Oh, title of mine

Four weeks ago I made the decision to join YWAM as staff. Two weeks ago I packed up my life into two suitcases (well, two suitcases and a 45 lb carry on), got on a plane and came to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. One week ago I signed a paper committing the next two years of my life to an organization and vision I believe in, and have long desired to be a part of. Seventeen minutes ago I began writing my first blog. Thanks for being a part of it with me :)

As an English major and human being branded with an irreversible love for books I know the significance of properly chosen words. So how do I, a newborn in this world of social networking, choose a title for my blog that explains my life in its present form, while identifying the unwavering influences around me? I take two things I love, music and words, combine them, and then proceed to break them apart. Some call it parsing, but for now I will call it a harmonious union :). I took key words from the titles of two of my favorite songs, Anberlin’s Dismantle.Repair., and Yann Tierson’s Mother’s Journey. Powerful words on their own “dismantle” and “journey” become something indescribable to me when married together. The definition of these two words, according to mirriamwebster.com (yea online dictionary!), is:

Dismantle: 1 : to take to pieces; also : to destroy the integrity or functioning of
2 : to strip of dress or covering

Journey: 1 : an act or instance of traveling from one place to another
2 chiefly dialect : a day's travel
3 : something suggesting travel or passage from one place to another

When I look at my life in relation to these next two years with YWAM I want it to be a time where I am taken to pieces. A time where God is given full reign in my life and regains all control by stripping me free of the “coverings” I have accumulated over these past years; the false confidences and idols I have put my trust in over Him. It will be a journey literally and figuratively as I attempt to make passage from one place in my spiritual walk to another, hopefully of novel depth, in addition to walking through the phases of a Discipleship Training School from stateside lectures to overseas encounters. Something else I find special joy in the idea of being able to replace “Journey” in the title with my name, or yours for that matter. I am continuously moving through life, sometimes forwards, sometimes back. I am on a journey. I am a Journey. A work in progress. I like to think we all are. But rarely do we stop long enough to examine, break down and really look at where we came from or where it is we are going...

I want this blog to be an attempt of that sort, and hope to update it once a week capturing my journey as truthfully and openly as I can, presenting to this world, to you and to me, A Journey Dismantled, A Erica Taken To Pieces.

*A minor disclaimer. There will be typos and grammatical errors in the days ahead (mainly comma splices- never could figure those little guys out in college). But just as there are bumps and pot holes on the road of life I hope these little errors will remind us of the imperfections we as fallen human beings each have. Thankfully we have Jesus to redeem us, and the MLA format to fix my linguistical mistakes... :)