My God Is the God Who Provides.

Well this week has certainly been filled with it's ups and downs.

Kicking off with Sunday, I unfortunately missed church due to some not so epic stomach issues, and spent most of Father's Day in bed.

On Monday, I had a voice lesson with former LCHS choir director, Tim Watson. It was great to find that many of the bad habits Dr. Murray, my voice teacher at Concordia, had pointed out at the beginning of last year had been corrected. After my voice lesson, however, my day took a turn in the wrong direction.

When I got back home, I finally got a call back from my sponsor church. I'd been really concerned, since it had been over a month since they had told me they would get back to me within a week with the official green light. Turns out, my concern was justified. I am a confirmed member of Grace Lutheran Church, a church that belongs to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). My sponsor church, which is located in Minnesota, also belongs to the LCMS. Unfortunately, the congregation dropped the sponsorship because New Song is not LCMS, and had "conflicting beliefs in the areas of baptism and Holy communion."

Here begins a slightly lengthy, in-depth explanation of my response toward losing my sponsor. It gets a bit long, so if you'd prefer to stay in a direction more in line with the precise topic of this blog (my mission trip), skip over all the blue text. Otherwise, read on!

Ever been hit in the face with a softball? Hearing those words kinda felt like that. While I understand where the church is coming from, I couldn't help but be frustrated. I share the same beliefs as the LCMS, but I feel my former sponsor church is missing the point. There is so much bickering between denominations (Not just Lutherans, everyone): who's right, who's wrong, and on, and on, and on. I'm not saying that there is or isn't a denomination out there that is "more correct" than any other, I just feel that we are getting so lost in proving each other wrong and being so legalistic with every tiny thing we come across in God's Word, that we are forgetting the most important thing: Christ died for our sins. If we believe that Christ died for our sins, and has delivered us from eternal damnation, then we are saved. So, if this denomination thinks that contemporary music is wrong, and that denomination thinks you can't use grape juice during communion, and some other denomination strongly believes that homosexuality damns you (which I disagree with, but that's a different story), it really doesn't matter. We all make mistakes, we all sin, we all do stupid things. We're not perfect, and the cold hard truth is, nobody is ever going to be able to perfectly interpret the Bible. Whether we're talking about Biblical interpretation, doctrinal differences, or the result of our sinful nature, all sins are equal in the eyes of God, and we are all redeemed children of God.


Does this mean we should ignore what the rest of the Bible says? No. Does this mean we shouldn't have questions about the meaning of certain verses and passages? No. It simply means that we need to shift our priorities, our focus, our purpose, and our lives on Jesus. Even the Old Testament (which many argue is irrelevant) points to Christ. We can learn so much about who our God is by diving into His Word, but to put all of our time and energy into dissecting something(s) that we are clearly told "surpasses all human understanding", can be such a waste. We need to have faith, and trust in God that He has the Holy Spirit working in and through us to carry out what is best for His kingdom.

Take Matthew 28:19-20, for example (yes, I'm aware that those of you who know me well have heard this before...as a missionary, I use this verse a lot): "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." We are called to go and share the Good News of Christ with the entire world! What an amazing calling we have to go and tell everyone about what Jesus did for us on the cross!!! And that's what I intend to do: tell everyone about what Jesus did for us on the cross. I strongly believe that someone must know about salvation before they can be taught doctrine, anyway (not to mention the fact that I intend to not teach doctrine, and if for some reason, in any mission field I'm working in, it gets that far, I'll be getting a pastor involved). We are Christians before we are Lutheran, or Baptist, or Methodist, or any other denomination, and that's something that so many of us have lost sight of.

This marks the end of the in-depth response. I again apologize for the lengthiness.

When I lost my sponsorship, I was devastated. After a few hours of crying, my mom and I got out of the house to post some fliers advertising the benefit concert at various businesses around the community. It seemed like a good idea to put up extra posters considering I had just gone from $1,000 (having nearly all of the trip paid for), to nothing but a few Nicaraguan Cordobas left in my wallet from the last time I was in Candelaria.

As we entered the last building at which I wanted a flyer to be posted, my mother introduced me to a family friend. We had a great conversation about mission work, faith, and just the pure epicness of God in general. I felt a lot better when I left. It was good to talk to someone who shared my views, and to know that word about my concert was getting out to more people around LeMars.

My day on Tuesday was filled with dental appointments, eye doctor visits, and other such pleasantries (blah). Later that night, however, I was brought to tears when I opened an email from the friend I had talked to the previous day. My entire trip was being supported.

I literally went from having an almost completely funded trip, to nothing, to a new sponsor that God has so graciously blessed me with. I'm still in a little bit of shock.

