Dearest friends, family, and my fellow Believers/Enlightened Ones,

I hope this letter finds you all well, healthy in all aspects, and thriving in your relationships with the Lord.
  We serve a wonderful God and He is worthy to be praised.
 

This year has been a wonderful one so far.
  I have been able to spend a lot of time with the Lord and he continues to teach me new things in my walk with him.
  Coming home from Africa was a very difficult time for me.
  I found myself unhappy and discontent for the first month of being home, the reverse-culture-shock was taxing on my emotions.
  It was hard, going from performing every day, dancing and doing ministry, to having my weeks consist of school, work and Sunday church sermons.
  All of the friends that I left are now in college out of state and I missed my South African buddies very much.
  But it was such a wonderful time for growth with my relationship with the Lord.
  I was so happy that the growth that I was experiencing in South Africa did not end with the trip, I was afraid it would, but the Almighty has sustained me.
  He is my portion and I will wait for him.
 

In my daily devotion times I would ask our Lord to give me a Scripture verse and Philippians 4:11 would so often pop into my head.
  It says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
  Isn’t that beautiful?
  Paul goes on to say that he knows what it is to be in want and he knows what it is to have plenty, and that he has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.
  My sister has been going through a really rough time recently and I asked my dad one time, “Dad, if you could say anything to her, what advice would you give?”
  He didn’t hesitate, “Learn the secret,” he said.
  I knew immediately what he was speaking about.
  I believe Jesus is teaching me that secret and that is why I’ve not burned out or become depressed in what seems to me, dire circumstances!
 

But as it says in the Bible, hope comes with the morning and the summer!
  Well, it doesn’t say ‘summer’ but for me that is where my next adventure lies as well as some new hope!
  Hope for me but more importantly, for others as well.
  People who’ve no hope,

who can see no future in their calamitous circumstances and need someone to listen to them and help them out of their pits of despair. The victims left by hurricane Katrina have nothing left in their lives.
  This summer, we are going to bring them hope!
  Jesus teaches that we must bring the Good News to the poor and the lost, that we must give shelter to widows, and feed the hungry orphans.
  His heart is with the poor and helpless.
  That is who I and a team of 13 others, are going to be ministering to in the city of New Orleans from May 27 to August 7.
 

I will be a part of the summer staff crew that stays at the AIM base in New Orleans and helps facilitate the weekly church groups that will be coming through for those 2 months.
  There are now booked 2,000 people to be there this summer!!
  2,000 young Christians helping and coming to the aid of thousands of wounded people left by the hurricane known as Katrina.
  That number amazes me, and excites me.
 

I’m so excited to see what the Lord is going to do!
  I know that it will be astounding, remarkable, marvelous, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, and will make us stagger in admiration and awe of theGod we serve. 
  

Do you know the definition for the word awe?
  From the Encarta dictionary
awe is defined as:
a feeling of amazement and respect mixed with fear that is often coupled with a feeling of personal insignificance or powerlessness.
  I believe that at the end of the summer we are all going to be so filled with
awe as we stare at all that has been accomplished.
 And as the definition says ‘with a feeling of personal insignificance or powerlessness’ we will know that we had no power in what happened, that we were just the hope-bringers.
 

My part in the summer staff team in New Orleans will be to greet the church group leaders and pray with them as they arrive each week, making everyone feel welcome.
  I will make myself available for prayer throughout the entire week, and will be heading up a 24-hour prayer room!
  Wonderful things result from prayer and when there is prayer circulating 24 hours a day…!
  I think we can expect great things from that!
 

Please support me in this wonderful experience!
  Helping lives get pulled back and pieced together, feeding the homeless, and providing shelter for the ones who have nothing, and literally – nothing.
  Offering the hope of a Savior, the only Savior. I believe it will be amazing.
  Please be a part of this with me!
  I have been alerted that the spiritual warfare has been raging from the dark side and the enemy has been attacking the church.
  What better place to begin destructing our faith and hope?
  Please keep me in your prayers that I may be covered and kept safe, spiritually equipped and ready.
  I need that kind of covering, I do not want to be vulnerable to the schemes of the evil one, he is said to be cunning and his spies are slippery weasel-like vermin.
  But God is stronger and far greater.
  I am not afraid, but I am aware and so would like to take sufficient means as to making myself prepared.
 

If you would like to contribute financially my goal is $3,000 to be raised by the 27^th of May. 
 

I love you all so much and praise the Lord for the kindness you have shown me through the years and I have felt your prayers and praise the Lord that you are walking steadily with him.
  Be encouraged!
  May God’s face shine upon you, may he bless you and give you peace.

 Your fellow believer,

Emily R. Barnes

http://emilybarnes.myadventures.org