by Emily Howsden | Sep 11, 2017
Where were you on the fateful day 16 years ago? I was in my 3rd grade classroom. I specifically remember our principal’s voice, not as happy as he usually sounded when making announcements, telling our teachers to turn on their radios only, not their televisions.
I thought that was odd. I was even more taken back by my teacher looking like she was about to cry. What was happening? Why was she so sad? But it wasn’t just my teacher. That day, the teachers and other “older” people in the school weren’t as happy-go-lucky as they usually were.
I wondered why my classmates’ parents were checking them out from school early. It was a sunny day. There was no chance for a tornado and certainly no chance for snow. What was happening?
It was a Wednesday, and I couldn’t wait for AWANA that night at church. I had memorized my Bible verses and was especially looking forward to game time, where my peers and I were practicing for the “AWANA Olympics.”
But none of that happened. We got home that night and my mom said that AWANA had been cancelled. She turned on the TV and just stood there watching. That is when I first remember seeing a plane crash into a building.
My 9-year-old brain didn’t realize that what I saw was, in fact, real. I was frustrated. Frustrated with everyone for acting so weird all day and frustrated that even church was cancelled. How could they? Little did I know that I would be asking the same question, “How could they?” once I finally understood what happened, but this question would be directed towards the men who flew the planes.
My brother was in the Army, stationed in Germany at the time.
I didn’t know that this would spark a war and eventually lead to him being deployed to the Middle East years later.
I didn’t know that thousands of American lives would be lost that day in New York, Pennsylvania and in Washington D.C.
I didn’t know that this act of terrorism would change the United States of America, land that I love, forever.
But now, as I look back on the event as an adult, I see that this act of terrorism started what is a long line of grief, resentment, hatred and fear.
Sixteen years after September 11, 2001, our country and its people still see the effects of an attack on our people. It has been 16 years since husbands and wives felt the warm embrace of their spouse. It has been 16 years since children waved goodbye to their parents at the school drop-offs. It has been 16 years since employees of the World Trade Centers poured their morning coffee and began their work day.
Sixteen years ago, what families, friends, spouses, children and Americans across our great country once knew as “normal” changed forever.
What have we done in the meantime to recover from such loss and tragedy? Have we responded how the Lord would have us respond? Have we been prejudice towards a group of people because of the actions of a few? These are the questions that entered my mind this morning.
Almost simultaneously, however, the Lord put Psalm 34:18 on my heart, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.”
Then my boss cited the verse, “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” – Psalm 46:1
Then finally the third chapter Ecclesiastes came to mind where Solomon discusses how there is a time for everything, “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
This goes for all of God’s creation. I weep for those who lost their lives on this day 16 years ago. I mourn for the sorrow their families have experienced.
As we remember the lives lost, as Christians and members of the human race, let’s strive to run in the opposite direction of hate and all of the evil in the world. Bring about the tides of change and love your neighbors. Put an end to prejudice and remove malice from our hearts. Only once we’ve done these things, can we begin to win our fellow man and woman for Christ.
by Emily Howsden | Aug 28, 2017
Have you ever lost all of your earthly possessions? I have not. But as I type this, many are experiencing more loss than they may have ever known.
Hurricane Harvey is a devastating storm that has engulfed most of Houston and its surrounding cities. Some are saying the damage and overall loss of property may be more than Hurricane Katrina due to the sheer population of Houston, which is more than 2 million.
In desperate times like these, when worldly treasures and comforts fail us, one of the most important things we can do is pray.
“Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:1-3).
Prayer is powerful and necessary to a daily relationship with the Lord, in good times and in bad. Just like any other relationship, ours are cultivated by communication. Thankfully, we have a direct line to the Creator who has ceased storms and calmed the raging seas. We should all be on our knees for our brothers and sisters in Texas.
First, we should pray that the people of Texas can find relief from these devastating storms. In some places, rain continues to fall as floodwaters rise. Pray that the skies will clear and the recovery process of a huge part of our country may begin.
Secondly, pray that those who have been displaced from homes and former lives that they knew and held dear can find refuge. Psalm 9:9 says, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Pray that the oppressed people of Texas can find spiritual refuge and peace in the Lord throughout this storm.
Pray for those coming to the aid of those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief among many other state and nationally-known agencies plan to send as many men and women as possible who are available to aid those in need. Many have dropped everything they were doing, left their families and rushed to the rescue of people in desperate need of rescuing. Pray that they can work diligently and that they are outside of harm’s way in their efforts to help. Pray that the Lord guides every step they take and that all of their efforts will glorify His name.
