Being Available

|This is a long one so bear with me..I should really blog more often to avoid the long-ness..|

A question I've been asked a lot lately is, so what is you schedule like? This has been a month of trial and error, adjustments, actual trials, and many blessings! As many of you know, I am not teaching at the girls school. With that door closing, many have opened. If you missed the post on Facebook, here it is again:

"This is so hard to write,but many of you have been asking about the girls so here goes. Due to circumstances out of my control, I will not be returning to the girls' school. Even though I won't be their teacher, I will be able to maintain all the relationships I made with them and visit them!  I am so thankful for everything I learned there and how much I grew. With this change, God has opened many doors for Jonah and me and I can't wait to share what those are!" 

-from Facebook  August 10, 2015

This seems like a strange thing to say, but not teaching this year has opened up the door of availability. Some weeks are more calm, and most weeks are crazy busy and full of opportunities for ministry on both sides of the border. Here's what that looks like:

Oh...Before I say more, another one of those doors is that Jonah is going to school this semester to earn his EMT Basic Certificate! He loves it so far and is learning so many wonderful skills for his future job and the mission field! 

I, along with others, have committed to getting a few of our American citizens from Reynosa to school and back every day in a new school. Two are girls that were with me at the girls school, and the other is a sibling who is experiencing education in the US for the first time! I make them lunch, get them from the bridge, take them to school, pick them up, and then take them home. It has taken a while for them to adjust to getting up early and has been a frustrating process, but I think we are finally getting in a groove and it has become more comfortable. I have seen growth in all three of them and am so proud of how hard they are trying! We couldn't do this without their sponsors, so thank you guys so so much! I can't wait to see what the future holds for them! 

This year, I also have 10 other students on the Mexico side with sponsors which is amazing. Many of those are middle and high school students, which is a big deal considering most of their parents didn't complete their education! This generation of students will have more opportunities for good jobs in the future and a better future for their children. Celebrate that with me! I love delivering letters and gifts to them and others who made special relationships this summer. The look on their faces when they hear from you guys makes the bad days better and the good days amazing!

Along with meeting with the girls weekly, two have celebrated their fifteenth birthdays and we were able to attend their XV años to support them and their families! This is one of my favorite parts of the Mexican Culture. One of the moms said something that really stuck with me. We asked her if she needed anything else to get ready for the party and she said, "No, I think we have everything. Everyone has come together, even if they can only give a grain of sand, everyone has pitched in." |Even if they can only give a grain of sand...| It was true. We went to the party and you could see all the little grains of sand who had donated, decorated, cooked, cleaned, planned, and it all came together for a beautiful celebration of a beautiful girl. We should be more like that, by the way. 

So. My schedule is: striving to be available. What does being available really mean? It means being able to do all those things above and the flexibility to change that up, add to, take away, whatever God calls us to do daily.  When we tie ourselves down to such a strict schedule, even in full time ministry, it takes away that availability. We shut our eyes to doors that are being opened and opportunities God is trying to reveal to us because we know we won't have time. It doesn't fit in the schedule we have made for ourselves. I'm not really sure what the solution is. The world we live in today is so much about schedules that we can't change it one day to help a friend or family member. Even with this new schedule, I catch myself putting limitations, time frames, etc. 

I'm having trouble knowing how to close this one, because I really don't know how to put a solution into words. I don't have one. My dear friend Kerrie Williams said it really well in a recent blog called Being over Doing. 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Romans 12:2 ESV

The last two months.

These last two months have been full of amazing things: July packed with groups and August packed with back to school craziness. Throughout the groups and everything, I've continued to meet with the girls once a week. While the groups were here, they were able to join together  with young girls from the US and make relationships with them. One group had never really gotten to know the teenage girls and loved hanging out with them, as did the girls from Reynosa! My heart is so full. They all want to learn and spend time together, and if they aren't Christians, they want to learn more. This my friends, is awesome.

In investing more time with the older girls, naturally less time is spent with the little ones. So they go play off to the side with Jonah and the boys or just with themselves while I'm spending time with their big sisters. This does something amazing though. The little girls are now saying, "When I'm big, do I get to come too?" Of course you do mija. They're able to look up to their sisters and have something to look forward to. Praise God this opportunity has been given to me and others who have been involved. The fact that God trusts me with his young people is such an honor. Pray for these girls daily as they go back to school, face trials, and come closer to knowing Christ as their savior! 

 

-EmilyMichele

The Muchachas of Reynosa

I have always had a heart for teenagers, being a youth volunteer, sunday school teacher, camp counselor, etc in the last few years. This year I taught at a school of all girls and little did I know they were training me and preparing me for what was to come in Reynosa. All this semester God has put on my heart and the hearts of others to do something for the teenage girls in Reynosa. I made excuses like, school, the wedding, the language barrier, time, countless excuses. 

