Growing and Changing

July 23rd, 2010 § 0

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John 15:2 says “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” We just celebrated our 2 year anniversary… can you believe it?  It has been two of the sweetest, refining and sharpening years the Lord has given me.  So much in me has come to the surface… so much in me has been reevaluated, pondered, repented of and… changed.  I have such a tender-hearted and sweet husband!  He has spoken such encouraging and wise words to me over the years.

I know that might sound funny, but the definition of ‘prune’ is so comparable to being a believer.  Prune 2: trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, esp. to increase fruitfulness and growth. Its exactly what God’s been doing in me.  At first glance… that’s not a pretty picture.   But that’s not where God has stopped.  His pruning is freedom-causing.  Love- causing.

He gently cuts away dead or overgrown branches or stems, all for what? To increase fruitfulness and growth.  It would be painful without the life, death and resurrection of Jesus given on our behalf or the promise that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 )

I have just been massively hit with the realness of God’s faithfulness to me in this season.  After these years of wrestling with the Lord through loads of insecurity, fear, and doubt… Something in me has…changed.  Something that is so tangibly not of me.  

There’s something about David’s songs in the Psalms that displays that God has proved something to Him.  David is so stinkin’ expectant of grace. “As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!” (Psalm 40:11 ) After the past few years, my heart has grown so expectant of this grace because its been proved over and over.

I wanted to share a few verses full of truths that I have prayed would transform me throughout the past 2 years, often through tears, knowing God was faithful, but not yet seeing him bear these fruits in my life.  Anyone know what I mean in that?

Col 4:6
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Ps. 62:1-2
“For God ALONE my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

Gal 5: 22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Psalm 119:133
“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”

Psalm 120:2
“Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”

James 1:19
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Psalm 63: 8
“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

In my first year of marriage, I asked Nick to pray these verses for me. and I’ve been fervently asking the Lord to transform me by the reneal of my mind with these specific truths because, in all honesty my mind was a product of believing lies.  It was a diseased place that needed healing, restoration, and years of meditating on things that are TRUE.

God wasn’t lying about his faithfulness.  The Word I have prayed has returned to me with fruit of His spirit.  I’m finally experiencing true freedom from places of bondage.  He’s proven so much to me of his character.   “What I could not earn, Jesus earned, what I could not defeat, Jesus defeated, what I could not bear, Jesus bore. He is my solitary hope.” (-Paul Tripp- I echo him deeply!)” I am not greatly shaken.  I am at peace more often.  I am slower to anger.  I rest more.  When I fear, I am reminded that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ.  And I’m alright.

I’m convinced that we are called into seasons for very specific purposes that God has planned to use in the advancement of His kingdom.  I could tell sweet stories of how he’s used the past years for His glory.  After these past few years, I feel like I am…a newly blooming flower. I feel the breeze blow against new skin… with a new mind, a new freedom, a lighter heart, a greater awareness of sin and what an incredible savior and father I have, a deeper freedom to fail, a deeper trust that I am secure in Him.  Everything in my life is different.  I’m so caught up in Christ’s love for me and his work he has set out for me to do, I’m not dwelling in my past or  failures…instead He’s causing me to “forget what lies behind, and strain forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14) And, just like all flowers, I will continue to die and re-bloom.  I only know Him a little bit, but I am intimately acquainted with His faithfulness and steadfast love to a weak woman- its changing everything.

So… for the big 2 year celebration, of course Nick went all out.  He surprised me and took me to a B&B on Lake Peppin!  We stood in awe of God’s steady work in transforming us.   We sat by the lake in silence.   We stared into creation… and not only proclaimed, but believed and evidenced that His faithfulness is real.  “…The old has passed away; Behold, the new has come!” (2. cor 5:17). I am overcome by what God promised: “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

I’m expecting so many more seasons of pruning, but its fruit-bearing and growth-causing.  Its worth every season marked by suffering.

Praying for strength for those of you walking through really hard seasons right now… there is a deep joy in not knowing its purpose… but years later seeing His steadfast love and how He never left you in it.  How He’s advancing His kingdom through it.

