Just a few weeks ago I wrote to you all regarding the journey the Lord has taken me on over the past year. I ended by writing “It is well with my soul because the King of my heart is the King of this earth.” No matter my circumstances it must be well with my soul because Jesus is my King.
Over the past few weeks I have encountered so much. I have encountered adventure, growth, heartbreak, devastation, hope, mercy, grace and so much more. At the beginning of June I made my way to Gainesville, GA for training camp for the World Race. The Lord has changed me so much since my last journey to training camp and it was so clear to everyone who encountered me. However on the seventh day of camp a member of my squad’s training team took me aside into a meeting and they informed me that I will not be going on the World Race with my squad as they did not feel it would be the right fit with my team.
The Lord has again changed my path and it shall be well. A door was closed at the World Race. Although I wanted this journey the Lord knew that it would not be right and there would not be peace or wellness in it. There was sadness and fear as I began to take steps onward. Although the World Race will most likely never be in my future, I feel like the Lord has called me to a journey of abandoning what I know as life and as comfortable to seek Him in a fuller and greater way. In the days following my return from training camp I shed many tears, I spent time with many mentors and wise friends and I sought the Lord. I spent much time in prayer choosing to trust God, press into healing, seek His path, and abandon and surrender my future to Him. After much prayer and advice from some wise counsel I applied for Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Durban South Africa. I was accepted to the program and I have to be boots on the ground ready to start in Durban by July 31st. This was not an easy decision to come to and it was not done without counsel and prayer. The Holy Spirit has given me much confirmation through many different avenues that this is what I should be spending my near future doing. The Father has called me to a season of greater intimacy with Him and I am blessed to be able to do this with the community at YWAM in Durban South Africa. I will be living in South Africa for around 5 months. The first two and a half months we will be in a learning phase. We will be in class for two hours a day learning about things such as, intimacy with the Father, the Father’s heart, inner healing, sin, repentance, forgiveness, evangelism and so much more. We will be able to put these things we learn into practice in the city and in the slums surrounding the city during our learning/ school phase. During the second two and a half months we will go on an intentional outreach. Our outreach location is not yet chosen. When all of the students arrive to the school we will pray with the staff and ask the Holy Spirit where He would have us go.
In order to go to YWAM in Durban South Africa I need to raise the cost of my stay and transportation there. This will include my school fees, my outreach fees, cost of airfare, cost of visas, cost of necessary gear and cost of incidentals while on the field and travelling to South Africa and outreach. I believe the Lord can do big things and provide in great ways and I believe He uses His people to do so!
I am currently in contact with Adventures in Mission to see if they would consider transferring my funds from the Race to the base in South Africa to cover my school fees. Their board will be meeting this week to review my case so I ask that you join me in prayer for that.
If you would like to support me as a missionary in South Africa and to the ends of the earth you can do so by donating online to my local church Hill City Church VA. https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/HillCityChurch/SendEmilytoSouthAfrica
In the coming days I will be working on creating a new blog so anyone and everyone can follow my journey via the Internet.
This season of my life brings to mind Paul’s words in Ephesians 1: 1-6: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us within the Beloved.” The Father knows all before it happens and He has a good plan for us, His will is greater than we can understand and even when we can not see or comprehend His goodness, He is still good, He has still chosen us and we are still His Beloved! What an amazing blessing this is!
Although this was not my plan, the Holy Spirit had His plans in place before the foundation of the world and I praise Him for His good will!
Thank you for your love and support along the way throughout this journey! If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to send me an email at [email protected]. If you are an iPhone user you can also send me an iMessage at this address!
It is well with my soul because the King of my heart is the King of this earth.
-Emily Reina Kerkhof
