Focus

What is your main focus??? Mine, unfortunately is not God, but he is becoming my main focus. He desires a relationship with you. He longs for your worship, and for you to bring Him glory. He is a jealous God. He doesn't like it when we chase other things or when we give him a little bit of attention.  He wants it all! Focusing on Him is really hard even when you aren't easily distracted. The enemy doesn't want your attention, your focus, to be on God, so he does everything in his power to distract you from what really matters. God wants to train you to be able to resist distractions, but you can only do that when you seek him out, and pursue him with all that you are. Its a desire thing, not a natural thing that happens when you accept Christ. He does give you desires for him, but it doesn't make your life any easier. So, I challenge you to make God your main focus. Once you make that a priority, you will find that he is even more amazing than you could ever imagine!

Love,
Katherine

Image

So, last night as I was talking to my sister, I realized how much girls/women are deceived. (Guys are too, but that is not my point.) We believe a lie that is planted in our hearts by the enemy that image is everything. Some of us form ideas in our minds of what beautiful is. When we don't line up with the definition of beauty we have created, we don't believe the truth about who we are. We base our appearance on what it could be, rather than on what it is. This is a LIE!!! Image is not everything. From this lie, eating disorders, fake identity, and self-hate are born. This is exactly what Satan wants though. He wants us to despise the beautiful creation that Jesus gave everything for. We are created in God's image. We were formed by him and our destinies and our days on this earth were carefully planned out and counted. This lie needs to be recognized, and broken. We were not only created to bring God glory, but we were created because God loved us to much not to create us. He didn't need us, but he wanted us. So, are you going to believe the lie that you are not good enough? Are you going to continue to tell God that he messed up when he created you the way you are? Are you going to let others around you buy into the lie, or are you going to tell them about it and speak life and truth into their lives? Its up to you now.    

Losing Control

What do you think of when you hear the phrase "losing control"? I think of a person in a car hitting black ice. Honestly, it is a scary thing to lose control. Most people think that their worlds are going to collapse when they don't have control over their lives. Letting go of the control and power you have over your life is sometimes a bad thing, especially if you give that power to other people. (Being under some one's authority is totally different from being controlled by someone.) As Christians we are told to lose control. We are told to give up all control and power we posses to give it to God. It is really hard. Humans love to control things. We naturally freak out if we don't have power over our lives, dreams, and destinies. The thing is, is when we give God everything, we are in more capable hands than any other human being on the planet. We have no reason to freak out. God gave us free will, yes, that is true, but he wants the control. God isn't a control freak, but He loves us so He asks for the control. When we become Christians, we give our lives to God. However, we often don't give him control. This is a huge part of ourselves that does make us sin sometimes. It is important that we don't hold anything back from God. He will do amazing things in your life, you just need to let Him lead the way.

Love,
Katherine

Finding Love

We seek love, we are desperate
We hope for true love, we are unsatisfied
We look to the world instead of You
We think we've found Love
Though we've only looked to ourselves
Love only can be found in You
Being loved isn't the problem
It is recognizing it and knowing it
It is searching for love in the right place
We tend to search for love in every place
but the place we know we will find it
We run away from it, thinking that we are
escaping wrath, punishment, and judgement
Once we have found love, it is overwhelming
We can't get away.
Though we sometimes push it away,
It is always calling
Love made a way, love leads the way
Some people claim to have found peace and love in others
But I have found True, Everlasting love
In Jesus Christ

Love,
Katherine

More Funny Stories :D

I babysit on Tuesday nights and Thursday mornings for Bible Studies at my church. Tonight (Tuesday) one of the little boys I babysit had a few boogers in his nose. My sister was like, "Hey, don't eat that. You can put them in a tissue." He replied in an "Are you crazy!?!" tone of voice saying, "But I want to eat them!" It was pretty cute and such a boy thing to say :)

Love,
Katherine

Procrastination

Whether you are 12 or 103 procrastination (even in little things) is a normal. it is something that is sometimes expected by certain people who have low expectations. I am such a bad procrastinator that it's really hard to stop. I don't get things done so I end up having to finish them on Saturdays when I should be enjoying family, friends, and a free day. This habit is something that needs to stop! It's stealing from yourself and others because you are wasting time on luxuries (Facebook, Internet, texting, etc...) that should be enjoyed after the important work things are done. If we learn diligence at an early age, say in between the ages of 12 and 15, jobs will be easier to find, new opportunities will be able to be explored, and we will be closer to God. Procrastination limits our time with God, increases stress, and binds us from the freedom of time. God promotes peace, freedom, and a strong relationship with him, but we don't realize it. He blesses us with the time we have, and when we procrastinate, we misuse the gift God gave to us. Think about that for a moment.
Finding time for everything except God and school is mostly my problem. Somtimes I have a very productive day with school and God and everything else, but other days, I just get so distracted that I put every single thing that matters on the back burner. I am so sad about the months that I missed out on getting to be with and getting to know God. I don't want you to regret that either. God needs to bethe number one thing. We should never procrastinate on God. School and work need to be done diligently. Spending timewith God though should not become a chore. Don't let it become a chore!
Basically, procrastination is the opposite of working hard and a synonym (in my mind) of laziness, irresponsibility, and lack of priorities if that makes any sense.