Healed.

July 6th, 2010 § 0


Can you relate to me in this?  Sometimes I’m having a sweet season with the Lord, I see the value of coming and depending on him even when I’m not tangibly in need… I’m given the blessing of consitency… but then I have a morning like this:  I will reach for my bible, journal and pen, go to my little haven (a.k.a. my big white chair) and sit there looking out my window.  Then, I’ll remember I need to start the laundry so it gets finished in time for… then I get a text which reminds me I need to send that email… then I remember I need to take out chicken from the freezer so it will be ready in time for dinner… don’t judge if this is not your struggle :)

I think it is a common theme for the believer to come to the Lord as a last resort.  Its so common to arrange our lives around things that seem important, around needs that seem most tangible.  Even in desperate circumstances, it’s easy to exert every amount of human effort to change a circumstance before it dawns on us to pray… at least I see this pattern in my own life.

I read this story of the woman in the crowd in Mark chapter 5 through new eyes today and felt pressed to post about it.  Its worth a read, if you have a quick moment!

“And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:25-34 ESV)

Can you see yourself in this woman?  For years, she has gone to different physicians to cure her disease.  When they all seemed to make her well, they actually made her worse.  It says “She spent all that she had.”

Something really sweet is happening in a dear friend of mine’s life from high school, whom I haven’t talked to all through college, Sara!  We met up at Starbucks and caught up on our lives and our college experiences.  To see her courage to be so raw and honest about her life was a huge refreshment.  In her own words she said, “I just feel like I’ve tried everything, but nothing is satisfying anymore. I’m 26, and I just can’t keep living my life this way.” It wasn’t long before my eyes welled up with tears after we talked about Jesus for a while, which I’m sure always looks weird to people on the first coffee date :) But to see someone reaching out in the chaos of their life, someone reaching out for the garment of Jesus, to be healed by him…   As I listened to Sara,  I knew exactly how she felt.  And I know that there is something about that feeling that is TRUE.  Her hunger reminds me of my hunger when I felt the same way my junior year of college.  She’s already come to church and is joining a small group to have other women in her life!

It makes sense that we run and literally hunt down every other form of refuge because we’ve never known Jesus as a refuge.  When we live in a world that promises us lies, that deceives us by making things look true that aren’t… we don’t believe that he could truly be an escape, a green pasture to come and rest in until we cast ourselves upon him.  Even as a last resort, he proves faithful!

Anyone else drawn by the way the woman with the disease believes finally after 12 years of trying everything else?  Her made up mind that he could heal… “If I just touch his garments, I will be made well.”  What gets me about this story is that in her sickly condition (she was constantly bleeding) she runs out into the crowd where people are trampling and swarming Jesus just to see if she might be able to touch even just a sliver of his clothing.  I love how her desperation moves her directly past all of the failed physicians, past all of the crowd and directly to the true healer.

And she touched his clothing, and she was immediately healed.  But notice he doesn’t just say she is physically healed… its her faith that makes her well.  In all of the accounts of Jesus healing people, he seems to have such compassion on their physical state of suffering, yet its not ultimately their suffering that causes him to heal them.  Its because they trusted him, they believed in him and acted on that belief by calling out to him… and we read Jesus commend their faith, that their faith healed them… ultimately their souls.

I am learning a lot in this season about a similar pattern in my own heart and life.  I am coming out of a lot of years of running to everything else to heal me, but by the grace of God learning to be like this woman!  Learning to go directly to the only true healer.  Learning to run past everything to go directly to Jesus.  I find myself wondering… how long had that woman heard of Jesus before she believed he could really heal?  When Jesus says, “Who touched me?” wouldn’t it have been so easy for Jesus to tell her all about the times she ignored him, for him to remind her of her sickness and all of the money she had spent thinking that people or other things could heal her.  Wouldn’t it be just like the heart of man to make that woman feel guilty and ashamed?” That’s why I love Jesus.  He does not have the heart of man.  He has the heart of God.  Forgiving, taking pleasure in her as she “fell down before him and told him the whole truth.”… waiting to be her father.

