Kisses From Katie

I just finished reading Kisses from Katie, and y'all, this book wrecked me!!  I knew that it would be good, I've read Katie's blog before and have always come away inspired to put more feet on my faith and to know Jesus the way she does.  This book was seriously incredible!!  I could not put it down, and yet there were days that I had to because if I read anymore of it I'm pretty sure I would have jumped on a plane to Africa right then.  Reading the accounts of some of the things she has seen made me ache even more for our baby.  It also made me ready to do something.  What that is or looks like at the moment I'm not sure, but you better believe I am praying and seeking the Father's face for wisdom.  The copy I had I checked out from the library, which I immediately regretted because I couldn't write in it and I felt like I should have highlighted the whole book!  I wanted to share a few things here that really stood out to me.  This is an excerpt from one of Katie's journal entries in the book:
                   "I've had people ask me why I think Africa is so impoverished, but these children are not poor.  
                    I, as a person who grew up wealthy, am.  I put value in things.  These children, having no 
                    things, put value in God.  I put my trust in relationships; these children, having already seen
                    relationships fail, put their trust in the Lord.  This nation is blessed beyond any place, any 
                   people I have encountered.  God has not forgotten them.  In fact, I believe He has loved them 
                   just a little bit extra.  I sit here freezing and wet in this pitch-black room as the rain beats on 
                   the roof, and God is so close I feel I can touch Him.  My deepest prayer is that I could know 
                   the Lord as well as the first grader next to me.  My senses are full of His greatness.  God's 
                   glory has fallen down into this place and is soaking us even deeper than the rain.  I never want
                   to be dry. "
Wow!  So beautiful and convicting.  The fact that these first graders she is teaching have so much more faith than I do, because God is all they have, really puts things in perspective.  After reading this, seeing how open Katie is to the Holy Spirit and seeing the Gospel on display in her life pretty much every day, convicted me that I really need to strive to see the Gospel in everything and have that be my reason for doing what I do.  Just being real here.  Too many times I find myself just going with the flow, not really seeking God for what He would have me to do in certain situations, and that's just not right and not how I want to live my life.  So I'm praying about how my life can be leveraged for the Gospel.  I might not have children with scabies around me dying of hunger that I can bring into my home, but there are things I can do here.

It is so refreshing to see a young girl, who pretty much had it all according to America's standards, completely give it all up to follow what Jesus has for her life.  And it is a beautiful life she is living.  She is seeing God work daily, and seeing the blessing of following him.  Hers is a life that is being leveraged for the Gospel, she is making a difference in Uganda, and because of her, countless many others have come to know Him.  I can't imagine being 22 and already having 13 children, but she is doing it, with God's grace.  This story is just so, so beautiful!! If you haven't read this yet, I encourage you to.  I pray that it will also change you and the many others who read it.  It's amazing what God can do through us if we let Him!!