Love,
Katherine

In His Steps

I am reading this book called In His Steps. It is such a challenging book for me, because in it, a few people from this church of rich "Christians" are challenged by their pastor to do everything that they do after asking "What would Jesus Do". Reading this book and the amazing impact it had on the characters and how it portrays God's character is awesome. I encourage you all to read it. We could use a lot more Christians in this world who will make a difference by walking in His steps. Ask yourself would Jesus do this or that in every decision you make. It will make a huge difference. I am going to try to start asking that question, too. I know that once I make an effort to follow in His steps, God is going to take me further into an amazing relationship with him. He will lead me into opportunities I would never have had. Try it, I know that it won't be easy, but if we are truly willing to follow God, then what is holding us back from all he has planned for us? God had defeated fear, worries, sin, and death. He as defeated EVERYTHING that stands in the way of us following Him. All we have to do is stop making excuses.

Love,
Katherine

Choosing God

My sisters and I write songs and one of them wrote this song called "Letting Go". It's a song about letting go of everything to walk with Jesus. The question I have been faced with is:

Are you willing to do whatever it takes?

I know that sometimes I'm not. Jesus is not always my everything. Sometimes he just a thing in my life. I want him to be the One thing in my life that permeates the rest of my life. I'm so in love with God, and so insanely taken by him, but  even with that, I still have a lot of days where God isn't the only thing. Sometimes, God, school, fear, pain, family, friends, etc... get bits and pieces of my attention, and God is just another thing on that list.

I want to let go of fear, of worries, of stress, of selfish desires and I want to cling onto Jesus. I need to let go and hold onto Jesus. He is life, and he is my life. He's the reason I am who I am. He's the reason I am becoming who He created me to be. I'm tired of doing everything on my own. I want to know the heart of God. I want Him to be the only thing I seek and find. He's the reason we were created, and we are the reason he gave up everything to save the world.

What about you? Will you let go of all your fears, all your worries, all your plans and dreams, and all your doubts to follow God? I know my answer is "Yes, Jesus, whatever it takes I choose you."     

Love,
Katherine

Funny moments!

My 4 year old little brother had my dad's watch and kindly informed me that he was setting a timer for summer. He later said that it's going to be a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long (etc...) time until summer. Then my middle brother said that he was coloring a picture of my sister and him in a lake in the summer. They obviously can't wait for summer, and they definitely are tired of winter :D

Love,
Katherine

Valentines Day

I have been told that Valentines Day is a day to tell people how much you love them or like them. I have to disagree though. Our culture has distorted Valentines Day into a mushy love holiday where the real meaning is lost. Yes, Valentines Day is about love, but not a worldly love it's a pure marital love. St. Valentine was known for marrying soldiers to their girlfriends even though the king outlawed it. He gave couples the chance to experience true love by getting married. Valentines day has turned into such a mess of fake love and feelings and emotions where really, it was supposed to be a day celebrating love and a man's life who valued true love and marriage.

Love,
Katherine

Feeling God

Right now it's really windy at my house, and the wind has got me thinking about how I feel God. This is my list of what I feel God in -

• The wind
• The rain
• Music
• Prayer
• Worship

What do you feel God in? How do you know when he is with you so much so that you can actually feel him?
You can leave me a comment about it, or just think it over because it is important to be about to feel God and to know that he is with you.

Love,
Katherine

Lessons

I honestly don't really like lessons in life because it usually means that I have messed up pretty bad, or I'm getting prepared to do something WAY outside of my comfort zone. I've learned a few lessons so far this year, and it's only the last day of January. Anyway, one of the toughest lessons I have ahd to learn is to follow God and not your heart.  Lessons are meant to teach us. When we are beeing taught somethingin school, we are required and expected to learn it, and not make the same mistakes over and over again. Same with life lessons. Like for me, I am now expected not to follow myheart, but to follow God. He's teaching me these things, and he wants me to do well, and to do things right. Let God teach you and guide you because you aren't supposed to live life on your own without any help or correction. He created you so that in your life he can be glorified through you. That's why he corrects you and teaches you. He does it for His glory.