The benefit concert, of course, will still be occurring. All funds raised at the concert will go towards extra expenses (malaria medication, sunscreen, and any other extra items that I'll need while in Nicaragua), ground transportation, medical emergencies while out of the country, etc. Any extra funds raised will either go directly to New Song Mission, or be saved toward my next mission trip, so I still hope to see all of you there. It's going to be a great night of praise, worship, music, and fun! :)

Yesterday we bought plane tickets (woo!). I leave from the airport in Minneapolis at 10:15 a.m. (the same day my second week of counseling at Camp Okoboji ends...can you guess what I'll be doing the entire flight? It starts with a "sl" and ends with an "eep"!) on a Delta flight. I've got two stops (made the airfare cheaper), the first at Chicago Midway, and the second at Atlanta. I arrive at the Managua airport around 7:35 p.m.

I can't wait until I arrive back in Nicaragua and get to see all the wonderful people at New Song again. I'm counting down the days. Praise God for providing for me, even when it seemed like I wasn't going to get to return to a place I love so much. I pray that the Holy Spirit will be working in and through me the whole time to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

I'd like everyone to listen to this song, Desert Song, (I'll be playing it at the benefit concert) by Hillsong. I first heard it at Concordia earlier in the year, when one of the music teams played it at FISH (our Wednesday night contemporary worship service). The message in the song is amazing, and has been especially meaningful to me this week. It reminds us that God will provide for us all the we need, according to His will. It tells us that no matter what, we always have a reason to praise and worship our Savior.



Love Always,
-ellie*

Sing Until the Whole World Hears!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music. -Psalm 98:4

Although I'm still waiting for the official monetary approval from my sponsor church, I'm starting to get pretty excited for the end of July when I'll finally set foot on Nicaraguan soil again. :) Thankfully, I have lots of things to keep my mind occupied before I leave, including filling out counselor applications for my church camp (gotta love Camp Okoboji, can't get enough of that place), doctor's appointments for shots, malaria medication, and all of that fun stuff, and planning for a pretty epic benefit concert that's coming up on June 30th!

I will be holding a benefit concert at my home church in LeMars, Grace Lutheran, at 7:00 p.m. It will be run similarly to a contemporary praise service, and will focus mainly on music. There will also be a slide show, refreshments, and a clothing, school supply, and toy drive (so feel free to bring any old clothes or other items you'd like to donate to the people of Candelaria).

This is going to be an evening filled with praise and worship, music, fun, fellowship, and of course food. :) The night will feature a praise band including myself (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), local musicians Paige Otterson (backup vocals and lead guitar) and Nate Hettinger (backup vocals and a little bit of piano), and Christian Hayden on drums. Members of the praise band will also be performing solos and/or duets.

There is no cost, just a freewill donation for the concert, and a freewill donation for refreshments. Even if you can't donate (or can only donate a small amount), your attendance, support, and prayers can make a HUGE difference! Any amount of support and/or money helps. :)

If you are coming from a long distance, and need a place to stay for the night, I can have a few people stay with me.

If you'd like to help out in any way, don't hesitate to contact me. I am currently in need of the following:

*Bakers to help make refreshments the night before the concert (as many that want to help and/or donate ingredients).
*Set-up and sound check crew (2-4).
*Greeters (2-4).
*Piano player (1). Must be able to play from sheets of just chord names and/or improvise from that. It's not hard, I've even done it. :)
*Bass player (1).
*Refreshment servers at the concert (3 to 6).
*Tear-down crew (2-4).
*Alternate backup singer, guitarist, and drummer in case one of the band members can't make it (1-4). Contact me if you'd like to be on call for a musician's position.

If you could help out in any of the following ways, or if you know of someone you think would be good for any of these jobs, please, please, please let me know!

Otherwise, everyone can help out by spreading the word. Invite your friends, tell your youth group, etc. If you'd like some fliers to post at your church or anywhere else, please contact me!

If you have any questions, would like to help out, or if you want to donate, but can't make it to the concert, you can reach me by phone or email.

Phone: 515-835-2958 (calls preferred)
E-Mail: hemminge@csp.edu

Thank you so much, and I look forward to seeing you on the 30th!

Love Always,
-ellie*

Illuminate?

Illuminate. I thought it was a pretty epic name for my blog. You may or may not be looking for an explanation for my word choice, but regardless, I'll get to that later.

This blog is here to track my work preparing for, and being a missionary with New Song, a mission organization in Candelaria, Nicaragua. I will be working with New Song this summer from the end of July until school at Concordia starts up again. In addition to that, I will also be sharing about my past ministry experiences, and hopefully continuing on with whatever happens to be in store for my future in ministry after I return home in the fall.

While it's great that I can share this incredible journey via the internet, my greatest prayer for whoever may be following this blog, is that these words are from the Holy Spirit, not myself, and that they serve as a spark of inspiration to fulfill the Great Commission. Sure, you may not be leaving the continent to live in a hut in Africa for six years anytime soon, but we are all missionaries. All the time. We all have God given abilities that we can use to glorify Him, and share the Good News of Jesus with the world, whether that be in another hemisphere, or in our own communities.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:19-20.