God knows all things, Belize in 2 days

 Hello Wonderful People,

I want to start out by saying hi hi welcome to any new readers. I currently have a dining room table full of things that need to fit in a bag for Belize. Crazy that  I will be back on a plane and seeing what the Lord has had planned from the beginning for these next four weeks. I am excited about all of the different things, meeting new people, working with different teams, being in 4 different towns, learning and growing, trusting and needing God through it all.

For the past little while I have been thinking about this: We are not alone. I am so thankful, like I said in my last post, that He is my ever-present. Who else would I want around me all the time then a perfect, holy, God who is love! and knows all things and is in all things, and through him all things hold together.  Even when I know all of this, trust can be a hard. Going to different places, doing different things, walking into plans made for us can be a fight. But while we trust, God is there. And he leaves his peace and joy with us! So then even if something seems hard, it is joyful, something looks like a challenge, there is love.

Psalm 33:18-22

 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us,

O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

One more that really just talks to Gods POWER is this in

Isaiah 40:26

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all of these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength not one of them is missing.

I pray that in all of the things you are trusting the Lord and that his unfailing love is resting on you today! Remember in his power not one star is missing from its spot. And you dear friend, you were made by that God and made for that God, for plans that he knows!

..Be still and know that He is God..

Hello! I'm off to Belize in 8 days :)
So for the past few days I have had a song stuck in my head you can listen to here
--> Wait on the Lord 

I am learning that transitions in life can be a challenge. Almost a battle on the inside. Living in different places, doing different things, it is all a shock to my inside. This is when the Lord says "Be still Erika, and know that I am God." This passage is found in Psalm 46. I encourage you to take a look at the whole thing!

It starts out reminding us that God is our refuge and strength! and then it says he is an EVER-PRESENT help in trouble. Now it goes on to talk about the whole earth giving way. My troubles seem small in comparison, but the Lord knows us to well to miss what are troubles are, to not understand them.  Thankfully he knows me perfectly. His love can not be removed, he is my ever-present. Think about that for a moment, God is the only one that can be your ever-present. How wonderful is that?

Continue reading, The city of God is glad! God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Just love it. In verse 9, he stops wars! he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear he burns the shields with fire... Picture this. Craziness is going on. War, fighting, and then the Lord stops it all. "Be still, and know that I am God" What a picture. Be still, it is not "It would be better for you to be still", "I encourage you to try to calm down now", no it is Be still. We can rest, we can be still with our God. He is our helper. He stops wars.
We know that he is God. He ends saying "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." He is the one to be praised! The whole earth one day will all confess that Jesus is Lord. He is with us, he is our fortress.

Enjoy singing along to Coffey Anderson today!

Praise the Lord he is our ever-present!
<--- some cute girls I spent the day with last weekend!

Reminder: You were made for God and made by him. In him is everything you were made for. The world, and our own heads can drown this out, can make truth seem far off. I pray for me and you today that we press in and run this race, look to the face of our ever-present and Go!

The life only God knows how to live.

         Ok so my four planned out years are over! I turned 22! I had my senior show of The Tree House Children's Home. My wonderful family came and helped out the whole weekend! What busy, crazy, sleepless weeks that lead up to that show. It is cool to see what God had planned for that whole class. There is a great story attached to senior show that I should type up for you all some day.

Then last Saturday I sat by people I didn't know and shook hands with people I didn't know and officially GRADUATED from UW-Stout.  Erika Sanborn, Interior Design Grad, feels nice to be done.  But now begins the new stuff. As the title of this post says this new part of life I do not know how to live. But the same was true four years ago when I moved to Menomonie. The Lord leads so we learn to trust then he teaches so we learn and know that he is always faithful and always right.

         I am so excited because in only 13 days I will be off to Belize once again! I will be there from June 3rd - July 3rd. I will be helping lead 4, 1 week trips.  Each trip will have their own locations and ministries. I can't wait to meet the teams that come down! :)
        I am off to organize 22 years of things back in my newly painted room at my parents house. It may take a while, but well worth it to get things in order before I head off to the next thing!
Have a blessed day and happy summer to you. Know that if you are living a new thing out that you don't know how to live, God goes before you! Lets let Him be our guide.

here is a quick pic from my b day party :) at Ol Blue, my Menomonie house, Im going to miss it!

Trusting and Following God. Joining EMI. Designing a World of Hope.

