Just One Phone Call to Change My Day.

Today I actually received two phone calls from YWAM Townsville.  The first call I knew was happening, and had set up earlier this week.  It's been a long time since I've been so nervous!  I prayed for a calm stomach and that my fear would be gone.  When the phone rang and I answered, my nerves were gone!  The call was just to get a better understanding on how migraines sometimes affect my life.  I've had them since High School, but for the most part do not incapacitate me.  At the end of the phone call, the nice lady (I don't remember her name now) said that the gal I've been emailing would be in contact with me in a couple days with the decision on whether I'd been accepted or not.

I did not know that second phone call would also be today. :)

And so I've been accepted into the YWAM Reef To Outback October 2013 Discipleship Training School.  {That's a mouthful!}  I'm blessed, excited, a little nervous, and overall just praising the Lord for His goodness.  Now comes all of the planning, work, fundraising, and learning how to live out of one suitcase for six months!  Praise the Lord!

I'll be doing my best to keep y'all updated on what stage of the process I'm in and what's going on.  There will be lots to share and tell!

Here's a little list of my goals to be accomplished by January 2nd {One week from today}
1. Fill out my application for a Blue Card
       (A Blue Card is necessary to work with youth ministries while I'm in the state of Queensland, Australia.  Not quite the same as our green card ;)

2.  Pay my down payment!

3.  List all of the craftyness Sarah and I have been up to in my Etsy shop and then open it!
      (More details to come after I've opened it.)

4.  Finish and start sending out sponsorship letters.
      (I have a rough draft, but it needs to be fine tuned!)

I think that this is plenty to keep me busy over the next week!
If you have any questions or ideas for fundraisers shoot me an email or leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

In Christ Alone,
Katie
katie[dot]mcd[at]me[dot]com


p.s.  Here's a little map for a better idea on where I'll be!

A Little Update.

My entire application has now being processed by the YWAM-RTO Leadership Team!  Hopefully I'll hear sometime in the next week whether or not I've been accepted.

In the meantime, my bestie and I have been busy making lots of projects to sell for fundraising!  I'll post more info later when I know more!   

Merry Christmas.

All's grace,

Katie

Hard Things in Life.

It's seems like it hasn't been that long since I've been here, but that's because I've thought about posting a lot... and just haven't done it.  So welcome back.

Today my family received some very hard news.  We found out that my grandfather (Papa) has cancer. It's in his breast, which is rare for men, and his doctor is going to operate to remove it somewhere around January 9th.

My Papa is the strongest, kindest, funniest man I know.  It's from him that we get our music, although I'm sad to say I did not get his whistling gene!  It upsets me that he has to go through this, but life if fleeting.  I stayed with my grandparent's two weeks ago for a week and one night at dinner Gammy and Papa started talking about their childhoods and how things were different.  We're talking no electricity or running water in their older sibling's homes. (They are both the babies of large families)  I love to hear them talk and reminisce about an entire different world, a simpler world.

Right now we're praying that the cancer doesn't spread at all and that the doctor can remove everything during the surgery.  I'm not ready for him to go anywhere.  Although I know that I'll see him in heaven someday if his last day is anywhere in the near future.  I want to make my grandparents great-grandparents, and I want my children to know my Papa.  He's the best Papa in the world and has been there at every turn for me.  It doesn't sound like the cancer is bad, but having a family member diagnosed is not something you ever imagine.

Hug your family tight this Christmas, I will be especially.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  Plans to prosper you, not to harm you."
Jeremiah 29:11

The Beginning

It all started my freshman year in college.  During some dark days when I didn't want to be at school, and I just didn't know where I was supposed to be, I started researching missions.

When I was in middle school I had the opportunity to travel with a group called the Young Continentals.  Many of you who are following my journey now supported me 10 years ago in that.  It was a life changing experience.  I spent 6 weeks at a time traveling around the country (As an 11 year old!) singing, dancing, and spreading the gospel.  I learned so much about myself and about the Lord during that time.  I can't believe it's been so long!

As I started looking at and researching different mission organizations and possible places to go, I came across YWAM.  {Insert a little pre-cursor story about YWAM from my time with the Young Continentals.}

For those that don't know much about the Young Continentals, here is a little background.  Every summer kids from the age of 10-18 would come together from across the country and go through a week of 'training camp'.  In that week you get to know the roughly 35 other people in your tour, as well as your tour director and leaders.  It's crazy to think about, but our parents sent us off into the country with 21-25 year olds as our guides.  That week was also a time for everyone to learn all of the music, dancing, and drama that would become our lives for the following 5 weeks.  It's a crazy experience with not a lot of sleep.  Everyone becomes friends fast, which is good considering that from training camp you get on a bus, with 40 other people, which is now your home.  Every night we would stop in a different city or town and perform at a local church or event center.  From there, usually members of the church would then take two or three of us into their homes to host us for the evening.  They would feed us, let us use their washer and dryer and get up bright and early the next morning to get back on the bus and do it all over again.

