Overall...

Overall...

I am finally walking in fullness of who God created me to be.

I wake up knowing that my identity is soley found in Christ. Therefore I will be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend that I can be.

I cherish the journey it took to get me to this place in Christ. I have encountered Him through the darkest of days & know for certain that it takes darkness to appreciate the light.

I plan on getting more discipline when it comes to exercise...big challenge for me to stay consistent.

I foresee lots of ridiculous God sized moments spent telling others about true freedom! My heart could burst thinking about all the opportunities I believe I'm going to get in the future to tell women about HIM!

I like who He made me to be...bold, authentic, loyal and passionate.

Short but sweet today...blessings friends!

xoxo, Katie

keep us loyal to You...

I've been stuck in 1 Chronicles 28-29 for over a week now trying to soak it in so that I could accurately portray it the way I should after reading about King David in the later part of his years & his mission to give Solomon, his son the kingdom. What I love most about this story is the wisdom he imparted to Solomon who would write over 3,000 proverbs & be known as the wisest man to ever live. What has stuck with me is what David told Solomon who repeatedly in chapter 28 was referred to as "chosen". Here's just a sneak peek of all the wise words including what God was speaking to David about Solomon.


 ⁶ He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’
⁸ “So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the Lord’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.
⁹ “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. ¹⁰ So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”~1 Chronicles 28:6-10

Here's what I want to emphasize. David knew what it took to follow God & to live a life that was pleasing to Him even though he had some bumps in the road along the way. After all He is the only man to be referred in the Bible as a man after God's own heart. His first piece of wisdom in the above scriptures was for Solomon to intimately know God. When I looked up know in the Hebrew for "know" in this passage of scripture it defined it as: relationally to learn, to discover, to experience. Secondly, he instructed him to serve God delightfully with a whole heart and a willing mind (the inner being with thoughts & emotions), Thirdly, he told him to seek Him because in seeking he would find Him. Fourthly, He warned him to not forsake(or abandon) God or he would be rejected forever. Lastly, he instructed to take it seriously to be strong & to the work God had purposed for him to do.

What great advice to plant into not only our children but those around us. I get the privilege to speak into the lives of countless women. When I read this I couldn't think of any better words of advice to tell someone who needs encouragement. Because the truth is... we do have to seek God to find Him. We do need to put our game faces on because there is much to inherit & Satan would like to rob us(John10:10) all of our inheritance by wearing down of the Saints(Daniel 7:25) We must be aware of our purpose. We must endure right now like never before. 

My hearts concern is the level in which Christians are being defeated & ultimately giving up. We must take the advice of King David to Solomon because if we do not take serving & seeking God seriously we stand the chance of being rejected forever. Now is the time to dig in. Now is the time to walk in His glory. We are so close, too close to give up or retreat back from our pursuit of the One who loves us with an everlasting love. We can not let circumstances or life cause us to stop conversing with our Savior & best friend Jesus. He is for us, He is interceding at the throne for us (Romans 8:34) I would encourage any who are reading to endure(Matt 24:13).We're almost HOME!  Let us echo the prayers of David in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13.

^"Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! ¹¹ Yours, OLord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. ¹² Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.¹³ “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! ¹⁴ But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! ¹⁵ We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace." 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

My prayer is what David prayed in verses 17 &18 "I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and honest intent. And know I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O Lord, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to You."

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.~John 10:10

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.~Matthew 24:13

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.~Romans 8:34

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.~1 Kings 4:29

Thankful Thursday...

I'll keep this one short & sweet...God has been good to me.

It goes like this & in no order of the degree of thankfulness.

1.) The fact I will be able to spend Thanksgiving with my little brother & his girlfriend (whom I love) and their family this year.

2.) I can't wait to start cooking with Bonnie & Lisa next Wednesday.

3.) Friday night lights in my home town. It's been so fun to get to catch up in person with old friends that are dear to me & to get to re-experience the energy & excitement of a great football team!

4.) My friends. Lord have mercy what I fail to have by way of family God has given me by way of friends. I have the best, hands down!

5.) My husband who just last night held me without saying a word while I let out a long overdue ugly cry! He is my best friend & I plan on honoring him all the days of my life!

What are you thankful for? Get to writing, it feels good!

Katie

be ever learning...ever listening

I just read The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers in two days, it was that good. I couldn't lay it down. The Lord spoke to me through this book over & over. Right down to the main character's name being "Cadi" So not a coincidence if you ask me. I've had many opportunities to read this book but I guess this was the right season. Or so I believe. Here is one of the most poignant things I read.

"Eagles fly higher in a storm...

Trees grow strong in stiff winds...

and our mountains and valley's drink of the water from the rains of heaven."

What I feel I've learned over the last few years but heard as clear as day this week when I read that sentence was this. Is God not the same God during the storm as He is in the calm? Is He not the same God on the mountain top as He is in the valley? Matter of fact I would say we are more sensitive & aware of God's presence in the darkest of times. With that being said I thank God for the valley... for the storms. What I heard dancing around in my spirit that night was this.

