I just finished Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, and I agree with the general population that everyone should read this book. The book takes the Biblical story of Hosea and presents it in California in the 1850s. Although there are times when the book drags on, it is definitely worth all 464 pages. Be prepared to fall in love, get angry, feel forgiven, and to truly understand God's love for you. Let Him use Sarah and Michael to speak to your heart, and then go read the original story, too.
<>< Katie
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Use Me
I think I over-estimated my number of readers... does anyone actually read these blogs?
Last week Monday, my friend Jessica was concerned about the lack volunteers for VBS. We all concurred that God would provide.
On Wednesday, I went out to lunch with a mutual friend Emily to discuss high school ministry and in the four parking stalls between her car and mine, she somehow convinced me to see if Jessica still needed help for VBS. I knew God would provide for Jessica, but I never expected that I would be the one He provided. In reality, God dropped people from the sky for her, and the fall didn't hurt. God and I had a good laugh all the way home.
"Use me," I said, "but obviously You don't need my permission to do that. Yet I still give it."
Well, a week later I have survived my first VBS ever! There are a plethora of children's songs running on shuffle in my head... where they have been for the last week. Yet the effects of VBS go a whole lot deeper than musical hallucinations.
Last night, I drove past a dead opossum on the road. I chuckled when I contemplated pulling over, putting my hand on it, and saying, "God gives up life!" (And I half expected a loud "Fear not!" to follow).
This afternoon, my VBS kids were running back towards church and I said, "Let's use our walking feet." Imagine my surprise when every single one of them slowed down and began to walk! I was still talking, and one of them turned around and said, "SHHH!!" to me! I forgot, walking feet go with quiet mouths and listening ears! It only took a week for them to learn and less time than that to forget, but it feels good to be shhh-ed by a four year old.
One of my VBS friends loved the firefly he made on Monday. Every day he asked if he could take it home, and everyday the answer was, "You may take it home on Friday." Everyday he told me, "This is my firefly. It reminds me that God is with us! FEAR NOT!" Some lessons do actually stick.
Max Lucado recommends taking a walk with a child every day to see life from their point of view. Well, every day this week I got to see God through the eyes of a four year old, and let me just tell you: He is good!
Learning to Listen,
<>< Katie
Last week Monday, my friend Jessica was concerned about the lack volunteers for VBS. We all concurred that God would provide.
On Wednesday, I went out to lunch with a mutual friend Emily to discuss high school ministry and in the four parking stalls between her car and mine, she somehow convinced me to see if Jessica still needed help for VBS. I knew God would provide for Jessica, but I never expected that I would be the one He provided. In reality, God dropped people from the sky for her, and the fall didn't hurt. God and I had a good laugh all the way home.
"Use me," I said, "but obviously You don't need my permission to do that. Yet I still give it."
Well, a week later I have survived my first VBS ever! There are a plethora of children's songs running on shuffle in my head... where they have been for the last week. Yet the effects of VBS go a whole lot deeper than musical hallucinations.
Last night, I drove past a dead opossum on the road. I chuckled when I contemplated pulling over, putting my hand on it, and saying, "God gives up life!" (And I half expected a loud "Fear not!" to follow).
This afternoon, my VBS kids were running back towards church and I said, "Let's use our walking feet." Imagine my surprise when every single one of them slowed down and began to walk! I was still talking, and one of them turned around and said, "SHHH!!" to me! I forgot, walking feet go with quiet mouths and listening ears! It only took a week for them to learn and less time than that to forget, but it feels good to be shhh-ed by a four year old.
One of my VBS friends loved the firefly he made on Monday. Every day he asked if he could take it home, and everyday the answer was, "You may take it home on Friday." Everyday he told me, "This is my firefly. It reminds me that God is with us! FEAR NOT!" Some lessons do actually stick.
Max Lucado recommends taking a walk with a child every day to see life from their point of view. Well, every day this week I got to see God through the eyes of a four year old, and let me just tell you: He is good!
Learning to Listen,
<>< Katie
Monday, June 22, 2009
Near-Death Experiences
I know... long time, no blog. My apologizes to my... er.... two readers.
Yesterday, our whole family went to a baseball game. Well, ok, I didn't go. I learned afterwards that God literally saved my life and the lives of my mom and grandfather.
It started to rain, so my grandparents went to sit in the car (where they could watch the game dry). Well, five minutes didn't pass and a pop-up ball landed exactly where they had been sitting.
A little while later, a ball was whipped into the stands at about 90 mph (ok, that's perhaps an exaggeration... but that's what Mom said). It just so happened that at that very moment, Christina leaned to the side, and the ball whizzed between her and Dad. Less than five minutes earlier, Mom had been sitting in between the two of them, but she stepped out to use the restroom. Had she been sitting there when the ball flew by, it would have hit her square in the chest probably killing her.
But, Katie, how did God save your life yesterday? You weren't even at the game.
Well... balls and I don't get along. They hit me in the face no matter how nice I am to them. Had I been at that game, I have no doubt one of those two balls would have collided with my face. I don't know why I chose to leave instead of going to the game. I just did. God made me. That's all there is to it.
Obey even when there seems to be no logical reason to do so.
<>< Katie
Yesterday, our whole family went to a baseball game. Well, ok, I didn't go. I learned afterwards that God literally saved my life and the lives of my mom and grandfather.
It started to rain, so my grandparents went to sit in the car (where they could watch the game dry). Well, five minutes didn't pass and a pop-up ball landed exactly where they had been sitting.
A little while later, a ball was whipped into the stands at about 90 mph (ok, that's perhaps an exaggeration... but that's what Mom said). It just so happened that at that very moment, Christina leaned to the side, and the ball whizzed between her and Dad. Less than five minutes earlier, Mom had been sitting in between the two of them, but she stepped out to use the restroom. Had she been sitting there when the ball flew by, it would have hit her square in the chest probably killing her.
But, Katie, how did God save your life yesterday? You weren't even at the game.
Well... balls and I don't get along. They hit me in the face no matter how nice I am to them. Had I been at that game, I have no doubt one of those two balls would have collided with my face. I don't know why I chose to leave instead of going to the game. I just did. God made me. That's all there is to it.
Obey even when there seems to be no logical reason to do so.
<>< Katie
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Heaven
Pastor Mike said this in church on Sunday:
"We spend a lot more time praying to keep people out of heaven than we do for people to find heaven."
It's true. We spend a lot more time praying that earthly lives are spared instead of eternal lives granted.
Think about it.
<>< Katie
"We spend a lot more time praying to keep people out of heaven than we do for people to find heaven."
It's true. We spend a lot more time praying that earthly lives are spared instead of eternal lives granted.
Think about it.
<>< Katie
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