New Beginnings

Life changes as our perceptions become more focused.... things happen that are unexpected, yet not unwelcome, because they bring freedom, renewal, peace...
Change is so hard, but so good- it allows us to go beyond our expectations, to look out beyond the present and see that God may have more for us. We are led up to the edge of the overwhelmingly high cliff, surrounded by trees, rivers, green pastures...
And we are told to jump...

Conformed.... or Transformed...

It is so easy to blend in, to change who you are so others will like you... to do anything to fit in takes no courage. To do everything you can to fight your will to blend in... to truly stand out takes courage.

If we go through life changing to our surroundings, our companions, and to the situations life is constantly throwing at us, no one will know who we really are including ourselves.

It is time to stand up for who you are, the person that you were meant to be, not the person that creeps up when you are at your weakest, the easy personality of complacency to the world's expectations.

Different is beautiful.

I'm back!

Stories to come!

Last Post...

Hey all,

This is my last post before I leave for Morraco...

My bag will be here tonight at 9!!! (1 pm back home) Thank you so much for all your prayers!!! I have blisters from two days in uncomfy flip flops so I'm so relieved to be getting my bag!

Another praise! There are more celiacs here in Spain than there are at home. The super markets are full of gluten-free crackers, bread, meat, and yummmmy chocolate chip cookies! My leaders are SO nice, and they have made sure that I have a bag full of crackers, dried fruit, nuts, soy milk, and cookies to take with me tomorrow. They also said (and this surprises me because I did so much research!) that in Morroco there are many diabetics, and so alot of people cannot eat sugar. They said that when we visit homes where I cannot eat the food, they will explain that I'm unable, like a diabetic, to eat certain foods, and because of this the Morrocans will not take offense! They aim to keep me as gluten-free (and well) as possible! Praise the Lord!

The beach here is beautiful, and today we had a picnic and laid in the sun. The orientation officially begins tonight and then we finish training in Morocco. The difference in cultures is absolutely crazy, and I can hardly take it all in!

I will be back in Spain on the 28th... Blessings and Thank you for praying!!!

Love Kate

Algeciras, Spain

Hi all!

I'm here in Spain, and it is beautiful! Very tired, but loving it here! We are staying in a small 5th floor apartment on a little street in the middle of town, and from our balcony we can see the city as well as the coast. We are only a short drive away from the Strait of Gilbraltar, where we will be ferrying across to Morocco in a couple days. Orientation will be in Morocco, and we will then be spending a couple weeks putting to good use what we learn.

Please pray... my bag did not arrive with me, and it only has a couple days to get here! If it does not come in time, one of the ladies who lives here in Spain has offered to let me borrow some of her clothes as she lived in Tunisia for two years and has often been to Morroco. But I also had my sandals and some other important things in my other bag... obviously if it doesn't come that means God will provide for me without it... but nonetheless it would be so nice!!!

Please continue to pray for the things below... I will update again probably tomorrow before I head across the strait...

I will give your life to you as a prize... [Jeremiah 45:5]

This past couple weeks have been so hard for me. I have so many pent up feelings of inadequacy and failure, and as hard as I have tried, I have been so frustrated with myself for not being "enough." Who am I not enough for though? The more that I have thought and prayed about this, I am finding that the only one I am inadequate for is... myself. God loved me so much in my sin and imperfection that He died for me, yet I continually go to Him apologizing that I just can't make myself worthy enough for Him, when all He really wants is... me... just the way I am. If I could only remember this truth and shut out all the lies that I am continually tempted to believe about who I am. The root of such lies is pride; I am unable to relinquish my grasp on the fact that I cannot make myself what I was not made to be. How freeing to finally realize that all of Him is MORE than enough for all of me... and that I must look to Him to fulfill and decide who I am to be, not who I think I should be for Him.

I read something today that really confirmed this. Oswald Chambers says in "My Utmost For His Highest": Are you prepared to let God take you into total oneness with Himself, paying no more attention to what you call the great things in life? Are you prepared to surrender totally and let go?... Once you do surrender, you will no longer think about what God is going to do. Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you totally abandon yourself for God, He immediately says to you, "I will give your life to you as a prize...." The reason people are tired of life is that God has not given them anything-- they have not been given their life "as a prize". The way to get out of that condition is to abandon yourself to God. And once you do get to the point of total surrender to Him, you will be the most surprised and delighted person on earth, God will have you absolutely without any limitations, and He will have given you our life. If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience in your life or your refusal to be simple enough."

Am I not only willing to give Jesus my best, but my worst? Am I willing to offer Him my discrepancies, weaknesses, imperfections, and failures along with the things that I think He may want from me, things that seem of use and importance?

sick...

Well sometimes my body has to yell to get my attention; why do I tend to learn lessons the hard way? :/
It's so annoying when my health can't keep up with my agenda... when my body says to SLOW DOWN...