"Have you ever stopped to think that it was Me that allowed the storm to come? Did it ever occur to you that in order to be who I needed you to be it would require walking through the lowest of valley? You see child I knew what circumstance would develop & strengthen your loudest voice for Me."

I was speechless & moved to tears.

I've learned that we can't forsake our lives for one moment. Not the way they've turned out. Or the circumstances we are in because our heavenly Father has determined our steps before we were created. He knows us intimately and what it takes to bring us to our full purpose for Him. What He promises & we can be certain is that the ending is GOOD!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.~Romans 5:3-4

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.~James 1:2-4

Thankful Thursday Part Dos

It's only 2 weeks until Thanksgiving?! What? I don't know about you but this year has flown by & I can barely get adjusted! I've had an interesting week. None the less blessed so here's it goes:

~ to have been born in America, to have been able to always have a free "choice" in everything I've done...

~to have had a safe, enjoyable childhood. My dad was always there for us & so was my mom.

~ for the hard times in my life because I'm convinced it's those times of shame & disappointment that drove me to my dependence on Christ...

~for the opportunity to minister to the woman in jail. It's amazing to be able to read & explain the scriptures to them & see God moving in there lives...

~for the ability to help others out that need it & having the resources to do so...

~for pedicures & manicures. It always relaxs me & they make my nails look so PRee-Tay...

~to be able to trust God for my future & the future of my family...

~to know God desires to bless us all despite our shortcomings & He faithfully does it to show us His goodness...

~to be able to pray & converse with God my Savior...


God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.~Izaak Walton

Even though we can't have all we want, we ought to be thankful we don't get what we deserve.

 

 

 

Thankful Thursday...

How appropriate that the first day of November be a Thursday &what a perfect time to place emphasis on what we're thankful for! So here it goes for my thankful Thursday...

1 Thessalonians 5:18  in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” ~ Harry Ironside

1. A loving God, what a privilege it is to be able to serve Him on a daily basis.

2. A godly husband, it's amazing to watch God transform someone you have prayed for, for so long! It's been a hard but rewarding journey simply proving His faithfulness to answer prayer!

3. Healthy, sweet natured, onry sons...I certainly would not be the same without them in my life!

4. Coffee & Jesus...no words really express the fulfillment this ministry has given me. Thankful that God has entrusted me with this!

5. Friends that are more like family...God has placed woman in my life who genuinely love & care for me. Life would be a lot harder if it weren't for Cheri, Amanda, Dana, and Lindsey pouring into me when I'm down, loving & believing in me!

6. Stable jobs, with steady income... I've been blessed with a great boss!

7. Quiet time in the Word...there is nothing more refreshing than hearing God through scripture, especially when it lines up with what your currently battling.

8. Restful weekends spent relaxing & enjoying my family.

9. Laughing! My favorite is laughing so hard I cry! I have really humerous sons & brothers so never a dull moment when they're around.

10. Adorable coffee mugs & new journals! Both bring me joy, call me corny(me no care!) lol I'm easy to please.


Now share what your thankful for! It feels good to think of all God's done inspite of the difficulties of life!


In Him,

 KATIE

Let my words be few...

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.~Proverbs 10:19

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding
 is even-tempered.~Proverbs 17:27

 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.~Ecclesiates 5:2-3

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.~Proverbs 18:21


This is what I'm learning lately. This is what my sweet & patient God is teaching me. Lord knows I have always battled "my mouth" & been way guilty of the overuse of words! In light of these scriptures I am often reminded & my spirit quieted...I hear over & over inside "let your words be few".

When I wake up in the morning & I am tempted to allow the drama to affect my day...I quietly hear "let my words be few".

When I'm tempted to get lippy with my husband over a disagreement let me be reminded "let my words be few".

When I find myself crossing the line when discipling my sons let me be aware "let my words be few".

When I find myself caught up in a godless conversation give me the strength to step away & remember "let my words be few".

At work when I may see something I deem unfair let my prayer be "let my words be few".

You see my opinion is fleshly & often times sinful. I don't need an opinion about everything & better yet I don't need to share it with anyone who will listen. We all have an opportunity every day to release words from our mouth. To build up or tear down. To encourage or to crush. To be quite honest my words aren't necessary or useful unless they are going to be used with the right heart & in the right time seasoned with love. Truth is I grew tired of eating my words when they were negative & hurtful and desired to be apart of what God is doing! I desire to be the the woman described in 1 Peter 3:3-4 "Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."....let this be said of us all ladies. Let His way become our way no matter the cost, no matter the situation, no matter what!


In HIM,
Katie

just one more reason to lean in to You...