(Huge sigh). This gets me.  This messes me up.  Instead, he calls her “Daughter!”  He says, “Your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

There is so much evidence for us to believe that “…God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)

Because God speaks for himself, I will leave this post at that.

Hydrangeas & Fabric!

July 2nd, 2010 § 0

One of the reasons I love summer is that my dear friend Jen, who is a teacher, has the summer off!  Which means we get to hang out, which of course, makes me very… happy :)

We cut down hydrangeas from her garden, talked heart to heart, and took a trip to Crafty Planet, where I made my first fabric purchase!  She taught me to make a cute little bag to use in my bathroom to help me get organized.  I completed my first bag!  Two more to go… then I will be revamping my entire bathroom closet, which… is… a distaster, friends.  I’m convinced having really cute bags to organize some of my bathroom stuff in will motivate me to stay more organized in there. My brother, Ben, made fun of us and called us “Grannies” for spending a day sewing together.  But he’s right.  We become Grandma’s together when we hang out.  But in my book, Grandma’s are the sweetest thing ever… and I admire people as crafty as Jen.  Her crafts and sewing blow me away!  And my Bro doesn’t realize he wouldn’t still be sleeping with his “football blankie” if it weren’t for our Grandma Jane and her long hours of crafty love.

I’m also stopping by Passionate Homemaking blog to find out items I don’t need to have in my bathroom.  I think I really need some help adopting the truth that “less is more…” Seems like the bathroom closet is full of stuff I never use.  It just… collects.  stuff.

Jen preparing to cut the very cute fabric

Check out the polka-dot interior! Cute, huh?

I was so refreshed by Jen and was able to get her counsel and advice regarding some decisions I am walking through.  I am so blessed to have so many friends like Jen, who care and love me and offer me truth.   Jen and I also dreamed about her new blog she is feeling led to begin!  She has an incredible collection of poetry and collection of cute things she sews- everything from little bags, purses, kitchen aprons, and fun hair accessories.  Very soon, you will be able to stop by and read her beautiful poems and even get some tutorials on how to sew very cute things.  I am convinced you’ll be blessed by her sharing her gifts and talents through it.  I’ll let you know when its up and running!  And when my closet gets organized!  Hope you have a happy 4th of July!

Free To Admire

June 22nd, 2010 § 0

Right now I am studying through Philippians along with our church community for the third time, and it’s been so different this time around.  It can be easy to read something and think I’ve read this before, and then fear it doesn’t have anything new to offer… don’t we get to that place a lot in life?  I am by far, no expert, yet with the few months that I have read Philippians, it could feel like an old CD that I’ve already listened to all its sounds, rewinded the good parts, I know all of the words, etc… but its been a lot more piercing to me personally in this season.  Its been much more like listening to and old song and hearing it much louder than before… which means I may be hearing things that I don’t always want to hear…

One bit of evidence that this is falling on fresh ears is that my quiet times seem to be followed with a lot more repentance… with a lot more pensive days and reflective thinking about patterns in my life.  It seems to be ‘calling me out’ and bringing to light things within me that have seemed so subtle, almost unnoticable and yet so in need of correction.  Do you see where this is going?  I’ll let you ponder chapter 1, verses 15-18 if you would be so willing…

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”

… I confess I’ve always read this part and frowned upon ‘whoever was preaching Christ from envy and rivalry.’  Of course, not throwing myself in that category… I would fit the group that shares the gospel of Christ out of LOVE… right?  This may be getting complicated, but stay with me.  I’m learning that the Webster dictionary can unexpectedly make me feel like I’ve been hit with a 2 by 4.  I have spent about 50% of my quiet times this summer reading the dictionary!  And actually, I’ve been looking up words that I’ve heard a zillion times… but when I see the multifaceted definitions of just one word… a lot more begins to unfold in its meaning.

After chewing on this verse for a while, I began to ask myself… why were people preaching Christ out of envy or rivalry? From perusing through “Opening Up Philippians,” I began to feel a bit startled at what I learned.  Allow me to paraphrase.