-- Hello lovely blog followers --
I am writing this note to inform you of and invite you to share in this next part of my life and new adventure God is calling me to. I am now a new graduate from UW-Stout in interior design. God has blessed my past four years with such an amazing experience learning about the Fathers love, and who I am in Him and who He is in me. While finishing up my last year at school I was praying about what the Lord is calling me to in this next part of my life. He brought me to the opportunity to apply for an internship with EMI (Engineering Ministries International). They are a Christian non-profit organization that works on design projects all over the world to reach the poorest people with rich hope through design and ultimately the LORD. They have worked in over 85 countries on over 800 projects. EMI does design work for ministries such as YWAM, Wycliff, and World Relief in developing countries. They have worked on projects such as water systems, churches, mission base camps, hospitals, and much more!
I applied not knowing if God would really bring me any further than the application. Guess what, he did! I was contacted this April for an interview, and a few weeks later was informed that I was accepted to the Costa Rica office!!!! It is so amazing that God knows how to use the gifts that he has given us. He truly knows our hearts and he sees us trusting him, and sees us waiting for him. God has really been calling me to things bigger then I am. I am learning to trust him in ways I have never had to before. So I will be gone working in Costa Rica from the end of August – Mid December. I will be working alongside the full time staff there and the other fall interns.

Because EMI is a non-profit organization both their staff and interns must raise their support. I am going to have to raise $7,600 for the 4 months that I am going to be gone. I am going to have to have my funds raised by August 6th. This funding will supply me with my travel related to projects, language school, EMI tuition, and staying with a host family. I have never raised support before so this is a step into the unknown. I know that if the Lord is calling me to this he will bring me all the way. I would like to invite you to join me on this journey and the next steps in my life with the Lord. If this is something that hits your heart please remember me, EMI, and the country of Costa Rica in your prayers. Please take time to talk to the Lord about the possibility of giving a monthly or one time donation of any amount. All the donations are tax-deductible.

I am looking forward to sharing and updating you with all of the things that God is doing! Thank you for taking time to read into my life! The Lord is Faithful!

Below is the link that contains all the information and ways to donate to my internship.
http://emiworld.org/donate_staff.php 

Also take a look around their site too to learn more and take a peek into what the Lord is doing!

http://emiworld.org/index.html 

- In HIS love, Erika Sanborn

He is doing a NEW thing!

Isaiah 43:18-19 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

How wonderful are these words. This says to me that God is faithful. in the deserts and in the wastelands he makes us a way! He gives us streams! of LIVING WATER.
The past weeks have been so full of busy busy work! Finding physical rest has been a challenge but the spiritual rest is in also in NEED! We have been talking at my church the past weeks about the Holy Spirit and how he is our helper and our comforter, and many many things for us. I am so thankful that God has comfort for us and rest for us when we are in restless seasons and uncomfortable transitions. I know that I need him! I am done being a Stout student in one week. This is so crazy to think about! And do you know what I haven't had much time to feel this fact, to really let it hit me. Like the verse for today God is doing new things, and he is slowly and surly filling me in on them. :)
I was so blessed to be able to go to a weekend meeting with PPM a few weekends back. What an amazing group. I got a glimpse of what my time in Belize and my time with PPM is going to look like. Love is going to be there that is for sure, and it is love that comes from God alone. I know I will be stretched this summer in ways like never before. I have recently been thinking about how next week I am jumping of the edge of my understanding. What a big jump. But the Lord is a firm foundation in whom we shall not be shaken, So I know when he calls me to Jump he is gone before me to catch me.  Here is a pic of the PPM group! lovely!

One more update for the week is another new thing that I am thankful to the LORD for. It seems that he has known my busy crazy life these last weeks and worked around and through and with them.  I was accepted 2 weeks ago for a fall internship with EMI Costa Rica. You can check them out at www.emiworld.org 
I will find time soon to fill you in with more detail.

Ok to end this I think that I for sure, and maybe you need a reminder that the LORD is mighty, his love is everlasting, we were made for that love and He is the only thing that will fill us. He hears our prayers and is longing for me and you to talk to him and listen to him! I need this to hit me tonight and the days to come. I pray for refreshing in the name of the Lord Jesus and thank you Lord for the comforter that you have given us to live in the hearts of your people!

Going to a party

Ready for something so cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbICnR0XyQs

Penelope Judd




Once upon a time in a distant land
Far beyond the sea where there lived no man
Or woman- in fact, lo and behold
The oldest person there was only 12 years old
Because all the grown-ups had washed away in a flood
One town in particular there was called Mud
Because every sister, cousin and brother
From head to toe in mud they were covered
But anyway, in this town called Mud
There lived a little girl named Penelope Judd
Now Penelope was a very sad, sad girl
Because she was living in a bad, bad world
Where kids teased each other and acted really mean
They lied, cheated and stole and their speech was obscene
With no grown-ups around, nobody was really wise
So every kid did what was right in their own eyes
Penelope would cry- like every single day
No matter what she did, the tears wouldn’t go away
But deep down in her heart, she hoped it would get better
Because of what her grandpa had written in a letter
He said, “Penelope, it’s great news that I bring
On the mountain top there lives a great King
The King has a Son, and being a proud Father
He’s going to throw the Prince a huge party in His honor
But the good part: and I hope it gets you excited
Penelope Judd, you’re officially invited!
He’s sending a Dove- He’ll tell you all you need to know
Just have your bags packed and be ready to go”
It had been such a long time Penelope was waiting
She wondered if the letter was true or just faking
But one day she was playing outside
And to her great surprise, the Dove had arrived!
He said:
Off we go with no delay