Tribulation…it visits us all if we've lived any amount of time. I won't go into the details of all God has grown me through or by way of tribulation but I'll say this. I know Him, I really really know Him. His voice, His presence, His touch..Not in a I'm so wonderful & it's all rainbows and skittles kinda way. More of a I feel like I might just break, can't take much more, desperation way. The times I've had the opportunity to run from my hurts, my upsets over things I simply had no control over but instead chose to face them head on & take a seat beside Jesus. I believe most would envision walking with Jesus as perfect, always beautiful and totally the coolest thing ever or quite the contrary and say it's a complete waste of time. I would tell you that yes, it's beautiful & pretty cool and by far the best investment of my time & heart I've ever given. I mean what can you say about a God who, when I was at my lowest and my heart was a crumpled mess,He was there. He offered a hand when I couldn't pick myself up from crying.  He gave me worth & most of all purpose. To most I've had a tough go at it, a lot to cry about including watching my wonderful earthly father battle brain cancer  while having the privilege to be in the room when his spirit left his body & became a member of the great cloud of witnesses, talk about finding beauty in dying. That was by far the most beautiful act I've ever been apart of.  I've watched my mother battle illness that is obviously outside of her control, which in a way has left me parentless at times. I've been stretched further that I thought possible, stripped of me but in the process replaced with more of Him. You see in being brought to the point of desperation I found my Savior. I encountered Him in a way that I now, will live to tell anyone who will listen of His great love.

"Everything about which we are tempted to complain may be the very instrument whereby the Potter intends to shape His clay into the image of His Son~a headache, an insult, a long line at the check-out, someone's rudeness or failure to say thank you, misunderstanding, disappointment, interruption."~Elisabeth Elliott

I agree wholeheartedly with Elisabeth Elliott because I am fully aware that without all that God has brought me through lately I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to grow in Him. To become who He designed & purposed me to be…So the tribulation comes & I've learned to "glory" in it. Because just like Paul, who pleaded with God to remove the thorn in his flesh, heard the answer "no" I understand that all this adversity & sadness has proven to me without a doubt that "God's power comes to it's full strength in weakness" In the words of Amy Carmichael "See in it a chance to die," meaning a chance to leave self behind and say YES to the will of God!

 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.~2 Corinthians 12:7-10(The Message)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have^[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.~Romans 5:1-5(NKJV)

to whom do you belong...

There's been a shift. A change in my heart. A peace, a solitude, a feeling of being sealed by His love. I've sought after Jesus for what seems like an eternity which was actually only 3 years, to be honest. I'm not talking about the "I believe in God" kinda relationship. I'm talking about the desperation "I'm not stopping til I find You" kinda stuff. I remember searching & seeking for truth. Not just any truth but the actual TRUTH I had known was found only in God. As I sought & committed to finding Him I discovered what being known by Him truly meant. I discovered what it meant to lay down everything to gain His heart, His love, and His eyes for the lost. It began to stir me inside when I read scriptures like 1 Corinthians 8:3 "But the man who loves God is known by God" but what did that really mean? So I dug deeper only to find more scriptures that backed it up. Questions began to spring up inside, what was the proof of my love to Him?…I stumbled upon it in soon after in John 14:15 when He said "If you love me, you will obey what I command." This was getting pretty serious! I immediately realized that loving God wasn't at all what the world defined love as. His love had order & it had purpose. He lay out His love in His commands. Not to keep me bound but to protect me & give me true freedom. It was in choosing to take on what His Word(the scriptures) that I began to see strides towards a life lived for Him. It was NOT overnight, I am still in constant learning. I'm reminded that it is stagnant water that poisons  & in order for our lives to not be poisoned by the world we have to commit to becoming immersed in the Word. It was then and only then that we will began to understand the scripture about "The word being living & active…sharper than any two-edged sword(Hebrews 4:12) I'm calling for all women to join me, to find out who they are in Christ, to be ALL He destined for us to be, to find your God-given purpose. I pray that a mass of women answer the call & begin to fight for peace in their homes & for us all to realize the powerful role we have been given as women. God needs for us all to claim our femininity to nurture, to honor and to love our families. To understand that the order God created & calls us to is a beautiful thing. That it is an act of worship to respect & honor our husbands, to work as unto the Lord at our jobs and to invest in the lives of our children by living a life that exemplifies who God is so that our children know the truth too. Come join me in this journey! Let's be the spark that ignites a fire nation wide in the heart of women! #coffeeandjesus…it's not just a phrase it's what unites us as women besides, I know who you are…you're a daughter of the King…the question is, do you know that & understand the magnitude of that?!

the true heart of worship

I had the opportunity last night to worship with Kari Jobe & All Sons & Daughters. It was a sweet time to get away with a few of my closest friends. I love both of these groups & really love that they are so focused on experiencing God during worship. When my father died last December I stumbled upon the song "Reason to Sing" by All Sons...it was the single most important song that I attribute to helping me heal from his death. You know those times when the heaviness is there but no tears come out. Well their music helped the tears flow & allowed the Lord to begin my healing process. I personally have always connected deeply with music & still have to be cautious about what I listen to because it influences my emotions so much. I am just thankful today for musicians who love Jesus & want nothing more than to help others encounter His presence! There is so much intimacy that occurs when we allow ourselves to get lost in Him, He loves us so much! I know I didn't really begin to understand the heart of the Father until I opened myself up to just resting in Him. Trust, faith, and peace is built when we turn to Him for everything. The thing that stood out to me the most aside of the humility all of the performers possessed was this passage of scripture from Psalm 22:22-31 that singer Leslie Jordan(AS&D) shared with the audience. It is a perfect description to me of what God is doing in these last days. Gathering up His followers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth(John 2:24) It's time church! There has never been quite the opportunity to join amongst other believers to live & live out loud for Christ! Tell the whole world. Be the example. We have hope to offer the broken, the hopeless, the devastated....His name is JESUS!