Additionally, pray that in coming months, as families try to return to any form of normalcy, they will be able to put their fears and the damaging memories of this tragic storm behind them. Pray that they will experience full rejuvenation, and the city of Houston will flourish in the wake of the storm.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
On that same note, pray that the city of Houston will see revival out of this unspeakable tragedy. Pray that the Lord consume the hearts of the hurting in their city. Pray that somehow, through the damage and wreckage of this natural disaster, those experiencing this pain will turn their eyes heavenward, towards the One who can offer them comfort, healing, love, protection and, most importantly, eternal life.
Once you pray, consider other ways you can help in relief efforts. Do you know someone displaced from their home? Offer yours. Do you have the financial means to donate to a ministry providing aid? Here is one: http://www.okdisasterhelp.org/donate/. Are you able to do physical labor? In coming weeks, the amount of clean-up in Houston will be greater than we can imagine. Offer your hands and feet. These are a few other ways you can help. But most of all, pray. There is power in prayer; there is healing in prayer; there is redemption in prayer. Let us all hit our knees and go to the Father.
by Emily Howsden | Aug 21, 2017
This week on Millennial Monday I am choosing to discuss an issue that has been weighing heavy on my heart for weeks. It is much more than just Charlottesville. It’s the complete disregard for mankind, hate, bigotry, prejudice and satanic ideals of what a person should look like that burden me.
Following weeks of violence in Charlottesville, I can no longer skirt this subject. I have, of course, spoken out on these issues on personal social media accounts, but haven’t on my blog up until this point, for fear that nothing I could say would do justice to the sin that is so rampant in our world STILL after historic tragedies like the Holocaust, slavery and other forms of inhumanity.
But I can stay silent no longer. Daily I find myself in situations where I hear prejudice comments arise that are not met with rebuke or even labeled as shameful speech that should never leave the lips or even enter the mind of Christians, or anyone for that matter. But especially those who proclaim themselves as Christians.
Yesterday as I sat in church, one of our staff preachers said, “Don’t worry about what people think about you, worry about what people think about Christ because of you.” What about your life would reflect poorly on the kingdom and the work of God?
I ask myself this question as much as I ask you. I can reflect on many things I wish I could take back that were inappropriate or insensitive that I have either said or thought in my youth. I can also look back on moments when racist comments were made, and I said nothing. Can you do this as well? Now is the time that we stir the muddy waters and bring about the tides of change. You can’t force change in someone else, but you can start by BEING the change.
Praise the Lord that He doesn’t love us conditionally. Jesus doesn’t love one person more than the other; He didn’t die any more for one person than he died for the next. He loves all of His Creation regardless of where we come from or what we look like. We are beautiful in His sight.
John 13:34-35 says, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
That passage of scripture should be THE identification factor of all Christians. Others should know you are a Christ follower by how you love them.
The events and actions of the alt-right, white supremacist and other hate groups in Charlottesville aren’t anything but Satan in the flesh. To accept any form of hate or malice toward brothers and sisters of another race is to join those who spew their venom and hatred. To stand by idly and not say anything is just as bad as standing beside them. Have you been silent?
Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission said it best with these words:
“White supremacy does not merely attack our society (though it does) and the ideals of our nation (though it does); white supremacy attacks the image of Jesus Christ Himself. This sort of ethnic nationalism and racial superiority ought to matter to every Christian, regardless of national, ethnic or racial background. The church should call white supremacy what it is: terrorism, but more than terrorism. White supremacy is Satanism. Even worse, white supremacy is a devil-worship that often pretends that it is speaking for God.”
Have you been practicing your own form of Satanism in how you treat those of other races? We as Christians have a long road ahead of us when it comes to racial reconciliation. Our work won’t be easy, but if we pay attention to the atrocities we see that involve racism, rather than turning a blind eye, we’ve helped in a small way. We cannot tire of doing good. Doing good and seeking justice for the oppressed should be a part of who each of us are as Christians. It should be in our DNA.
Don’t stand for any form of racial superiority. Period. Don’t laugh at jokes at the expense of another race. Don’t allow others to talk down to anyone. Don’t contribute to the myth of racial superiority. Don’t stay quiet. DO speak love into situations full of hatred. DO seek justice for the oppressed. DO all of these things in love. Someone’s opinion of our Lord and Savior could depend on your actions, are you pointing others to Jesus or are you a part of the problem?
by Emily Howsden | Aug 14, 2017
It’s that time again. A brand new flock of college freshmen are moving into dorms, buying college textbooks, meeting roommates and kissing mom and dad goodbye, all for the first time.
I can remember how I felt the day I moved into my freshman dorm. I remembered being thankful that I was so busy that day because if I hadn’t been, I knew I would most likely cry as soon as my parents left, and they only lived 20 minutes away from where I was attending school.
There are so many words of advice I have to offer to college freshmen about how to maintain a proper workload, get involved in on-campus ministries, make good friends and take care of themselves, but at the forefront of all of that advice, I would say: know what you believe and “stick to your guns.”
