Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 4/7/2012
January:
A weekend that has started lasting friendships. The last weekend of January I was a leader of a disciple now at FBC Trimmier. One of my good friends is the youth pastor there and he didn't know that I would forever be thankful for him asking me to lead the girl's small group. That weekend I met some very precious girls who taught me a lot. There were six girls there and all but one girl came from a broken home life. Hearing these girls pour out their heart to me was incredible. I enjoyed how the Lord allowed them to feel comfortable around me after meeting me only two hours before. Since then, I help out with FBC Trimmier youth group on Wednesday and Sunday nights. I am blessed to be able to continue relationships with these girls and the other girls that have come on a weekly basis. I pray for Warehouse Youth Ministry and that the Lord continue to mold these precious sisters of mine into beautiful women of God.
February:
This month brought A LOT of growth spiritually. One of my journal entries seems to say it all.
Covered by Your love
Lord, I come to you with thanksgiving. You fill my life with joy. I can't describe my awe of your works in my life. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You. God, You challenge me with long days, meetings, and relationships. God you know me full well that my body is tired. May I continue to be blessed by Your strength. You provide for me in every aspect of life and I apoplogize for not giving you the thanksgiving you deserve. Lord, THANK YOU! Allow my life to be an example to those in my life. Let Your light shine brighter than ever through me. May You be given all the glory. I lay down my life to follow you. Let my life be transformed by your works on the cross.
Undeserving of your grace and love, EJ
March:
My highlight of March was spring break. For spring break, I went on Beach Reach for the second time. Leading up to the week of spring break, I along with 37 other UMHB students went through a six week training. During these Monday night sessions, we learned how to relate to those on South Padre Island and built community with the others going on BR. Beach Reach is an outreach mission trip on South Padre Island. During the week, we as beach reachers provide free rides and free pancakes to anybody on SPI. While giving rides or sharing a meal, conversations occur and with attentiveness to the Holy Spirit the conversation will hopefully turn to spiritual matters.
The week started out VERY rough for me. Building up to spring break, I wasn't even sure I was going to go and I struggled with comparing this year to last year. We left UMHB on Friday, we stayed the night in Victoria. In Victoria, our teams practiced van rides and we had time as a group to bond. Saturday morning we drove the rest of the way to South Padre. That night, we went to Port Isabel and had amazing authentic Mexican food and had a meet and greet with the other 700 beach reachers. After dinner, we went to Island Baptist Church and walked around praying with other beach reachers about the week ahead. Sunday through Tuesday was very numb for me. I felt as though I shouldn't be there and was struggling to find joy. Tuesday before worship, my good friend Ryan and I talked and we both were sharing the same feeling of being spiritually numb and just weren't feeling Beach Reach. During worship, I took time to write out my prayer to the Lord.
"Lord, I feel inadequate. I feel like I don't belong. Lord, I need you! God use me, break me, mold me to who I need to be. God, I am NOTHING without you. Lord give me more than words to speak! Words that my team needs to hear! God, I need someone to pick me up, I feel like crap. God, I need you more than ever. I pray that I can bring you glory each and every day. I am running on fumes God. Help me be strong for you this day and every day thereafter. God, I need you to consume my soul and allow my focus to be solely on you!"
The rest of the week the Lord provided so many opportunities to have conversations centered on Him. I can't even imagine my spring break without beach reach. I thank the Lord for breaking me so much that I actually felt something. I have built great friendships and strengthened old friendships. If I had to sum up beach reach in one word it would be "all-encompassing." I was revealed throughout BR how unique the body of Christ is and when we as believers have one goal and unite together just how powerful we can be. "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."-Romans 8:28
April:
All semester I have been student teaching. I have been at Lakewood Elementary, Lake Belton Middle School, and Belton Middle School. I have learned a lot about how to relate with middle schoolers. My favorite part of student teaching is seeing my students outside of school and hearing them say, "Hey Coach Jackson!" I really look forward to each day and just how they keep me on my toes! Only three more weeks and graduation May 5th!!!!!
 May the Lord bless you and break you to build you up stronger!