Psalm 22:22-31
Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,
    and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
    give glory, you sons of Jacob;
    adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
    never looked the other way
    when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
    he has been right there, listening.

^25-26 Here in this great gathering for worship
    I have discovered this praise-life.
And I’ll do what I promised right here
    in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God’s table
    and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
    is here, praising him.
“Live it up, from head to toe.
    Don’t ever quit!”

^27-28 From the four corners of the earth
    people are coming to their senses,
    are running back to God.
Long-lost families
    are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge;
    from now on he has the last word.

²⁹ All the power-mongers are before him
    —worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
    —worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
    —worshiping!

^30-31 Our children and their children
    will get in on this
As the word is passed along
    from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
    will hear the good news—
    that God does what he says.

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.on him, to all who call on him in truth. John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Coffee & Jesus...

The picture says it all…Coffee and Jesus. I've used the term for months now when I would plan a meeting with a girlfriend for coffee & of course the topic would be life and ultimately lead to my first love Jesus. I have been so radically transformed by the love of Christ that I now desire the same freedom for every single woman I know. I pray that woman all across the world will grab hold of Jesus through the encouragement of other women who are pursuing the same goal…intimacy with their Creator. It's been 3 years since the Lord called me away from my future plans & asked me to pursue Him. In doing so I have endured trial by fire but am eternally grateful because I'll never be the same again. The trusting God & having endurance is paying off, my husband is now a born again- spirit filled man. Our house is finally in order. Our marriage is growing & it all started from the choice to be obedient to what God was calling me to do. We ALL have purpose, we ALL have influence let's start a revolution that stands for women who are in CHRIST! Let's find our identity in Him & Him alone! I pray this sparks a fire that burns so strongly for Christ that it consumes you…leaving you FREE!

So here's our challenge to you! We want you to join us for Coffee and Jesus. Whether it's just you or a group of girlfriends, GET IN THE WORD with us. This Saturday 9/29 we will be meeting to discuss the book of Ruth. We will be keeping up with you all by sharing via social media. Snap a picture & post it with the hashtag #coffeeandjesus via instagram, twitter, or facebook. Whatever you do by all means please please get a group in your town & meet up for Coffee and Jesus!

These are a few of my favorite things!

Every once in a while I enjoy writing down the things I love the most. My life has been full of heartache & greatness. I've loved & I've lost. But one thing remains is that God has been way more "good" than I deserve, through Him my soul has been ignited, let's spread the fire of His love by acknowledging every bit of the greatness that He has placed in us…So here it goes. A few of my favorite things!

~Kisses & snuggles from my 3 year old
~Spending time with God in the Word
~Discovering a new facet of God, there is soooo many things about Him, I can't wait to experience.
~The bond my husband & I share, he is my closest, most loyal friend
~Watching my boys grow into caring, God-fearing men
~rainy days
~cool mornings
~when I see my reflection & see my mother's lips (they are exactly alike)
~recognizing ALL my father instilled in me
~the blessing of my Christian heritage
~ministering love & encouragement to whomever needs it
~snow on the ground
~the mountains (I will live there one day)
~music that draws the deepest parts of my heart into worship
~the sounds of all of my family under one roof
~the purchase of a pretty new journal
~strong, hot coffee with french vanilla creamer
~the birth of the vision of "Coffee and Jesus" & the wonderful woman God has placed in my life
~spending quality time with my closest friends (Lindsey & Kendell) & talking about EVERYTHING, then leaving feeling full and a better person simply because I get the privilege of knowing them
~the sweet & faithful presence of God when I need Him most

…just a few. I dare you to sit down & think about things that make your heart smile! Take the time to really focus on all that God has placed inside you. You are unique, wonderful, and full of potential! Here's to allowing yourself to recognize what makes you, you. Here's to discovering all the good Christ created you to do…now walk in them!



 "For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." ~Ephesians 2:10

the heart of my Father...

I have a pretty bad habit of not blogging for what feels like an absorbent amount of time. I have much to say but not necessarily the release to say it. Today I decided to blog because of the heaviness that has lay upon my heart since yesterday. I went to lunch with friends & a waiter immediately caught my eye. I immediately felt God show me her sweet nature. I mean I could feel such kindness & I hadn't even spoken to her. I could also see the rejection she had encountered, the hurt, and desire to simply be accepted by those around her.  She was delicately walking &  dressed like any young lady would. I wanted to embrace her in a hug & then it hit me, she was a he. Even this morning I feel broken inside for him. I want so bad to just make him feel loved... For the loving, caring person that God revealed to me the first time I entered the building. God loved him immensely & showed me, I believe, to help me understand that just because someones issue is their sexuality, it didn't automatically cast them away from His love. I've felt so torn this week. I believe the Bible. In every way. I long to be pleasing to my Father in every way. I could always do better. But what I remember is this. When God came to me in all my shame, my sin, my drama He didn't do it with judgement. He did it with love. 

