Kisses from Katie

Most of you who know me know I am an avid reader.  I don't know the last time I went to bed without reading, took a trip without a book by my side, or didn't read at least two stories to my children on a given day.  I'm in a book club, a couple Bible studies, and my job revolves around reading.  If you can't tell, I LOVE TO READ! 

I love to read many different genres but usually end up choosing some sort of historical fiction or a good memoir.  But to me, the best book is one that I read in less than a week, one that I refuse to not pass on, and one that makes a difference in the way I live my life.

Kisses from Katie is that book.  I absolutely could not put this book down and would not only recommend it, but I will be personally handing the book on to many others, because it's
just that good.
From the inside cover:

"What would cause and 18 year old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, TN to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother's heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because they think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person and didn't even speak the language?           

A passion to follow Jesus."

Katie's heart is poured out on the pages of her book.  Her emotions are true, her life is unbelievable and her passion to live a life following Jesus is nothing but inspiring.  She has adopted 13 beautiful Ugandan girls, has started an awesome ministry (Amazima) and is called "mommy" to hundreds of children each day. 

After writing about a couple of precious little boys Katie writes:

"And the truth is that these are only the children I know, in a very small faction of a very small country.  The truth is that there are children like this all over the world, sick, starving, dying, unloved, and uncared for.

The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children.  And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians would care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left.

This is the truth.  I have the freedom to believe it.  The freedom, the opportunity to do something about it.  The truth is that He loves these children just as much as He loves me and now that I know, I am responsible."

Katie takes that responsibility serious.  Her book shares hundreds of stories of lives she has changed by simply showing them love.  Love to poor, needy, hungry, hurt, lost, lonely, and dying children.  Love to children who suffer from HIV, scabies, malnutrition, and who have jiggers living in their feet. 

Often while building legos or playing "house" I'll hear my children singing their favorite songs.  The one worship song that they sing over and over again is "Glory to God Forever."  I'll hear little Ayla belting "Take my life and let it be" and Eli "All for you and for your glory. Take my life and let it be yours." 
I can tell you I will never hear those lyrics come out of their mouths again without thinking about Katie.  I have never read a story that fit those words better.  Katie lives every single day of her life for the Lord and answering His call for her life.  She is willing to give it all for Him. 

I pray that I instill a "Katie attitude" in my children's heart.  A heart that would give anything and everything to live the life God has made for them....because really, it is all for Him, isn't it????

Love from our family to yours!

I-171H Arrived

Rejoicing today!!! We received our I-171H in the mail today which means our dossier is COMPLETE!! Will be making copies tonight then overnighting the packet to AWAA tomorrow!

Dossier will get approved from AWAA then we will officially be DTE (dossier to ethiopia). 

Have a great weekend!

Living a Faith that Bleeds

I've gotten behind a bit on my blogging again...and it's not because I've been relaxing or slacking! In fact, I've been acomplishing much lately and have been in awe with the way the Lord has been speaking to me...so much that I don't even know how to respond yet try blogging about it or discussing it!

I'm not going to lie, moving to Africa has been thrown around in our house a number of times. I don't really think it will ever happen and don't necessarily feel that's what God has in store for our family...but that is definitely a little glimpse into the feelings we've had and convictions we're feeling.

We've been reading some great adoption books as well as inpirational, missional living books and each book we read brings about life transformations and realizations. The latest book I read (which Bobby is now reading) is Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds by Tom Davis (same author who wrote the book Fields of the Fatherless which I blogged about in the past). Below are some points from the book (in italics) and some thoughts I had while reading and reflecting:

Jesus didn't come to earth and identify with the rich, the successful, and the most influential.   

God hid the mystery of the kingdom in the most needy. 

Jesus always stopped what He was doing to help. 

He reached out because his heart was overflowing with compassion.
As his people we are called to go and do the same.   

Who do I identify with?  Who do I spend my time with?  Who do I reach out to?  I've always thought I was a compassionate person.  Sure, I am compassionate with my husband, my children, my family.  BUT, do I show compassion to those in need?  Do I reach out to them on a day to day basis or only when I am asked to volunteer at an event or when I want an ego booster for doing good?  I most definitely do not reach out with compassion on a day to day basis as Jesus did.  Which leads me to the next point... 

It's not easy to actually DO what Jesus said to do.  How different would our world be if Christians were really living as little Christs?

What matters most is having a heart that goes out to those in need and then act on that need. Far too many of us take the easy route, the path of least resistance. The path of doing nothing. I don't think it's because we are evil, or because we want to see harm come to others; it's just easier. Safer. 

Wow.  Little Christs?!?!?!  But I am only one person.  One small itty-bitty person on this huge overwhelming earth.  What can ONE person do to make a difference?

Have you ever been evaluated by a supervisor at work?  I have.  I know that when a principal steps into my classroom I put on a game face and show them my best teaching skills and abilities.  I want them to be impressed.  I want them to see I care about education and my students. 