It’s true, college is a place full of many different religions, worldviews and ideals. In my lifetime, a college classroom is where I’ve heard some of the most far-out beliefs. This is why I say know what you believe, but also, be willing to listen (there’s a difference in listening and agreeing with) to what other people believe as well.
“I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.” (Matt. 6:47-48)
In this passage of scripture, the Lord is talking about having a firm foundation in Him by comparing a house built on the sand or on a firm, rock foundation. This is very much the case with college and knowing what you believe and standing by those beliefs.
Storms of many shapes and sizes are hurled at college students. External storms come from professors and peers, loudly proclaiming that the Bible and its contents cannot be true. Internal storms come when lack of sleep hits, when you bomb a test, or when you get lonely, missing the familiar things of life that you’ve known for the past 18 or so years.
This is why being prepared is imperative. I recently read a blog that discussed why it is that college freshmen are turning from Christianity at such an alarming rate. In the blog, the writer cites a study done by Robert P. Putnam and David E. Campbell saying, “Young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historical rate—30-40 percent have no religion today, rather than 5-10 percent a generation ago.”
Another study I found states, “With each year of education, there is a 15 percent increase that the students will believe that there’s ‘truth in more than one religion’ and believe in a ‘higher power’ rather than a personal God.”
Stunning statistics like these cause me to not look at younger generations with disdain and blame them for the downfall of mankind. Inversely, they cause me to look at myself. I ask myself the question: “How have I taken time to prepare those I know who are facing such a critical time in their faith?”
A college freshman will soon learn about resources, if they haven’t already. Most papers I wrote in college required four-to-five resources. I recommend that college freshmen have spiritual resources. If you don’t already, have two or three people on stand-by. These people need to be people you look up to spiritually, that you know will challenge you and be hard on you if necessary, but love you regardless of how you may fail, because chances are you will fail. This is why you need to have these Godly resources there and ready to pick you up by the bootstraps and correct your path, should you divert.
I tell all of the incoming freshman I know and love through our college ministry, until I’m blue in the face, to come to college prepared, and come with your mind made up about what you believe.
It’s not if your faith will be shaken in college, it’s when. Since I’m on a cliché roll, here’s another: Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Be prepared for when storms from the enemy come at you. No storm is too big or too scary for those who stand firm in their foundation of Christ, the solid rock upon which we stand.
by Emily Howsden | Aug 7, 2017
Summertime is winding down in the south, as families prepare to go back to school and start a brand new school year.
It seems funny to me, while I am finished with my schooling and the end of summer doesn’t mean the end copious amounts of free-time anymore, there are things about summer I miss each year.
Traffic is less; the days are longer; cold weather is nowhere to be found; the travel is more frequent; colors are brighter; skies clearer, and there is always fun to be had. I have always loved summer. I recently read a quote by Harper Lee in one of my favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, and I found it perfectly described my love and adoration for summer.
“Summer was our best season: It was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse, summer was everything good to eat; It was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.”
In the church, summer is a time of service. While there are times of service in all seasons, summer is a popular time for mission trips to all parts of the country and world.
As I was thinking about how many people I know who took the roads and skies in route to serve and share the Good News, I thought to myself, “Am I as intentional in serving the Lord in all seasons as I have been in the summer seasons?”
By season in the above stated question, I of course mean seasons of life. Some seasons of life are like summer — bright, fun, full of sunshine and daisies. While other seasons might feel like an unending winter — cold, gloomy, no sign of sun or the life it brings everywhere.
I can’t speak for any of you, but I’ve experienced all kinds of seasons in my 24 years on earth. Seasons of spring, where I’ve seen tremendous growth in my spiritual maturity, and have been able to see the fruits of my labor. I’ve experienced seasons like fall, where it seems like the end of something good is happening, and a long winter lies ahead. Of course, I’ve experienced winters. If you can’t tell, winter is my least favorite season, where there seemed to be no hope in store.
This is where my previous question comes into play: am I as productive and intentional in my winters as I am my summers?
In the Bible, Job is one story that comes to mind. Here is Job, in the most wonderful summer of his life, when out of nowhere, Job loses everything. He loses his family, his property, his money, his good health—all of the sudden Job is in the midst a deep and dark winter.
School is quickly approaching, a time of business and, for some, outright chaos. But while school isn’t in a faraway country, it is a mission field of its own. The same goes for the workplace. You don’t have to go far to find people with different views as your own. Have you taken time to talk to your coworkers about the Lord?
Obviously there is a time and place to open up a Gospel conversation. Many of these times and places pass us by in our “summers,” when all is well and we need not.
Take notice of the people around you. Some of them may be going through a dark winter with no hope around the corner. This is the perfect time for you to share with them the Good News of our Lord and Savior and the everlasting grace and peace that He offers all who believe.
Take a look at your daily mission field as we end the summertime, and be the same missionary and intentional servant that you are in the one season as you are in all seasons.