There was already a church in Rome before Paul arrived there and certain believers there probably held a high degree of prominence (fame, importance, etc.)  Paul was growing in fame for his suffering for Christ’s sake and his spreading of the church, so  the prominent leaders of the church may not have been mentioned as much, or were recognized less frequently.  Thus, they became envious of Paul, so their motives for sharing the gospel of Jesus were not pure or unmixed.

In fact, it mentioned that some believers- ah-em… BELIEVERS… (gulp) were actually happy that Paul was imprisoned because now they could have a chance to come to the forefront again. Upon reading all of this, my heart grew really sad and a new fear was wakened within me.  I pondered “Why does rivalry exist between believers?”  Check out these words defined:

Envy: Feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or circumstances

Rivalry: Competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.

My ears really are new, friends.  These definitions were like an injury for me.  Meaning, it HURT to read them.

Apostle Paul truly stands alone.  He was actually WILLing for others to speak slander of him if they would also speak well of Christ. He was so far from envying those who were able to preach the gospel while he was locked behind bars that he rejoiced in the preaching of it even by those who do it in pretense (pretending with intention to deceive) and not in truth.

Here’s where it gets convicting.  Believers have fear that other believers will become known as a better preachers, speakers, administrators, teachers, encouragers, servants, song-writers, (any other spiritual giftings would fit here)… SO… stay with me… they force out of their minds the cursedness of pride and their need for humility.

Anyone else’s stomach hurt a bit?  I felt myself taking gulps… because I knew it was coming… by ‘it’ I mean… conviction of sin… a right feeling of guilt.  More simply, I felt exposed in the presence of God.  It was slow… but… it came.  And my heart followed by asking myself this really hard question:

*Where do I feel good/get joy out of seeing others suffer?

*Do I feel better when others are kept out of the spotlight? Why?

Then, came… slowly- my confession:

I have had seasons where the grace of God and his giving of gifts was not tangible to me or to people around me.  I have had long seasons of suffering and waiting, seasons of not being in the spotlight, seasons of being recognized for ‘really struggling’ and seasons of not being noticed for my means of serving… and sadly, I have not be truly content much of those times.  Oh, how HELPFUL those seasons have been!  How deeply they can cultivate a deeper sense of humility and meekness, and maybe just slightly open me up to admire someone or something other than myself… how rich those seasons actually are! But when the Lord gives me seasons where he’s called me more into the spotlight, weather it be through ministry, through a song, through anything… I face an extreme temptation to love the GIFTS and not the GIVER.  I often want to use the gifts God’s given me as fuel for greater qualities, possessions, circumstances, etc.  But if I don’t have anything noticeable in any of these areas, I’m filled with…(ok Holy spirit, I hear you)… envious longing of someone else’s ministry, giftings, circumstances, qualities, lifestyle, etc.

After a deep breath, I am asking myself: who and what do I envy?  I am trusting the Holy Spirit to keep speaking tenderly, to bring to light anything that’s in the dark.  Thankful he’s shown me that yes- EVEN I- can preach the gospel and share Christ with a motive of rivalry or envy… because I believe the lie that there is some value in being recognized… that it is somehow better… that it will somehow give me an ounce of my own righteousness.  But oh, how I am learning through this.  One of the things that I am praying for my heart this summer is that, by the power of the holy spirit, I would become freer to admire others.  I would love your prayers in this!  That, I would repent of pride whole-heartedly in seasons where I am called serve the body of Christ in front of people and that I would experience sweet contentedness in seasons where the Lord takes me out of the spotlight and more like under the shadow of his wings.  That if I should be crippled and mute, I would delight to see someone strong and articulate sharing the gospel when I can’t.  Thinking of what this means in specifics for me…

I will leave you with a quote from Matthew Henry:

“We should say, ‘Let him shine though I be obscured, and his glory be exulted, though upon my ruins.’”

Yummy Hummus!

June 18th, 2010 § 0

You. must. try. this. I make it about once a week… it is a great summer comfort snack, chock full of healthy nutrients and SUPER easy to make (gotta love that). We eat it with fresh veggies or any type of good cracker.  If you try it, I’m sure you’ll be addicted like we are.   I got this recipe from SAMM POTEAT,  and it is so tasty!

