Who I Am

I am Erika. 

I am the middle child of three girls. I was raised by my wonderful mother with the help of my "village" of a family. I love pointing people to the Lord, Jesus Christ. I thrive by making connections with those around me. I enjoy laughing until my side hurts. I want to share my passion for cooking and baking with everyone I come across. I laugh at jokes I make before I say them and cry at the remembrance of book plots and movie scenes. Being creative isn't a hobby for me - it's a part of living.

I am a Christian. 

I believe that Jesus Christ is the only One True Way to heaven and eternal life and that it is a free gift, offered to all who walk this earth. I believe that gift was given through Jesus Christ being sent to this earth to live a human life, without sin (sin is defined as "missing the mark", making a mistake, or doing something you know is wrong). That sinless man, who was God incarnate, then was sentenced to die the most gruesome death that was offered at that time in history: crucifixion. He chose to die this death because He didn't want to condemn anyone else to this death.

He did this because He wanted to spend eternity with us. He knew that if it were up to us, we would mess up every time.  Instead, He chose to die the death that we deserved so we wouldn't have to. Great than that, He conquered death by raising from the grave three days later. Death had no hold on Him.

I believe that He did that for me and for you and, much like I accepted His free gift of Salvation, He wants to freely give that Eternal Gift to you, too.

I am a Missionary.

I am being sent by the Lord across the globe to Scotland. There, I am excited to start a new life serving with a ministry that is dedicated to preaching the gospel to their countrymen and community. (You can read my full story here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Conclusion).

My heart for ministry is outward, inward and upward. That is, reaching outward to the local community and university students; gathering the church body inward in fellowship; and looking upward to the Lord for His direction in all I do.

This blog is a way for me to catalog my life as I become a full time missionary in Scotland. It is a way for me to share the things the Lord shows me and tell you about them. It is a way I can share pictures, stories, prayer requests, and praises with my friends and family all around the world. It is a way for me to connect with the global family the Lord has blessed me with.

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with you!