So tonight, I was sitting in the hallway just hanging out with people, as I normally do, when we heard excited screams from the girls dorm named Bhutan (we name the dorms after countries close to our heart here at YWAM Madison). A stream of girls came pouring out the door, telling us the news they had just seen: "The queen of Bhutan is pregnant!"
Yes! The queen of Bhutan is finally pregnant! YWAM Madison has been praying for this for YEARS. And it has finally happened!! She is expecting a son in February!
Jesus is so good!
I just quickly wanted to share that awesome news, and ask you to keep praying for that child!
Blessings,
Katie
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
The Past Year
As I drive to preschool, I have a lot of time to think and talk to God. And honestly, it is when I am driving that He often speaks to me. When He told me to staff, it was while I was driving home for Christmas last year. Last week, He was talking to me about how he ASKS me to do things, rather than TELLING me to do them. And He says thank you when I choose to do as He asked.
Today, as I was driving that long drive, with fields of corn stalk remains on either side of the road, God and I were looking back on the past year of my life. And remembering all the things I have seen God do, all the things we have done together.
In the past year, I have learned how much God loves me, and how real that love is. How He loves me without any strings. Nothing I do or don't do will ever affect His love for me. I have danced around while waving huge palm branches during worship. I have seen Him provide finances for people in astounding ways -He provided about 5 thousand dollars to our school leaders in one day. I have seen Him heal people of their illness or injury -I have seen people go from extreme pain to none at all after a simple prayer. I have learned about the weapons of spiritual warfare, and the power I have in that area, and I have used them. I have taken down bunk beds and lugged them up to a stifling hot attic. I have spent two months living in Mexico, just because God asked me to go there. I have eaten oatmeal, beans, and rice every day for a week. I have spent thousands of dollars just to serve others, to be God's hands and feet. I have changed the poopy diapers of special needs women. I have collected beautiful, amazing sea shells and seen God's creativity and beauty through them. I have handed out hot dogs to people who live and work in a dump, people who never leave the smell and dirt of that place. I have lived in a building with fifty others, sharing a room with twelve girls. I have talked to a complete stranger about Jesus for over an hour. I stood up to speak in front of a group of people, not sure what I was going to say, until God gave me the words as I spoke them. I have listened as God asked me to go certain places. I have taken a 27 hour bus ride, halfway through which the military stopped us, ordered everyone off the bus, and scanned out belongings. I have met friends who now live all over the world -Africa, Mexico, Ireland, Japan, and more. I have learned a lot about who God is, and I have grown in relationship with Him. I have handed out free hot chocolate in the frosty night. I have learned to hear and recognize God's voice. I have worshipped God while gazing at the amazing ocean He created. I have seen Him bring a preschool into being out of literally nothing. I have seen God bring joy out of dreariness. I have seen Him meet people in new ways. I have laughed with God -for almost an hour, non-stop. I have been searched at a border, and then denied entry to the county (America, of all places!). I have felt His gentle presence. I have seen God change people's lives forever. I have seen people accept Jesus into their lives, thanking Him for what He has done for them. I have begun to actually trust God with my future.
God and I have been on a crazy, crazy journey over this past year. These are only a handful of the many, many things that I have done together with Him! My time with YWAM has been a crazy, fun, incredible learning experience and a crazy, fun, incredible time with God. And I'm so excited to see what else I get to do with Him over my next few months with YWAM Madison, as well as for the rest of my life, where-ever I may be!
Blessings,
Katie
PS. I'm coming home! In two weeks, it is Thanksgiving break, and so I shall be home for a few days! I'm so excited to see everyone again! I miss you all!
Today, as I was driving that long drive, with fields of corn stalk remains on either side of the road, God and I were looking back on the past year of my life. And remembering all the things I have seen God do, all the things we have done together.
In the past year, I have learned how much God loves me, and how real that love is. How He loves me without any strings. Nothing I do or don't do will ever affect His love for me. I have danced around while waving huge palm branches during worship. I have seen Him provide finances for people in astounding ways -He provided about 5 thousand dollars to our school leaders in one day. I have seen Him heal people of their illness or injury -I have seen people go from extreme pain to none at all after a simple prayer. I have learned about the weapons of spiritual warfare, and the power I have in that area, and I have used them. I have taken down bunk beds and lugged them up to a stifling hot attic. I have spent two months living in Mexico, just because God asked me to go there. I have eaten oatmeal, beans, and rice every day for a week. I have spent thousands of dollars just to serve others, to be God's hands and feet. I have changed the poopy diapers of special needs women. I have collected beautiful, amazing sea shells and seen God's creativity and beauty through them. I have handed out hot dogs to people who live and work in a dump, people who never leave the smell and dirt of that place. I have lived in a building with fifty others, sharing a room with twelve girls. I have talked to a complete stranger about Jesus for over an hour. I stood up to speak in front of a group of people, not sure what I was going to say, until God gave me the words as I spoke them. I have listened as God asked me to go certain places. I have taken a 27 hour bus ride, halfway through which the military stopped us, ordered everyone off the bus, and scanned out belongings. I have met friends who now live all over the world -Africa, Mexico, Ireland, Japan, and more. I have learned a lot about who God is, and I have grown in relationship with Him. I have handed out free hot chocolate in the frosty night. I have learned to hear and recognize God's voice. I have worshipped God while gazing at the amazing ocean He created. I have seen Him bring a preschool into being out of literally nothing. I have seen God bring joy out of dreariness. I have seen Him meet people in new ways. I have laughed with God -for almost an hour, non-stop. I have been searched at a border, and then denied entry to the county (America, of all places!). I have felt His gentle presence. I have seen God change people's lives forever. I have seen people accept Jesus into their lives, thanking Him for what He has done for them. I have begun to actually trust God with my future.