Ingredients:

2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
3 ½ Tablespoons tahini (I don’t have this, so I skip it!)
½ lemon
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2-3 cloves garlic, halved
2 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ or less cup bean juice
2 dashes crushed red pepper (I use 1/2 of a red pepper instead)
1 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

1. Blend ingredients
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Enjoy, friends!

Freeset Promo Video Bringing Freedom to Women in the Sex Trade

June 18th, 2010 § 0

Asking…

June 16th, 2010 § 0

Whew.  Laundry put away.  Best feeling ever.  Sitting here with a glass of water, taking advantage of this hour on Huron Blvd. before the traffic will start to get nuts.  Nick and I just got home from everywhere… if that makes sense.  On May 23rd, we left at 5am to caravan with about 50 college students to Myrtle Beach, SC.  We were there for two weeks, then headed up the east coast to visit some friends and family along our way home in DC and NYC.  After our mini-road trip, we are home in Minneapolis!

Throughout the past month, I have felt the Lord prodding me to ask him for very specific things, to trust him to give very specific things.  Being at the Summer Training Project with students was in two words: Refreshing & Awakening.  I went to a project as a student four years ago, and it was really sweet to be back there  over the past few weeks and reflect on the Lord’s incredible faithfulness to me in that time.  There were situations and sin in my life four years ago that I thought would always hold me captive… and four years later seeing God redeem what I thought I was enslaved to forever…seeing him flood his healing love all over me… such a sweet reminder that I am cleansed pure by his blood.  It was awakening to the reality of the gospel and the reality of my need for it.

The whole two weeks prodded my heart to pray.  Seeing God’s tangible faithfulness encouraged me to consider that this summer is not just a season to rest, but it’s a season to ask God to do very specific things in my heart.  As I’ve been pondering… (I may be the president of that)… I have decided to claim this verse for my summer and pray that the Lord would bear these fruits within me.  Psalm 62:1-2 “For God alone my soul waits in silence, from him only comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Knowing that circumstances in my life will always be changing, my feelings will always be changing, relationships will always be changing… it bids me to pray for the grace to fix my eyes upon the unchangeable God that I have.  The ‘I shall not be greatly shaken’ part pierces me.  I am shaken so often, but have already seen the Lord be faithful to me over the past month to bring a constant reminder that he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow… and even though that sounds so simple- its transformed the way I think about my life.  We listened to a Tim Keller sermon on Hope from Eph. 1:15-23 and he said something that gripped me, “The way you live your life now is entirely based upon what you believe your future will be.”  It made me think, the way I REACT to my life now reveals that I often live without a fixation on eternity.  I live like the best things are now… when the truth is that death for the believer means entering into the fullness of all pleasures forevermore!  If I believed that, I think that my reactions to all of the ch..ch..changing going on around me would be characterized by something more like…contentment, joy, assurance of the greatest pleasures yet to come…  Like I said, the past few weeks have been so awakening to reality!

Nick and I (along with our students and staff team) are studying through Philippians this summer.  I don’t know how God has done this considering my struggle with consistency, but he’s woken me up each morning in the past month to go through about 2 verses a day… and its been so small but so rich!   I’ve really enjoyed God speaking so directly to my heart in it (which I often don’t believe he can do).   Philippians 1:27- 28 says “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that weather I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” After browsing through my Matthew Henry commentary (which I highly recommend!)… I was wondering… what is a manner of life worthy of the gospel?  Henry’s observations included that a Christian life should include: 1.conversations about the gospel 2. Belief in gospel truths 3. Submission to gospel laws 4. Dependency upon gospel promises 5. Faith, holiness, and comfort.

After reading on, I felt pressed by the phrase ‘striving side by side.’  Not even the call to strive, but the greater reality that the faith of the gospel is WORTH striving for.  I observed that Paul exhorted the believers to strive SIDE BY SIDE… there is a closeness of life that is to be shared among believers…

So it prompted me to pray with joy and expectancy that God would transform me into a woman who:

Believes gospel truths.  Submits to gospel laws. Depends upon gospel promises. Strives side by side with others for the sake of the gospel.