" I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself."~Jeremiah 31:3

It was the love of God that began my transformation. No one in this world had the ability to release me from my shame. It literally had turned into bondage & revealed itself in the form of control, anger, insecurity, and so on. Before I met God for the first time, I was spiraling out of control. I could not feel true joy. I had no peace & it was impossible to find happiness for any length of time. But then things changed. I diligently began to search scriptures that I felt lead to read. Slowly but surely God was refining who I was by way of His Son, Jesus & the love I could not deny when reading the scriptures. I also could not deny the way He had purposed for me to lead my life. The Proverbs spoke of the dangers of gossip, loaning money (believe it or not), being lazy but most importantly the necessity of wisdom. A whole new world had opened up to me. I no longer could be guilty of not knowing the TRUTH of the Word and quickly began to understand the scripture in Hosea 4:6 that said "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…" Knowledge being the truth of the scriptures. Wow! I'm convinced that no matter what you are bound by, no matter what the name of your sins, that the words my friend once told me are true. If you don't have a different relationship with sin then you don't have a relationship with God. Sin is what made it necessary for Jesus to come and die on the Cross. If He came to make right relationship between us & God what more of a sacrifice could God offer if after His death we refused to put sin in its rightful place. The definition of a sinner by Webster's Dictionary is this: one who has sinned; especially, one who has sinned without repenting; hence, a persistent and incorrigible transgressor; one condemned by the law of God

Note the lack of repentance. Repentance is when someone turns away from the deliberate choice to keep sin as the ruler in your life. The choice of sin & the refusal to remove it grieves God, I wholeheartedly believe that.

What I'm trying to say is this. God is the one who draws us to Him. There wasn't an amount of condemning, of judgement, or of pressure any human being could put on me about my state of sin dominating & ruling my life. I had to be wooed by my Savior, accept His love as truth & allow that to make me whole. Therefore I will walk in love towards others. Refusing to play judge or take the place of the Holy Spirit. Do I DISAGREE with certain lifestyles that are directly opposite of what the Bible says? Absolutely!. But do I pray that God will use me to love whomever He says & for the Holy Spirit to get the opportunity through my love to do His will, Yes! A resounding Yes! I pray that Christians don't have the misconception that loving those who are in a rut of sin means we agree or support their choices. I pray that we begin to be heartbroken for what breaks the HEART of OUR FATHER…It's with love that I write this & with love that I pray that those who are living away from God's will, will turn & repent... returning to their first LOVE, before it's too late. It is a choice you will never regret! It may be hard to let all that has controlled you for so long but be patient & expect bumps in the road! There is so much waiting on those who choose Jesus! 


“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."~Matthew 5:12

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.~Revelation 2:4 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.~ 1 John 1:9 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold all thing are become new.~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Embracing exactly who He made me to be...

If you know me you know that I talk... A. Lot! I share what's on my mind most of the time, ok all of the time! Even my husband becomes suspicious when I am quiet. My mother has always said that as a child, she knew when I wasn't feeling well because…you guessed it…there was silence. For many years I believe my personality worked against me & a large part of me hated myself for being the way I was. I was lippy (is that even a word?), insecure, and loud! I was also involved in unhealthy relationships growing up that had no boundaries. Now as an adult who has finally found her first love, Jesus, I have stepped into what I believe is real true love not only for myself, but for the Lord, my family & my friends. I am a better person all around because I finally surrendered to the one who created me & knows me best! So I say all that to say.... I love to talk, to share, to encourage, to speak words of wisdom into the life of others. I choose to surround myself with those who embrace me, love me, and receive the love & support I have to give. I no longer care if everyone likes me because I now know that it’s simply not my problem! I refuse to any longer dislike myself for being who He created me to be!  I have gained so much confidence in knowing that God’s opinion is the only one that really counts! I hope you too discover that if you haven’t already. There is nothing better than feeling free to be yourself. God’s grace is most definitely amazing! My name is Katherine Rae Ramirez. I stand 6ft tall. I love God, my husband, kids & friends & in that order! I love coffee with french vanilla creamer, I enjoy deep talks with my girlfriends that are soul stirring. I have a passion to see woman set free from all the strongholds of life & into a life after Christ! Jail ministry is my heart. I am extremely proud of my sons and it gives me deep pride to see them growing into God fearing men that are not only handsome but kind and considerate individuals. I’m grateful for every second of every day & I never expected to learn this valuable wisdom from experiencing the death of my daddy. I will never look at life the same. He always told me the things I would get hung up on were just small things in the grand scheme of life, he was right. He understood grace & in turn gave me the greatest lesson I could have ever seen lived out in regards to God’s grace.

with all my <3, 

Katie

the heart of wisdom...