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Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 1/21/2012
I titled this blog with Ecclesiastes 3:11 (one of my favorite verses) because this morning while I was at the Ministry Leadership Council retreat, we had 30 minutes of silence. I opened my journal and Ecclesiastes 3:11 was at the bottom of the page. This is what poured out of my heart and onto the pages of my journal. These words are addressed to someone that I will not mention, but you know who you are.
It has been an indescribable 35 days!
Lord I just want to lift up my dear friend. You know exactly where his heart is and I pray that he will be strengthened by your love, grace, and truth. For Lord I know he is hurting emotionally and physically. I pray that his hope be renewed in you and that he believes in your almightly healing power! God, give him words to speak to his family that are pleasing to You. Allow his faith to be refreshed by those people in his life. Grant him knowledge to know YOUR purpose for him. God I come humbly before you and in incredible awe of your works in our relationship. May peace of mind overflow his soul. God may his heart not be troubled by the struggles he faces. Lord my heart ACHES to know that his love for you is not as strong as it once was. I pray that even more than before that I would be a vessel of Your truth to him. I pray for his health, Lord that you will be able to grant him wisdom and understanding during this time in his life. God, I also pray that you continue to orchestrate a relationship that You desire for us to have. Lastly Lord, I just want to thank you for becoming flesh and dying on the cross for my life and allowing my eyes to no longer be overshadowed by sin so that I may have a new life!
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Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 11/17/2011
This is my last journal entry and I wanted to share it with you all.
Lord,
I am hurting, you know that full well. I know You have gone before me and I thank You for that. My heart breaks every time I enter my apartment. Lord protect me from all the hurt I am enduring through the silence. I pray that my roommates will know You. For you are the almighty healer. Thank you for becoming flesh and bearing ALL my sins upon the tree. I pray that Your light shines brighter in me than ever before. I feel broken apart from my two roommates. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to consume my thoughts and that those thoughts out pour into words. I thank you for your redemption for without it I would be blind with sin. Lord, I hope that I be able to have a pure heart around them. Lord, after all I am Yours! Consume every step, every word, every breath I breathe. Fill me up so I can pour out your love onto them. Thank you for putting trial in my life because it makes me realize how much I truly need You in my life. I hope that my heart not be hardened by those times, but that it be spurred on with joy to serve You more fervently. Lord, I want to follow you even more! I lift this up in the name of the man who gives me a reason to live, JESUS; amen!
In Matthew 10:16 it says, "I am sending you as sheep among wolves."
In my walk with the Lord I have been filled with unexpressable hurts. Looking at Matthew 10:16, I am overjoyed because I know that the Lord has called me to trial.
May you be comforted by the following verses from Psalm 119
1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“LORD, save me!”
5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The LORD protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
8 For you, LORD, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
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Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 10/25/2011
serv·ant/ˈsÉ™rvÉ™nt/
Noun: 1. A person who performs duties for others.
Thinking about my journey on the World Race, I am looking forward to serving others through the power of Christ and how others lifes will be impacted as well as my own.
Becoming more like Tychicus, has really been on my heart lately. He was a guy very close to Paul and is talked about in 2 Timothy 4:9-18.
With some response from my support letters, I have realized how I am being served. To not even think about how other's hearts will be opened to giving me support through financial ways. I am so grateful for the way that family and friends have already showed me love and support.
To date I have raised $1, 341.50!!!!! PRAISE JESUS!
I am incredibly speechless on how the Lord is providing for me financially! I am in awe of His work and almighty power.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxRQahH0cqA
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Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 9/27/2011
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You have a terrible taste in your mouth from licking the envelopes for your support letters.
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You get overly excited to talk to people you have never met, but you already treat them like family because they are your squad.
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You count down the days til launch day even if it is 279 days.
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You think about what your next blog will say.
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Posted in General Posts by Erin Jackson on 8/29/2011
Here goes the blogging adventures!!! :) I have officially started fundraising. I am sending out my letters by the end of this week. I am across the board with emotions; excited, scared, and nervous. Most of all I am faithful. I am looking forward to seeing all the different ways the Lord is going to blow my mind with the fundraising side of being a World Racer. Daily giving Him praises for the blessings I have received. I am really looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me in all the 11 countries I am going to.
The song below is definitely one of my favorites right now. The Lord truly has set a fire down in my soul. Where better to be than in His arms?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A8almp_nCU
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