I know I’m standing in square one as I pray…but that’s ok I’m learning.  Its ok to come back to square one over and over again as a believer… in fact, I think that’s a part of learning my dependency upon the sufficiency of Christ.

David sings in Psalm 63:5  “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.” Interesting that he sings ‘my soul WILL be satisfied…’ I am learning so much from his expectant heart.

I could not be more eager for this summer.  I already feel a deeper awareness of so many areas in me that need refining… but there is already a deep feeling of the sweetness of Jesus in it all.  His compassion, merciful heart and encouragement to me have been…just… so stinkin’ sweet.

Resting in his love,

Katie :)

Studio Day 2

May 19th, 2010 § 0

Hard work- The kind that makes you sweat, your mind hurts, you feel pressed, stretched, challenged, inspired, full of decision and indecision  and… imaginative is somehow always satisfying, no? You get my drift? It is currently 2am on Tuesday night, and I’m vegging on this orange couch At Zach Foty’s Home recording studio.  Key word: home.  That’s how it feels here.  His mom and dad have given their entire basement over to the life of this studio- what a blessing! So far, they’ve been popping in and out with the dogs, and Zach’s dear wife Ali has already spoiled us by making a mid-day run to starbucks.  Nick, Zach, Ali and I also sneaked over to Panera for dinner and good conversation.  They got married the same time Nick and I did, and they’ve been really encouraging and refreshing new friends.  Gotta love when God gives you those in life, right?? Last night when we left…I actually heard… crickets chirping!  Coming from downtown livin’, I had almost forgotten that sound.  Outside the studio trees hang high over a hidden little pond… this place feels like a haven.  Its RESTful.  While the dudes set up the drums (which apparently takes like a year…who knew?) I just hung out in the kitchen with Wendy (Mom), Tom (Dad) and Sunny (Little sister).   What sweet people! Sunny, adopted from India, just showed me some really cool (and rather stuntish) tricks on her wheel chair.   My toes also got licked by their puppy… oh I forgot to mention I got a tour of Mr. Foty’s painting studio- so cool!

What I love about recording here is that I feel like a part of the family and really free to be myself.  It also reminds me of my own home I grew up in.  I miss that from time to time… the days when I would sit in the basement for hours in the ‘jam room’ listening to my brother’s band while family and friends rolled in and out or  sneaking in to play and write all alone.  I guess being married without kiddos yet (but someday!!)  in a lot of ways is this inbetween stage of life.  Its just the two of us (minus our occasional crowds of college students), so I do have my fair share of quiet- which for the introspective writer type like me is a wonderful blessing.  But I’ve always love being in homes where there are lots of people coming and going too.. I love the life if breathes.

The guys: Zach (the producer), Nick (My hub a.k.a. the engineer of my life) and Collin(Zach’s cool friend)- just sipped down some energy drinks and Nick just turned to me and went like this: WOOOHHHOOW!  IT JUST KICKED IN!  Humorous.

So far, I feel really… humbled is an understatement.  Coming into this I was feeling tired and coming off of one of the more hectic weeks I can remember. I felt so in need for God to provide grace for this song, so in need to call to mind this verse: 2 Cor 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” I feel surrounded by people who are serving me with their time, their raw talent, their patience… and the sufficiency of Jesus in the places I am deficient.  Truth be told, I’m a little dazed that so many people would come together to help produce this song “Recreated.”  Its left me learning what it means to let people serve…me, which sounds strange but its a little like the gospel,  which does take a stretch of humility to receive- to let the Lord GIVE you himself and all his love… that’s what its been like, to a certain degree.  To watch people rack their brains, give energy, to see the depth of care and ear for precision… the willingness to lose sleep… I think its safe to say… there is a pulse to this recording that is full of HIS presence and HIS purpose… all flowing from the well of HIS mercy.  I’m so convinced this song is HIS song… pierced by the promises in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and what that means for the believer.  So filled with deep hope and belief in the righteousness of Christ on my behalf… and out came this song… which I’ll explain more fully another time… but to be clear: HIS song.