I recently had a friend express to me that she needed wisdom. I in turn told her that I felt every bit of the wisdom I've gained came through the trials & heartaches I had endured. You see I believe wisdom is priceless. It can not be bought but in a sense it is sought out. We can ask God for it James 1:5. It's so valuable that we must live through life's darkest hours to obtain it. I didn't wake up with the gift of wisdom. Every sigh, every tear, every lesson learned. Wisdom is built when life is faced with faith in God & then based on the Word in light of His truth. It is costly & by far one of the single most valuable gifts God has ever bestowed upon me. It didn't come any other way than facing difficulties & the only choice being to survive…truly trusting God. Wisdom will cost you everything you have every wrongly learned into your brain. If will require you to replace all that you are for all that He is. It will be painful in every sense of the word. In your pursuit you will learn exactly who God is & who He isn't, what He's like, and why He so desires for you to possess it. Wisdom has a way of directing you through confusion towards the light of His truth. Through heartache when all you want to do is give up. Wisdom will assist you in leading others towards the Father too…what a gift we have the opportunity to give others. The beginning or foundation of true wisdom as stated in Psalm 111:10 is the fear of the Lord. Fear not as in scared but as in reverence or deep respect. The scripture goes on to say that.. A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. When I looked up the Hebrew meaning of fear it was yir ah,(yir-aw), it usually refers to the fear of God & is viewed as a positive quality. This fear acknowledges God's good intentions. This fear is produced by God's Word and makes a person receptive to wisdom & knowledge. I began to really become interested because I had never really put two & two together to see where wisdom came from for me. But I do remember deciding in my mind & heart that I would purposefully choose God's way as shown in the Bible & make it my foundation for my life. Every decision I would make I purposed it would line up with the Word of God. It was over time…but it came. I believe wisdom comes ultimately from the awareness of our complete dependence upon God. It's available to all of God's children if they want it & it lay before you ready to gain by seeking God, wisdom is an attribute of the very essence of God. It's He that gives it to those who follow Him in obedience, to those who depart from evil. To those who choose God despite their present circumstance just like Job when He lost everything. My favorite depiction of wisdom is in Isaiah 33:6 "In that day HE will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure." Wow! Treasure! It's no wonder that the enemy tries so hard to distract us with petty things on our journey through life. That is why it is so extremely important to lean on God & His Word for all our direction. We get off the path to our treasure when we forget Who is in ultimate control or when we try to go it all alone with only our own understanding. Choose God's way & wisdom comes…. Proverbs 8:22-31 (AMP) 22 The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old. 23 I [Wisdom] was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed. 24 When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 While as yet He had not made the land or the fields or the first of the dust of the earth. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; when He drew a circle upon the face of the deep and stretched out the firmament over it, 28 When He made firm the skies above, when He established the fountains of the deep, 29 When He gave to the sea its limit and His decree that the waters should not transgress [across the boundaries set by] His command, when He appointed the foundations of the earth— 30 Then I [Wisdom] was [a]beside Him as a master and director of the work; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing before Him always, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited earth and delighting in the sons of men. Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Job 28:28 "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." James 1:2-18 " Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. 9 Believers who are[b] poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,[c] and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[d] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.[e] 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.[f] Katie

Real freedom...

I'm awake with the rooster this morning but today is different. I've taken the opportunity to sit out on my front porch & breath in the smell of rain. Thunderstorms have been off & on all night and right now it's cool with a little breeze, my idea of perfection. I can hear thunder coming from a distance, the lightening reminding me that a storm is near. But above all of the sounds I hear it's the sound of freedom ringing loudest. Birds of various different breeds calling out so rhythmically as if to announce to the world their location, the vibration of crickets, the singing of the song birds, and even the random butterfly that just perched itself onto my hanging basket of pretty red flowers to get some nourishment. The amazing thing is they aren't worrying, or asking anybody what to do next…their just being..living while they can, without a care in the world. I am overwhelmed & can hear rather loud that God's mercy is NEW every morning. Yes, another day is the opportunity to start over again, to cherish every moment you've been given, to really live! It takes no effort to hear all of natures sounds this morning, I haven't spoken one word, yet I've received so much refreshing inside my Sprit. God & His creation echoing His sovereignty and reminding me that if He will feed the birds in the air how much more, as a child of the King, will He take care of me. That my friends is freedom, REAL FREEDOM!! Taking God at His Word. Believing Him for ALL your needs according to His riches in glory. This is my heavenly daddy I'm talking about & He desires to withhold no good thing from me, from any of His children for that matter. He sent His Son Jesus to purchase this & I am very reminded that He LOVES & with AGAPE love. C. S. Lewis said in his book Four Loves that he believed the highest level of love known to mankind was a selfless love one that was passionately committed to the well being of another person. In a season of loss that's often marred with grief I see the beauty in this all. Oh if it meant that I would have never been able to seek the Lord out had it not been for the trials of life then I would say push repeat. It's the most precious, intimate time I ever recall spending with my HIM. There have been moments when thought I couldn't find God & I allowed myself to battle my flesh for a time. It just made me dig in my heels to seek Him even more…I found Him. He hadn't moved, it was my doubt that separated me for a moment. Hence the grave importance of putting Him first, the connection between Father & child is ridiculously important to a life lived with peace & joy. I'm glad I awoke so early this wonderful Sunday morning…I've been with my Beloved & His love indeed is better than life. (psalms 63:3) God is love, He is ALL you will ever need. He simply desires communion with His children as would any loving parent. Abraham comes to mind today…"In the same way, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."~Galatians 3:6 My goal: Ever trusting, endlessly loving, always abiding, Katie

so many things...

