal of knowing how to feed from the Word of God on your own. Basically, I just really want to know this living-breathing book that God has given us as much as possible! I've been taking a class on the book of Isaiah and I have had such a rich time in the word! I would love prayer for this next step in my life. Pray that if this is truly the direction God wants that He would open the doors and guide me through them. Finances and time are the two biggest obstacles in going to Seminary. I will have to take night classes while working full-time. Pray that I can make wise decisions regarding all aspects of possibly going to grad school.
I have enjoyed catching up with friends and family. I did return from this trip a little burnt out and withdrawn from the "normal" routine I once lived before. I've had some struggle getting back into the swing of things in Portland, but it is coming back slowly but surely. Where I once filled my time with serving at my church and doing many activities, I've now found myself wanting to retreat into the quietness of a coffee shop corner. Without spending hours writing out a lengthy explanation of my walk with Christ the past 3 months.....What I've been hearing from the Lord is that He wants more of me this year. More intimacy in friendship, more relationship, more time discovering Him....less time doing, serving and leading. I am a doer and always wanting to be involved with way too much. I tend to be a Martha instead of a Mary way too often. I'm looking forward to slowing down this year and enjoying my Maker and the beautiful relationship He's created me to be in with Him. I just finished a phenomenal book called The Shack. I'm not going to say anything about it but go buy it and read it as soon as you can. This book is simple, fresh and heart-transforming. It really narrows in on this picture of relationship with God. Totally worth the money!!
Ok...this post turned out to be much longer then I expected. I plan on updating more regularly, so follow along if you're interested. :)
I've started working at All God's Children Intl, an international adoption agency and orphan care ministry. I LOVE my job! Seriously, that is a big thing for me to say considering how windy of a path I've taken to get here. When I graduated college 5 years ago I never would have guessed I'd be doing what I am doing today. God is just good like that, isn't He? I am doing marketing and development work for AGCI, mostly in the orphan care ministry side of things. I get to do a lot of writing, which is something I haven't done a lot of since school. I was an editor on my High School newspaper staff and I've always enjoyed writing...especially during this recent trip overseas. It is so awesome that I am able to explore writing again. I will be traveling to one of our orphan care homes in Guatemala next month. I'm so excited to see first hand the kind of exceptional care that we provide abandoned children. I plan on writing updates on my trips when I travel and also to tell you more about what I am doing for All God's Children. You can check out our website in the mean time if you are interested: www.allgodschildren.org.
If you know me well, then you know that my life is always quite chaotic. I've been living out of boxes and slept on an innumerable amount of beds this past year. Most of my 26 years of life are all boxed up and living in my parent's garage. My stuff, my parents and myself of course are all very excited to be finally moving into a real home! YEAH! I cant wait to decorate a room and have roommates again! I'll be moving in with my friend Christina after her roommate Linsey gets married. (By the way Christina's brain tumor has completely been removed after radiation...praise the Lord!!! Thank you for all your prayers). My good friend Karen will be moving in the house as well next month.
I just turned in my application to Multnomah Bible Seminary here in Portland. I've applied for a graduate program in Women's pastoral care. After the vision trip I took with OCI I really felt that this was the next step God was leading me to take. God has given me a great hunger for His Word and I want to go and learn not only to be more equipped as an instrument for the Lord, but also to learn how to nurture and feed my own soul. One of the struggles of being on the mission field was the lack of opportunities to be "fed" by others. By that I mean, from amazing spirit-filled teachings, small groups, and bible classes. I really discovered that living on the field required a great deal of knowing how to feed from the Word of God on your own. Basically, I just really want to know this living-breathing book that God has given us as much as possible! I've been taking a class on the book of Isaiah and I have had such a rich time in the word! I would love prayer for this next step in my life. Pray that if this is truly the direction God wants that He would open the doors and guide me through them. Finances and time are the two biggest obstacles in going to Seminary. I will have to take night classes while working full-time. Pray that I can make wise decisions regarding all aspects of possibly going to grad school.
I have enjoyed catching up with friends and family. I did return from this trip a little burnt out and withdrawn from the "normal" routine I once lived before. I've had some struggle getting back into the swing of things in Portland, but it is coming back slowly but surely. Where I once filled my time with serving at my church and doing many activities, I've now found myself wanting to retreat into the quietness of a coffee shop corner. Without spending hours writing out a lengthy explanation of my walk with Christ the past 3 months.....What I've been hearing from the Lord is that He wants more of me this year. More intimacy in friendship, more relationship, more time discovering Him....less time doing, serving and leading. I am a doer and always wanting to be involved with way too much. I tend to be a Martha instead of a Mary way too often. I'm looking forward to slowing down this year and enjoying my Maker and the beautiful relationship He's created me to be in with Him. I just finished a phenomenal book called The Shack. I'm not going to say anything about it but go buy it and read it as soon as you can. This book is simple, fresh and heart-transforming. It really narrows in on this picture of relationship with God. Totally worth the money!!
Ok...this post turned out to be much longer then I expected. I plan on updating more regularly, so follow along if you're interested. :)
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