(Now I have shared one of the lessons I have learned, and if you want to tell me what you have been learning too, you can leave a comment :D)

Love,
Katherine

My heart

Heart, oh heart, why did you have to fall so hard?
When I followed you, you broke
You left this broken girl to fix you
I followed you thinking you knew the way
You knew what I wanted, and I wanted more love
You didn't point me to the Cross,
It's not your nature
So you threw opportunities, hopes and thoughts at me,
Trying to solves my problem.
I chose you above God,
Such foolishness I am ashamed of.
I listened to you, my heart, and ignored the One pleading,
"This is not right, you'll hurt yourself choose me! Choose me!"
But I didn't listen, I chose you, my heart
And now, I'm here, crying out to God,
Hold me, and heal me.
I'm sorry that I left you, I said I didn't need you.
I chose "love" over Love.

Love,
Katherine

Living Life to the Fullest

I realized, after a while... 3 or so years... that I have not been living out my life to meet God's standards. I have also realized that in order to live my life out to the fullest, I need God's help.

• What does it mean to live life you the fullest?

Living life to the fullest means to fulfill God's purpose for your live. He has planned out your life, to the last breath that you will take. He knows EVERYTHING that you will do, and nothing is a surprise to him. So, he has also given purpose to your life. Not everyone's life purpose is the same, but God plans you to do things that will glorify him and further His kingdom.

• Your purpose doesn't have to be super extraordinary

People are called to do different things. You may be called to be a mom or dad without a crazy special profession. In fact, the people who are just parents with a normal job could be the most world changing people because if they are the parents that God intended them to be, they will raise children who could be world changers or who will follow God and live by the example of their parents.

• If you don't seek God, you won't find worth pursuing

What I am saying is that you NEED to ask God what your calling is. You will have so many regrets later if you follow your "heart" or your instincts. You need to follow and listen to God's heart. You will not live your life according to God's purpose unless you are in tune to His heart. Unless you seek Him, you will be empty. Your dreams, aspirations, and hopes may not be what God has in store. Seek Him first!

Love,
Katherine

Beautiful

My sister said, "One of your thinly-figured friends is self-conscious about her weight, and one of the most gorgeous of your friends is self-conscious about her face. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!? They are blind with brain-washing/suction/octopus things on their head, which keep them from seeing and understanding what everyone else can see."

You see, they are beautiful... not only on the inside but on the outside. They see themselves as ugly compared to a lot of other girls. But they are, compared to some other girls even more beautiful because they have Jesus in them.

This is for you girls-
You are BEAUTIFUL! Period. End of subject.
You don't see what God sees, you don't see what I see, you don't see what others see. You can only see what you see. I struggle too with feeling ugly, but you know what? This truth still stands that
WE ARE BEAUTIFUL... No matter what ANYONE says. We have a beautiful light that many refuse. We know that we were created in God's image, and in his likeness, and if anyone knows God, they know He is beautiful.

Stop denying the truth!

STOP LYING TO YOURSELF!

Stop wishing yourselves away!

Because the reality is that you are beautiful, and you are loved, and you are treasured, and God made you exactly the way He did for a REASON! You are like no other girl on the face of this planet, and that is because God specifically designed you to be His and to be like him. It's your choice to believe, it is your choice to listen and to change your mind on your appearance. But, your choice doesn't change the fact that you are gorgeous.

Love,
Katherine

Lost

Lost

I was lost 

My heart was uncleansed, unable to be restored

My soul was hardened, for I was born a sinner

Turning one way, only to turn back

to sin, death, and pain.

I was found, but like a sheep,

I wandered away

I left He who could love me

I left He who could save me

I left He who gave it all

But He searched for me,

though he knew where I was

He longed for me,

though I was in reach

He died for me, though my sins were many.

The world is lost

it needs the Savior

it turns to other things

Sin, corruption, and death

The world has turned

From the One who Saves,

Restores, and loves

He is calling them, they ignore him

They walk into death,

though they do not know it.

He reaches for them, but they push away

God to them is a restriction, a story

They do not know that he died and defeated death

for them.

They are blind. They are lost

They don't know Him

But He has overcome the world.

Rough Days

So you know those days where you are exhausted, you have a headache and only one thing went right for you??? Well, today was one of those days. And I am hoping that it will turn around for the better and get bearable, but as of now, I want to just sleep and not leave my room.
I will be possibly taking a nap, later, but for now, I will read my Bible. :) It's the best cure for this case because it helps to turn a bad day into a better day. I think that what makes a true Christian happy is reading the Bible and spending time with God. It makes their day go better and fills them up with good things :) So, I am going to read my Bible, and then I might take a nap :)

Love,
Katherine