I was blessed with a father that never took life for granted, that used every moment we had together to tell me how much he loved me & how proud he was. He had a vigor for life & a magnetic personality that was irresistible. He danced at all my middle school dances & always reminded me about the quiver of my lip that made him give me my way when I was little (He would say I couldn't tell you no baby.) He was a lover of the OSU Pokes, conversations with strangers, and food. He had a great smile & made you feel like you were pretty stinkin special. Observing & reflecting on his life has brought about so much & tonight brings me to this: As I type I hear my 3 year old playfully giggling in the bathtub & asking for more cheddar bunnies. Yes. In the bathtub he is munching on organic cheese crackers. I admit, I'm partial! I've learned in a painful way to cherish moments like this with him, that before I may not have. I know it seems mundane but I have often been reminded since dad passed that life is just that, it's life. We aren't waiting on it to happen, it IS happening today…right now, catch it because it is quickly passing by. You see this time a year in a half ago I might not be seeing life from this view but I do now. Life has changed yet it still marches on. How many times do we cut our loved ones conversations or experiences with them short because we are too busy. How many times did your child say mom before you rudely said "What?" I'm as guilty as the next parent but what I'm trying to convey is that every second of every day that you get to spend with your loved ones is a gift. I don't think we begin to understand this until we know what & who we are. I've began to understand the importance of loving who God created me to be. I'm currently reading a book by Paula Rinehart called "Strong Women,soft hearts" in it she says The more completely we belong to Christ, the more of our real selves we become. I LOVE that statement & am finding it to be true. I've noticed that as I have retrained my brain to receive & accept the unlimited supply of the love & grace of God that my passions for life are shining brighter than before. I'm filtering through & making stacks one for non-important & one for extremely important! The cloudy picture is starting to become clearer. What I've been put on this earth for is starting to make since. One of the most beautiful things about life is that God gave each one of us different personalities, quirks, passions,and dreams. He created me with a list of favorites, things He knew that would especially wow me when I encountered them like the mountains, the sound of rain, the vibrant colors of the flowers in the spring, the fresh fallen snow. I guess what's changed the last several years is my ability to quiet my heart & stop to breath in the fresh air & be aware of Who gave it to me. To acknowledge the Lord throughout every day & thank Him for life. Life is absolutely something I am grateful for & far be it from me to be given this gift of life and take one second for granted. xoxoxo, Katie

Fear not little flock….

I feel compelled to write about fear more so because of the recent weather & the fear that has been evoked in the heart of man in this region. There was quite a bit of severe weather yesterday but the forecasters are amped & warning us all for much worse today. While I appreciate the warnings & will take appropriate measures to ensure our safety I will not be letting anxiety, fear, or doubt control me & my prayer is that you won't either. My first thought about fear is always this scripture "For God has not given us the spirit of fear(refers to a disposition of the mind) but the spirit of Power and of love and of a sound mind(self-control)"2 Timothy 1:7 I read that verse to say that my God, my creator, the one who knew me in the womb & even before then did NOT I repeat did NOT give His people a spirit of fear. Think about this for a moment with me Your heavenly Father designed & intended for you to have a mind that not only operated in power but in love & ultimately self control. I looked up some of the Greek translation of the words in this passage & was excited to see that the word power in this scripture means "a spirit of strength, meaning manly vigour in opposition to a spirit of cowardice." I almost feel like the spirit behind some of these storms is strongly lead by fear. Then I imagine God asking me if I trust Him. I can only think in my own human understanding the example of a parent & child. Would you as a parent ever leave your child alone in a storm? To face it & experience it alone? Well heck no!! So why then despite what happens would the Lord let those who call out to Him as children think that we needed to fear? I believe it's because it's our nature to try & figure it out on our own. But today I encourage you to talk to your Father, God about all this. Refuse to be lead by anything less than the still calmness of a loving Father who has your good at the root of everything that happens. Jesus didn't come to prevent anything "bad" from happening in our lives He came so that He might walk with us through them. Truth is I can lose my home, my car, my life & ultimately it's all good because my Father is God. He set my life into motion 33 plus years ago. He has never failed me yet & He won't any of His children. He is faithful, He is faithful, He is faithful….I can not say that enough. Today do not allow words of fear to direct your conversations today. Speak to God, let Him know your concerns He understands them & I know without a shadow of a doubt will replace them with peace only He can give. Encourage your children to breath easy, to not fear. We are teaching valuable lessons to them through our response to such chaotic activity in our fallen world. Pack a bag, know where you will seek shelter if the need arise but above all include the Lord in your planning He longs to lead you. There is safety, peace, and joy found in His shelter.


So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matt 10:31 NIV

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLT

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 NIV

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Psalm 112:7 NLT

But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. Psalm 33:18 NLT

Tuck these scriptures away in your heart, repeat them out loud if anxiety which is rooted in fear, tries to attach itself to you. Take this time if you're a parent to talk about God's protective power, His love, and how important it is to trust Him for everything including the weather. I hope & pray this speaks to someone & by the power of the Holy Spirit you are at peace today & into tonight. It is said that the phrase "fear not" is in the Bible 365 times, I'm thinking one for every day of the year.

