Emily's thoughts on Radiate!

 left to right: Sara, me, Sammie, Beca and Meghan

(we were trying to be a rainbow,  look at the colors of our shirts and skirts)     

A really cool thing that I didn't get to see on my last trip to NYC was the wishing wall.  Did you know that the confetti that drops out of the ball on New Years Eve is not your ordinary confetti!  Every year NYC tourism dept. allows tourists to write down their "hopes and dreams" and then they fill the ball with those pieces of paper.  Awesome right?  I thought so.  The picture below is us under the ball.  We actually wrote out some prayers to God, instead of wishes.  Why wish for something when you can pray to the One who holds the entire universe in His hands!

Thanks so much for praying for me over the past few days.  Personally, I loved "Radiate" and hope that I am able to participate next year.  I think it is a good thing for high-schoolers to be involved in even if "missions" is not their thing.  I think it is good for teens to learn to serve others and not expect everyone to serve them.

Once again, God did more than I ever dreamed that He could.  He quickly allowed my fears to be silenced.  He provided the perfect group to work with.  He not only provided some friends that I am anxious to keep in touch with, but He allowed them to be teens who love the Lord and are also serious about serving Him.  He even allowed it to be the perfect size group.  We were just the right size to get everything done but small enough that our group could get close even over a short amount of time.  Sarah, Beca and I were known as the lumber-jacks all week because of our hard work loading and hauling logs on Thursday. :)  Although it sounds like work I was with a great group who made it fun.  On Friday, we spent the day in Wilkes-Barre.  While we were there we went around asking people if  we could pay their parking meters for them, sadly people mostly turned us down.  We sensed that's how they felt about their lives; that they had it under control and they didn't need anyone else including, but not limited to, God.

I am excited to see what God has in store for me next.  I am studying hard so that I can be ready for whatever He puts before me.  Thanks again for praying for me!  I love how God has answered so many requests in such a way that I can see what He is doing.  I know it won't always be that way.  Would you continue to pray for me as I get ready for this summer's trip?