Hello my friends, future friends and supporters!
My name is Hannah, I am 21 years old and am about to start my last semester at Drake University in lovely, freezing, Des Moines Iowa. I will graduate in the spring with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and a bachelor’s degree in Advertising, as well as a minor in painting. If you haven’t already inferred, I am very artistically inclined. I paint all the time, like actually all the time. I have a small studio area (corner) in my house and am frequently found with paint on my clothing (I’m fairly certain every single piece of every day clothing I own has paint on it somewhere) I was even planning on going to graduate school for fine art before God did his thing, but that is a whole other blog post.
FACTS ABOUT ME:
-I grew up in Deephaven, MN
-I grew up going to church in a very large brick church (with a very small congregation) in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.
-I am the oldest of five kiddos
-The last time I went home there were 6 small puppies in my basement
-I am a second degree blackbelt in karate (though out of practice, I would like to think I could defend myself at this point)
-I wear glasses
-“WHERE ARE MY KEYS” frequents my vocabulary
-my favorite breed of dog is pit bull. Mine is named Bebe and she is super fun and derpy
-cheese
-painting is something I just do, most enjoyably to serve people and the Lord
-singing (worship is the bomb diggity, am I right??)
-I go to Drake (University, not the rapper)
-I’m like, really tall.
-The house I live in, in DSM is called “Bananarama” its yellow if you couldn’t guess that from the name.
-My roommate is from Malaysia, so super pumped about going there
-I am 50% Swedish
-I am part of an amazing group of Christians that are all pumped about doing life with one another, and reaching campus with the gospel. They are what it means to have brothers and sisters in Christ.
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So now into the more serious things…
I have been blessed to know what true active and focused fellowship is like and it is one of the things that drew me to the World Race, though definitely not the only thing. The WR is a focused year of being bold for God, pushing through the fear and being courageous.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it” -though not a biblical quote, its a good one. It is our callings as Christians to exercise courage. In Luke 9:26 it says
“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
Man, that is harsh. I want to live in a way that is courageous and unashamed of the Gospel; a life that fears God more than man. Learning that my motivation for everything is what Christ did for us on the cross; understanding that he loves all people that much. I should love people that much. I fail at it pretty epically all the time, but guys I am broken, and Christ has made me whole. The Gospel is what makes life worth living.
When Christ died to pay the debt we are supposed to pay, he did NOT give us a ticket into heaven. He gave us the OPPORTUNITY to have a RELATIONSHIP with a powerful, all-knowing, all-loving and eternal God. Who am I?
I know a lot of you reading this know the Gospel, but it is the foundation of why we are all writing these blogs, and asking people for prayer (and money :/) and I have recently been so convicted about taking who our God is for granted. Like think about it for a second… HOLY CRAP.
“Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the MAJESTY of God.” -R.C. Sproul
What I want out of the race is to experience God in ways I have not. I want to let God be as big as he actually is and mold me into someone who does not underestimate his ability and power, as well as his love. I want to be so courageous for the Lord that it is the normality of my life.
I have recently been struggling with the fact that I am for sure not worthy to do this. How am I someone that will live up to God’s expectations? How can I? With very little cross cultural and discipleship experience (let alone combining the two), how can I be someone God has told to go. I am not qualified. Seriously though, no. But God is. He is pleased with me. He has qualified me. I read this today, and it may become one of my trip verse “duos.”
“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Colossians 1:11-12 ESV
This passage just spoke to what God has done for us, he has qualified us to take part of what he is offering, and in turn share it.
Whew, this blogging stuff though… hard. Just sitting here bearing my soul to whomever may wish to read it. Here are some answers to suggested questions I may not have answered from the WR people.
Meyers-Briggs: ENFP
Spiritual gifts: Exhortation, Mercy, Faith (as determined by myself and others close to me)
Strengths: Adaptable, Easy going, personable, mothering? (is that a thing?), I listen really well, Ive been told I have given sound biblical advice, so thats cool.
weakness: I am not organized…Its pathetic. I procrastinate, usually. Im a dreamer, which could really be either strength/weakness. Im loud, probably when I should’t be. Im sure there are more.
One last thing: Prayer
I often underestimate the power this can have in my life, and take for granted my direct connection to God.
-Please pray for being a good steward of my time, as finishing school, working, fellowshipping, and fundraising seems daunting.
-Pray that I would be continually giving this journey to the Lord with open hands and not clenched fists.
-Pray that I would be effective in my ministry here at Drake, and am not distracted from where God has placed me in the here and now.
Until next time.
Hannah L. Erickson