We finished the guitar, intro, outro, scratch vocals and the drums are being added as I write.  Loving this song so far enjoying seeing the creativity of my creator in it.

Not sure what vision will develop as we go, but knowing it will come.  As we drove here today, Nick and I read Psalm 57 (we love to peruse the Psalms in the car)  Ps. 57:2 “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” ..to God, who is Most High… still ringing in my ears… to God who fulfills his purpose for me… anyone else comforted by that small, yet HUGE promise?

So Day 2 of this whole new journey!  One day at a time… that’s how I like to roll.  That’s all for now…more to come, friends.

love,

Katie :)

Tom’s Shoes

May 6th, 2010 § 0

If you buy a pair of shoes through this organization, Tom’s Shoes, a child in need of shoes will also receive a pair.

Read More about Tom’s Shoes @ http://www.toms.com/?gclid=CPL7hInhzaACFQIhDQodizDgzA
As a consumer, its important to be educated on the products you use and how you buy.  Why?  Here’s just one devastating reason: This year World Vision has launched a major campaign to highlight child exploitation and human trafficking.  They estimate that in the West African Ivory Coast nation alone, over 600,000 children work in cocoa fields in very poor conditions- many of them trafficked into the jobs.  None of them are receiving an education.  And many of them also do not own a pair of shoes.

So, want to join me in… beginning to live a life of AWARENESS of what we are buying and how its being produced so that we are not financially supporting child labor and the trafficking of children?

Support Fair Labor Practices and learn about what you are buying through Free2Work.

I am happy to report that Tom’s Shoes are made without the labor of trafficked children.

This Week’s Menu

April 19th, 2010 § 1

I’m guzzling down some tasty hazelnut coffee at Panera making my meal plan for the week.  As in meal plan, I simply mean that I choose a few breakfast meals, all you need to make a good sandwich, and about 3 solid hearty dinner meals.  After almost two years of marriage, I’ve figured out that 3 dinner meals usually provides some great left-overs for our family of two as well as 1 or 2 nights of eating out with students or friends. My hubby would be very proud of my diligent planning today- definitely his strong-point and my weak-spot.  But we are a team and figuring out life together!

Have I told you about our new friends, Ali Joy and Zach Foty?  Well, they are blessing us in a lot of ways… but right now I am LOVING Ali’s blog.  After reading through her page Ali Eats, I was inspired to try some new meal ideas!  Nick loves smoothies, and She just so happens to have some really great smoothie recipes!  Did I also mention she is training for a marathon while finishing school/student teaching and being a wife- ALL at the same time?  GO Ali!  And thanks for the wonderful meal ideas!

So Here’s My Menu:

Breakfasts:

1) Green Monster Drink Smoothie

2) Spinach, tomato, basil, feta frittata w/whole wheat toast

3) Oatmeal, yogurt, and blackberries

4) Trader Joe’s Mutligrain waffles

Lunches:

1) sandwiches- Turkey, avacado, tomato, lettuce, pepperjack cheese, and olive oil mayo- Yum!

2) w/a side of veggies and homemade hummus

Dinners:

1)Summery Strawberry Salad w/Chicken

2) Slow Cooker Pork, carrots, potatoes, shallots, w/green beans

3) Spicy Black Bean Burgers w/sweet potatoes and grilled zuchinni

Dessert:

Rasberry Sherbet Icecream w/vanilla wafers… i LOVE rasberry anything.

My mom’s Chocolate chip cookies

Oh… can’t forget snacks!

1) mixed bell peppers and homemade hummus

2) chips and salsa… we are ADDICTED.

3) Kashi seven grain crackers with cheese (My hub loves cheese!)

Thank you Ali for the great ideas!

Off to my staff mtg… then to the store to stock up on these tasty meals!  I am grateful for stores to go to, for the ability to buy food, for recipes to eat that are healthy, for so much I don’t deserve…

Love,

Katie

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