Don’t let nobody try to make you stay.We’re gonna see the King, we're on our way
And all the old things gon’ pass away
The Dove told her that He was sent by the King
If she wanted to go, she had to run and grab her things
Penelope said, “OK. I’ll be right back!”
Ran into the house and came back out with her knapsack
The Dove said, “Penelope, the party is in a day
Stay alert, follow me and I’ll lead the way”
So as He flew and Penelope walked the path
She waived good-bye to her friends and they started to laugh
They said that she was silly for following the Dove
Just to go to some stupid party up above
Penelope and the Dove continued on their way
But then she got sad, because part of her wanted to stay
But then she thought to herself, “Why would I want to stay?
Because all they do is play in the mud all day
And while they’re doing that, I’m gonna see the King!”
It made Penelope so happy, she started to sing
She said:
Off I go with no delay
And ain’t nobody gonna make me stay
I’m gonna see the King- I’m on my way
And all the old things gon’ pass away


Now when they had been walking for a long time
They reached the foot of the mountain and they started to climb
Penelope got scared, not sure if she could keep
going because the mountain was very, very steep
On top of that, it was now dark outside
The Dove said, “Keep your eyes on me- I’ll be your guide”
Getting to the top was a difficult trip
But the Dove was there to pick her up whenever she slipped
And she was so excited when they got near the top
that she didn’t even stop when her knapsack dropped
The Dove led her to the Palace and said, “Farewell!
See you inside!” He flew away; Penelope rang the bell
A huge angel answered, looked her up and down
She knew something was wrong because he had a big frown
“Can I help you, ma’am?” “Yes, I’m here for the party


I have an invitation” He said, “I’m so sorry!
There’s no way that I can let you through these doors
The King won’t let anyone dirty up His floors”
She didn’t understand, so without coming near her
He reached into his pocket and He pulled out a mirror
And for the very first time, she saw that she was dirty
The Palace was spotless- she knew she was unworthy
As the angel continued, “I’m sorry, little friend
but…”A voice inside the party said, “You can let her in”
The next thing she knew, the Prince Himself was at the door
He looked at her, smiled and said, “There’s room for one more”
He reached out and touched her- instantly she was clean
Wearing the brightest robe that she had ever seen
If the Mud kids had seen it, they would have gone blind
“Where’d you get it?”, she asked, He said, “Actually, it’s mine”
And as He lead her in through the Palace doors
He sang the sweetest song she ever heard before
He said:
Long ago, laid aside my crown
Became a Mud kid, traveled to your tow
They kicked me out, didn’t want me around
But those who love me get to share my crown
- By Shai Linne. This is one track on his wonderful new album Storiez.


Have a WONDERFUL day :)
remember who you were made by and who you were made for.

Here are some cuties from my trip <3 sorry I have not posted more pictuers yet!!!!
Just a quick update, I will be going back June 3- July 3rd this summer. :)  yippy God is good

"What does love look like?"

Today will be a simple post, a song by Misty and a poem from a few springs ago. Take some quiet time. Set your heart on the Lord and take a listen to these two things. Have a wonderful weekend. Remember you are made for Love and made by Love. It is on purpose that Christ died for this world. Your true purpose can and will only be found in God. He created you for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2ZCIp0HiRo&feature=related

Completing the Grace
By: Jesus and Erika


Break it!
Take it!
My life can not hold it.
It weighs me down, lying on the ground.
My back will break.
My heart will melt.
My head will burst with pain!


The things I’ve done, you know everyone.
How I shiver at the thought of God knowing what I’ve got!
It’s and illness, it’s a plague, covering, corroding what He has made!
How I HATE IT, how I SCREAM!


…


As I lay there on the floor, my heart doesn’t hurt anymore.
My back feels light.
My head is clear and my eyes drift to who is near.




In His tomb he laid by me, and that is when he arose.
He leans to me with a mighty hand and whispers in a loving voice:
“It was finished 3 days ago. I took it on that day.
Stand up my child for I have taken the blame,
all the guilt, and all the shame.
You have found me here and I have been waiting for the day that I could say:


“YOU’RE FREE”


“YOU’RE FREE”


Take my hand child of mine.
Here in this place, let’s complete the grace.
Burying all your sin,
Let it ALL out, and we will win.
Hand in hand we will live.”






So I reached out and took his hand, it was a perfect fit.
We walked away from the tomb.
I felt so light.
We both turned and looked the tomb was empty,
My sins had been taken.
My lips and hands shaken.


I knew as he turned me back around they never again would be found!
So, God and I walked hand in hand,
And that’s the day my true life began.