Rest, trust, and abide

Katie

the freedom that comes from grace...

Have you ever strived for something only to fail miserably? Or wanted something so bad but had the preconceived notion that you weren't worthy of receiving it? I feel like that's how I handled God's grace for what seems like forever. I understood who He was, what His son Jesus did, and ultimately had a pretty good understanding of the "right" way to behave. I worked tirelessly at trying to please Him. I would purposefully not cuss, or be moody, you get the point? But then I would get tired or someone who really tick me off & I would blurt out some fleshly response only to live with the guilt of letting God down for a few days until I had forgotten or repented enough that I thought He had forgiven me. You see I was "working" to accomplish His approval. Working?! To please my loving Father?! Father... That's the relationship that I felt like I had to work to obtain. WRONG! I believe the Lord purposefully gave me a Father who I affectionately called daddy to show me exactly what a Father is. My memories are of a daddy who loved, kissed, and chose to believe the best about me in all situations. He always believed my intention wasn't to be evil or to disobey from lack of respect. You see not only did my daddy believe the best about me, I believe God always believes the best about His children. I believe He loves me despite my failings. I believe He lovingly desires me to talk to Him about everything. That's grace friends. Unmerited, undeserved favor. It was obtained for us by way of Jesus & His gruesome journey to the Cross. That is why we no longer have to work to get to God. We only have to rest in who we are in Him. The only way we discover that is by reading the scriptures & reminding ourselves daily that we belong to Him. Our worth is not from men, our purpose isn't created by men, our significance in this world isn't from men either. Our price tag says paid in full! 1 Corinthians 6:20 says we have been bought with a price(Jesus) therefore we should glorify God in our body & in our spirits. It's about living a life that glorifies Him because of what He has done not because you are attempting to earn something. That only causes strife & the potential to fail(which we all do at some point because we are human)When you place your trust & faith in God, He does what He does best & that is guide us into truth. It is a learned response on our part because over time if you understand how much God loves you instead of focusing on how much you love God you begin to operate & function out of the appreciation & love that comes when you realize you are good enough! I believe when I finally understood that I was precious in His sight & valued that I started to "rest" in that promise that His grace was sufficient(2 Corinthians 12:9) & that I indeed was immediately made whole. My goal now is to operate & function in the precious gift of grace. I am enough. You are enough. The challenge is retraining your brain from all that religious rules that no one can ever obtain. When we think we can do anything to be "better" than the next sinner we are operating under law & not grace. The real truth is if you are guilty of breaking any one part of the law then you are guilty of breaking it all (James 2:10) That my friends is why Jesus came & died in the first place to reconcile us back to God. His blood shed is enough to cover you, you need only repent & draw near to the one who made you. He longs to be in your daily life, in your conversations,apart of every facet of your life. And just like a earthly daddy desires all that is good for you so does our heavenly Daddy ;-)

♥ Katie

Your peace is a melody…You sing it over me.

I haven't written in what seems forever…I'm entering into a season of healing, a season of restoration. The Lord hasn't left me although at times I have fought to find Him, to feel His presence. The death of my father has finally hit me like a ton of bricks lately. The tears are falling & I'm thankful. Holding all that in can be worse than the grief, if you ask me. Yesterday I found a recipe he had hand-written for me…again the tears flowed. I miss him so much it hurts at times. The dynamics of my family has been tremendously altered. I have often explained it as missing my arm or leg. It takes practice getting adjusted to such a loss. I lost the first man I ever loved, my encourager, the one who embraced me in his arms as if I was still his "little" girl and everything became alright again. I long for a hug, to touch him in some way…somehow. I am assured with hope that soon we will be reunited, this time forever. Thank you Jesus...I'm more than grateful for my husband who has stepped in and comforted me, who has shown me I will heal and survive, and ultimately who has lead our family through this loss. My children who by being themselves, busy, active, growing, have shown me life does go on. I'm learning to live again. I sense the repairing of my heart with every tear that drops. I can not put into words what it feels like when God pours His peace over me. It is tangible and makes every cell of my body feel alive once again. God has shown Himself faithful over and over and over again. I pray that through the transitions we are making that God enlightens our friends that may feel neglected or ignored. I truly feel like the Lord is being very specific about who it is I share with and minister to in this season. I would be hard pressed to have been given better people to endure this season with me. It has been life changing. I am thrilled about where God is leading us though. Entering into a "new season" that requires the leaving of all the old and the embracing of what He has for us has been uncertain at times but We have chosen to follow God in the dark, and He has richly rewarded us for it. I see the horizon again. It is the regeneration of Katie, never to be the same again, but stronger, more compassionate, more sensitive to the hurting, the broken, the lost. I would walk this all again if it meant my heart would be more like my Jesus. I've learned what it really means to partake in the sufferings of Christ and for that... I. WILL. NEVER. BE. THE. SAME.

“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are His … He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; He brings light to the deepest gloom.” (Job 12:13,22)


♥ ♥ ♥ Katie