God and I have been on a crazy, crazy journey over this past year. These are only a handful of the many, many things that I have done together with Him! My time with YWAM has been a crazy, fun, incredible learning experience and a crazy, fun, incredible time with God. And I'm so excited to see what else I get to do with Him over my next few months with YWAM Madison, as well as for the rest of my life, where-ever I may be!
Blessings,
Katie
PS. I'm coming home! In two weeks, it is Thanksgiving break, and so I shall be home for a few days! I'm so excited to see everyone again! I miss you all!
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Prayer
Every day of YWAM preschool starts the same. Once all the children have arrived, we sit down on the alphabet rug for circle, or "oval", as the children call it (because we don't sit in a perfect circle, it is more like an oval. When I say circle, they always correct me). Here, we talk about God, read the Bible, and end with prayer.
When we pray is probably my favourite part of every day. It is the absolute best. I ask for prayer requests, which I write on the chalkboard. Some of their requests make me laugh. Take on of my personal favourites, for example- "I want to pray that the farmer won't mix up the milking cow and the eating cow." (he really loves his milking cows... like, a lot). They also have prayed for a room full of puppies, that everyone gets good at math, and that we will have winter AND summer (this comes from the same child).
But while they have their funny prayer requests, they also have some that really surprise me. Like "Thank you for the new toy- it was an answer to our prayer because last time we prayed that everyone would get a new toy! And I did!" and "That the people in China and Mexico don't get hurt by the bad army guys." Another prayer request that has come up multiple times lately is that "Everyone will have a Bible". Yesterday, we talked during our Bible time about being blessed to be a blessing. How we should share with people in need. And during the prayer requests, one child requested that we pray that "People with nothing will be blessed."
When we first started preschool, I would be the one to pray our prayers. When I asked if anyone else wanted to pray, no one would volunteer. Now, all the children want to pray, and I have to pick two each day. It is so awesome to see the children growing in talking to God!
I was talking to Greg, the backing behind the preschool, whose son Bennett is in the preschool. He was telling me that he can see the impact that it is having. Bennett wants to pray more, and out loud. And that in turn is helping Bennett's older sister to be more outspoken in prayer, since she sees her brother doing it.
So that's just a tiny glimpse of what preschool is doing. Its awesome!
And now I am off to spend the weekend with my friend. I haven't seen her in a whole week -I spent this past week living in town with a mom and baby because the DTS went to Oklahoma for a conference. I got to snuggle baby Obie for like three hours every night, so it was pretty terrific!- and so I'm looking forward to spending time with her again!
Oh, and since the DTS was in Oklahoma, Micah had to go as well. Apparently he kept telling his mom how saw he was to be missing school. Awwwww :)
Blessings,
Katie
When we pray is probably my favourite part of every day. It is the absolute best. I ask for prayer requests, which I write on the chalkboard. Some of their requests make me laugh. Take on of my personal favourites, for example- "I want to pray that the farmer won't mix up the milking cow and the eating cow." (he really loves his milking cows... like, a lot). They also have prayed for a room full of puppies, that everyone gets good at math, and that we will have winter AND summer (this comes from the same child).
But while they have their funny prayer requests, they also have some that really surprise me. Like "Thank you for the new toy- it was an answer to our prayer because last time we prayed that everyone would get a new toy! And I did!" and "That the people in China and Mexico don't get hurt by the bad army guys." Another prayer request that has come up multiple times lately is that "Everyone will have a Bible". Yesterday, we talked during our Bible time about being blessed to be a blessing. How we should share with people in need. And during the prayer requests, one child requested that we pray that "People with nothing will be blessed."
When we first started preschool, I would be the one to pray our prayers. When I asked if anyone else wanted to pray, no one would volunteer. Now, all the children want to pray, and I have to pick two each day. It is so awesome to see the children growing in talking to God!
I was talking to Greg, the backing behind the preschool, whose son Bennett is in the preschool. He was telling me that he can see the impact that it is having. Bennett wants to pray more, and out loud. And that in turn is helping Bennett's older sister to be more outspoken in prayer, since she sees her brother doing it.
So that's just a tiny glimpse of what preschool is doing. Its awesome!
And now I am off to spend the weekend with my friend. I haven't seen her in a whole week -I spent this past week living in town with a mom and baby because the DTS went to Oklahoma for a conference. I got to snuggle baby Obie for like three hours every night, so it was pretty terrific!- and so I'm looking forward to spending time with her again!
Oh, and since the DTS was in Oklahoma, Micah had to go as well. Apparently he kept telling his mom how saw he was to be missing school. Awwwww :)
Blessings,
Katie
Prayer requests :)
On Monday, I played chauffeur for a family with eight children. School drop offs and pick ups. I got to drive around this 12 seater beast... quite the adventure!
This past week with just me, Lauren, and baby Obediah was the best. I got to cuddle Obie for so long every evening! I put him to sleep every night- apparently I am still the baby whisperer! :P
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)