Until finally, I made little flyers and invited girls to an interest meeting. I went door to door inviting them to our mission house for a girls' group meeting. Honestly, I didn't expect the excitement on their faces, nor did I expect 12 to show up the first week, and almost 20 to show up the next! Get ready for this one. They arrived, not only on time, but early! If you know anything about the valley and Mexican culture, noone is on time, and definitely not early. This tells me that the girls are hungry for something. They want friends, they want community, they just needed women to lead them. 

My hope for this group is to give them a safe place to make friends that turn into sisters that they spend time with and talk to. Most importantly, my hope is that they find their identity in Christ! Not in their clothes, their friends, their looks, or their money, but in Christ. Each week we will have a Bible study, and a fun activity, and close with prayer requests and prayer. Right now we are doing prayer box prayer requests until they feel comfortable saying them out loud, it will take some time. I know God has a plan for these young women and will provide the finances and women to pour into their lives! 

Here's some pictures form the first two weeks!

Just look at those smiles! 

Happy happy heart. 

Join me in praying for these girls daily. 

1. education

2. families

3. future

4. safety

Give back to your Roots.

Second of the three blogs today: Youth Service Week in my home town!

I flew home the beginning of this month to sing in a wedding, and it just so happened to be youth service week in Gadsden! About 150 youth from town came together to raise money for a water well project in Mozambique. Throughout the week, they did service projects around town, 

while learning about circumstances in third world countries. 

This was a great opportunity to open their eyes to what people go through in the world around them! 

I was able to share stories from Mexico with the youth, and get to serve in my Roots. It felt good to go home for a week and give back the the place that raised me. 

My eyes were opened to a lot that week as well. 

Carrying water buckets around downtown to better understand what others around the world must do daily for water. 

Our group coming together to reflect on the day and what they had experienced serving others. 

Heading to a retirement home to give the residents potted flowers made by our youth.

I got to spend some quality time with friends from my home church!

And do a little early birthday celebration!

While serving at a local soup kitchen, Way of the Cross, I was asked to lead them in Amazing Grace.
Worshiping with the homeless of my hometown, my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Serving our brothers and sisters at Way of the Cross. 

The boys ended up in the kitchen, and did a great job!

Of course I found a way to use my Spanish, helping a mom with her 5 children.

The youth sorting shoes to bring to Mexico in a few weeks.

More birthday celebrations!

Then I headed home to celebrate with my Mexico family and my husband.
I think Esmerelda loved the cake!

Couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate than with these cuties!

I encourage all of you to serve no matter where you are! Whether it's in you daily life, or during a trip home, or even a vacation away from home. Jesus doesn't take breaks from serving us, why should we take breaks from serving in His name? Serving and watching others serve in my hometown really opened my eyes to the need everywhere. Not just here in the Valley, Mexico, or third world countries, But right there where I grew up, and I'm sure in your hometowns as well. 

Don't forget to give back to your Roots, they did raise you after all!

Wedding Tips from Mrs. Riley

Marrying Jonah is the best thing that's ever happened to me, 

and our wedding day was perfection! 

So thankful to Pamella Vann Photography for 

capturing every moment beautifully! 

Here's a few tips for you future brides from Mrs. Riley:

1. Get a great photographer to capture the day!

I can't stop looking at our photos, 

and I am so glad we will have them to share 

with our children and grandchildren in the years to come!

2. I know the trend right now is to do "first looks" (which are super cute by the way), but if you want to not see each other until the ceremony, I recommend something like this. We had people direct us to this column where we could talk, pray, and exchange gifts. We were both nervous and being able to do this calmed us down and meant so much. Jonah prayed for our nerves and for our marriage. This moment I will never forget! 

3. We chose to kneel and take communion together during the ceremony. This is a way to share some of the gospel with friends and family who may not have heard without having a full blown sermon. We had the preacher briefly explain about the bread and the wine (juice) and why we wanted to do this on our Wedding Day. We also got a little private time while the song was finishing up. We prayed together and then just talked and laughed. Our feet got a break, and we got to hide from all the people for a few minutes. Definitely a highlight for me, and a way to make the ceremony more intimate for Jonah and I.  

4. Dance like no-one's watching. 

5. We all know what honeymoons are for, so I'll skip that part. You're welcome. 

My honeymoon tip is, go somewhere new and adventurous! There's no better way to bond with you new husband than experiencing new things! We went to Cancun and took a day to explore God's creation together! Caves, beautiful creatures, and "Snuba-ing" (snorkle/scuba). Amazing experience!

6. When you get home, don't let the adventures stop. 

Dress up like ninjas for a birthday party.

Celebrate month-aversaries again because why not?

Learn to cook together ... unless you are already good at it... lucky dogs. 

Serve Christ together.

Be strong in the trials (had a car wreck but we're ok!) and use them to get closer not push you apart. 

Happiness is bliss. So be happy in your marriage! Keep the little things little, and don't sweat it. Work together like the team you now are and just do life together! We're loving it.