God is watching.  He is here with me at every moment of my life.  Watching, evaluating, calling, reaching out...I can only imgaine the life I would live and the lives I would touch if I remembered that He is not only with me, but He is watching at every moment.   I would put on a game face and live the life He wants me to at every moment.

Do we as Americans take the time in our fast paced, "keeping up with the Jones'" lifestyle?  Do we look at those in need and live out a compassionate life full of choices Jesus would make?  This books goes on to share facts of the HIV pandemic and crisis in Africa and shares stories of others who are ordinary people doing extraordinary things for people half-way around the world.  Can you fathom the life WE are living compared to THEM? 

Compared to those who live in poverty, Western and developed nations live in unbelievable abundance. 

4 billion of the 6.5 billion people in the world live on $1-2/day.

For children with no parents, no food, and no money, school is an impossible dream. (not college, SCHOOL)

12 million African children have already lost one or both parents to AIDS

17 million children die from malnutrition and starvation each year.  

33% of the world's population is malnourished.

And the list goes on.
I'm not saying we should drop everything and move to Africa.  Some are called to third-world countries to live, do work, or adopt.  Others are not.  BUT we are ALL called to do SOMETHING.   God is clear.  He wants us to reach out to the least of these and live our lives for Him, through them.  Yes, those people.  The people who we often walk by, turn our cheeks to, or roll our eyes at.  The people who live so far away that we think we can do nothing to help.

What kind of people do we want to be?  What kind of people do we want our children to be?  What kind of morals, examples, teachings and choices are we living? 

Psalm 82:3Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Matthew 25:40I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!

Thanks, Tom Davis, for doing it again!  Breaking my heart, changing my life, and bringing me closer to our wonderful Lord! (P.S this book is only $5.60 on Amazon, as is Fields of the Fatherless!) 
(be on your toes for my next blog post that will be on another life-changing book Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis)

Love from our family to yours!

Emotional Rollercoaster

This last week was an emotional rollercoaster for our family!  We spent Sep 24-26 in Fargo...four hours away for a 10 minute fingerprinting appointment!!  It was a nice, quick getaway for our family.  We got to spend a few hours shopping (!!) and were able to catch up with my cousin, Jenna, and her sweet little man, Evan, while splashing in the pool!

We returned home on Monday to find a check in the mail...
a check for Bobby's work trailer that was damaged in a hail storm....
a check for $3,200...
a check that brings us within one hundred dollars from our dossier payment.  WOW. 
We knew God would provide once again...but we're expecting it to fall in our hands the DAY we returned home from our last step in completing our dossier.  We were expecting to have to dig into our savings account again...or to wait until more fundraising has been done.  Once again God has shown us that He is in control.  When we follow his call and open our hears and minds to His will, He will support us along the way!

Deuteronomy 10:21He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen...

We are now anxiously awaiting our I-171H (approval for a orphan petition) and then our dossier will be sent to AWAA for approval, then to ETHIOPIA for our sweet girl or sibling group!

After the high on the adoption front, we quickly faced a tough trial for our family.  Our black lab, Louie, has been struggling for about a year with nerve damage.  Slowly the damage took over his back legs and he was no longer able to do much.  Our amazing vet tried a few different approaches, and nothing worked.  Just recently the damage seemed to move to his front legs and he quickly went downhill...falling all the time, unable to walk more than few feet without falling, barely being able to lie down, and no playing.  We knew it was time to say goodbye, but making the decision was soooo hard! 

Louie has been with us since before we were married!  I picked him out when I left college in Grand Forks and made a trip across ND and MT where Bobby and I were married.  He quickly became our "child" and was my rock when I was lonely in a new place!  He was with us for SIX MOVES and three children!  He was definitely a part of our family.

Our vet called us on Friday morning and said she would be coming to our house that evening to put him down.  Bobby told me to give the kids a heads up...little did I know how much it would affect a 3 and 5 year old!  Eli quickly picked up on the fact that the vet would be "killing" him (in Eli's words) and could not let that go.  Bobby took the day off as we spent the day grieving as a family, digging a grave, and making a cross for him.  Louie was by our side most of the day, but it was hard to even look at him.  The pain was great, the emotions were high, the tears were plentiful. 


Psalm 34:18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

After I told the kids, I realized I maybe should have waited until it was over, as they were extremely emotional.  As a mom it was extremely hard to see my children like that!  In their short lives, this was the first time they had to face loss and grieving.  It was hard to see them so emotional and so hurt.  Looking back, I think it was good for them to go through this tough situation. It was a good time to bond emotionally as a family and helped them understand death at a personal level.
 
Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We're doing much better after the weekend has passed.  The kids still make comments about it...but Gus seems to be effected the most!  He (our chocolate lab that we got on Louie's 1st birthday) isn't eating and just lies around all day.  You can tell he is very sad and lonely! 

We are ready for this new week!  The weather is beautiful (more like PERFECT!), and we have a pretty low key week so we should be able to enjoy some family time outdoors before the ND fall/winter weather kicks in.

Love from our family to yours!