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