We flew back to Georgia on May 9 and after being on the plane for 17 hours, touching the ground was surreal. A whirlwind of emotions: sentimental, excited, sad and in denial all at the same time. I was listening to We Bring Praise by MBL when we landed so I was just praising God through it all. Immediately I could feel the difference of being in America. For example, we got through customs in less than 10 minutes. Although convenient, I already felt hurry creeping into my every action.
After resting for a few days at the base, we drove to Sharptop Cove Young Life Camp to do work week. This was such a fun week for a number of reasons, but at the same time I felt like I got steamrolled. I was in the housekeeping department, but we basically did all there was to do in the first 2 days. So, for the rest of the week, we helped with landscaping. Spent the days weed whacking, moving rocks and mulching. We got straight to work in the mornings and finished around 4, ate dinner, had club, then had some sort of social event at night. Days were long, but God was working more than I ever could. We saw revival in the staff and the volunteers! Worship with W squad is genuinely a glimpse of heaven and we got to invite others into that. We saw people we had become friends with during the week, on their knees surrendering their lives to the spirit by the end of the week. I left Young Life Camp physically exhausted but spiritually awakened. I had new vision for the church in America: to see the spirit move in radical ways.
On May 18th, we came back to base for debrief. I had my last dinner with my team at this Greek place in Gainesville. We also had our final team debrief the next day. To my surprise, one of my best friends from home was on base doing serve team! Seeing her was such a blessing and also made going home more real. We also did worship every morning which was so sweet, and I just felt the Lord’s love strengthening me before going home. Most of the week, I was just soaking in time I had with the squad and preparing to leave. Randomly, we also went to a Braves game in Atlanta which was super fun. My squad also had one last Rook tournament, which I only got 2 games into before losing to the winners: Clayton and Ben. But these memories I’ve become so fond of, were quickly coming to a close.
The last day was… heart wrenching. Before the race even began, I prayed the Lord would make me sad to say goodbye, because I’d become so numb to goodbyes and hardened my heart to deep connection with people. But the feeling of lose is evidence of love. These people I spent my best, my worst, my hardest and most fun moments with, were leaving. Living in such closeness both physically and spiritually with community is such a beautiful picture of the body of Christ. However, saying goodbye felt like body parts being ripped off. Pre-race Emma would have scoffed at that sentence, probably judging me for what sounds like unhealthy emotional dependency, without realizing it’s the “independence” I once prided myself on that kept me from forming deep emotional connection with fellow believers.
The Lord showed me I can’t do it on my own and that’s the beauty of the body. His power is made perfect in my weakness. This past year, I’ve been able to walk into the fullness of who God created me to be, because I’d been freed from the bondage of trying to be everything for everyone. He has made me to empathize with others, speak truth into the lies that people are entangled in, push people into righteousness and encourage others to come boldly to the throne of grace. While there is still room for growth, I’m no longer bound by the chains of performance or perfectionism! Praise be to the highest and holiest King! I’m praying that whoever is reading this will be blessed by the power of His love that casts out all fear! He wants simply to be in fellowship with you and to be near to your heart if you’ll let Him.
I came into this thinking I’m going to serve and show people the love of Jesus, and while, yes, that’s essentially what I did, what God did was so much greater than that. He showed ME how He served and loved me by death on the cross and invited me into life with Him. When we come to realize that the gospel truth is for us as individuals, we share it with far greater eagerness and boldness. Let His PERFECT love wash over your mind and seep into your heart and watch as the way you love others is simply supernatural and beyond human capability.
In that place of overflow was where I saw miracles, healing, salvation, restoration, freedom and the face of Jesus. What God showed me over the course of these 9 months is insurmountable to the deep intimacy I formed with Christ. He is a good Father and the greatest savior. 7 countries, 49 people, 9 months, countless memories and experiences are just a foretaste of the goodness of God.
In this next season, I’ll be home diving deeper into relationship with my family and back working at the coffee shop. Pray for endurance as I set out to do the work the Lord has put before me, for unity with my family and for provision for community at home.
Signing off,
Blandy Boi
Blandy Boi? Welcome Home Emma Wise! Wiser than ever! I hope that some of the enthusiasm and joyous reunions here are a little balm to the wounds of the deep feeling of loss for those you have lived with, served with and loved the last year. I am so grateful to God for all you’ve experienced. and what I have learned from reading your blogs! I need to reread them sometime! I don’t think we think a lot about Jesus SERVING us in His death on the cross…that’s a profound thought (one among many).
So glad to see you the other day and hope we can connect later in the summer and hear more. There’s lots to process and (re)adjust to. Praying for your re-entry, reconnections, etc. With love,–Paula
Welcome back. It is very exciting to read all that God has done over the last year.