Now, onto my story.  My second summer touring with the Young Continentals, we were in California some where and my friend Jennifer and I were assigned to stay with this lady together.  It had been a particularly long day, and we were ready to go to sleep as soon as we got the the kind lady's house.  Well, our host was a widow whose children were all out of the house and she really wanted the company.  So we politely sat at her kitchen bar while she kept feeding us rice pudding over and over and over and over... I don't like rice pudding...at all.  Whenever she turned her back I would pour mine into Jennifer's bowl.  Yeah.   I'm horrible, but Jennifer loved the stuff!  Along with the rice pudding she also kept force feeding us margarita mix (Just the liquid mix that comes in the plastic jug.  No alcohol.  Think green, super sweet, and oh so gross).  While we were partaking in the food she was making us eat she started talking about YWAM.  Intermixed with the telling was also how she was Jewish.  And anyway, she went on and on about YWAM and Judaism for a long time.  Suffice to say, up until three years ago I thought YWAM was some weird Jewish cult and harbored very negative feelings towards the organization due to my force feeding of rice pudding and margarita mix.

When I first stumbled upon the YWAM site, I was very skeptical.  I immediately went to the mission statement page, and my fears were abated once and for all.   A short while later my pastor at the church I attend when I'm at college shared how he had earned his pastorate through YWAM New Zealand.  It was a conformation that yes this ministry is what they say to be.

The next step was to decide where I wanted to go.  I stayed up until 3 a.m. that night looking at all of the different places it was possible to see.  My initial choices were between Russia, England, Austria, and Australia.  Ever since I was little I wanted to travel to the U.K.  I'm not sure why I was considering Russia, but I've always just wanted to see it.  Growing up I had read a lot of books on WWII and the Holocaust, and Austria was a huge part of that.  I felt like I'd almost been there from some of the things I'd read.  And The Sound of Music takes place in Austria.  And then there was Australia.  It's the land of the wild brumbies (Is it horrible that I was basing decisions on movies?  Man from Snowy River anyone?)  It's weird how many things over the past four years have pointed me to Australia.

So I had these four countries, with multiple options in each to choose from.  I just started researching all of the different bases.  Nothing really grabbed me in Austria, England, or Russia.  Then I got to researching the different options in Australia.  I knew it was the one as soon as I saw the title.  YWAM RTO- Youth With a Mission Reef to Outback.  I love the ocean and I love the country.  It gripped my soul and it fit everything I was looking for.  Including a week of camping out in the bush.  :)

Following the discovery of YWAM RTO were multiple calls to my mother and best friend.  I was convinced that I should drop of out school and pursue this.  Thankfully, my mother quickly talked me out of it.  So it got put on the back-burner, for after college.  Ironically, I won't be finished with college when I board a flight for the Down Under next October.  I'll have roughly two terms left.

The world may not understand why I want to go to a foreign country for 6 months without knowing a single person, and that's fine.  I chose to turn in my application for next fall for a few different reasons.  I desperately want to grow closer to God, and I want to dedicate this part of my life to Him.  It's really the perfect time.  All my life I've done the things that other people told me to do.  Granted that's part of growing up and being a child, but this is truly the first decision that I've made on my own.  I feel that I've already wasted so much time that could have been dedicated to the Lord.  Another big reason is that I have no idea what's in store for my life.  After I graduate from college...well it's all a blank canvas.  Or more like a canvas with invisible ink.  It's not my time to see it yet.

This past Saturday (November 18th, 2012) I turned in my application.  As soon as my three references turn in their references my application will be processed and I'll find out for sure if I need to learn how to live out of one bag. ;)

Thank you again for walking with me on this journey.
Until next time,
Katie

Wholly Committed

Tonight I went to a bible study at my home church.  They are working on a study by Chip Ingram called Living on the Edge. Dare to Experience True Spirituality.  The topic tonight was about what God wants the most from us.  The answer?  Complete surrender.

One of the questions asked was, "What is your biggest barrier to complete surrender?  Is there anything that keeps you from saying 'I'm all in'? Or for those of you who are all in, what was the number one fear that kept you from surrendering to Christ?"  I was the youngest person in the room by at least 20 years, and most of the answers that came from the other attendees had to do with being selfish, and wanting to maintain control over their lives.  This is what I wrote:

What if I fail?

 Sure, I worry about having to give up things I like to do, or living in a comfortable home, but the thing that holds me back most of the time is failure.  What happens if I royally screw something up?  I chose, many years ago, to give my life fully to Christ and let him take the reins.  Human nature, my sinful nature, has tried to take the reins back at many different stages.  But what I have to learn is that I can't take back what I've already given... it's more like a little struggle.. which generally ends with me landed in the mud, with a wheel stuck.  At which point I choose to walk away for a while to clear my head and decide what I'm going to do.

The thing is, if we were all perfect, if we never failed and never did anything wrong, we would not know God's grace.  We wouldn't know the love of being welcomed back into the arms of the Father, and we wouldn't see mercy up close and personal.  The cross wouldn't hold any meaning, and the resurrection of our Saviour would be pointless.  But we do make mistakes. Every. Single. Day.  Little ones, big ones, green ones, purple ones.  It's how we respond to our own mistakes, and what we choose to do with the consequences and our actions that bring us closer to the Lord.  I'm a real-life, messy all the time, beautiful, loud {you may not believe it, just ask my mother.. the good Lord gave me lungs}, and sometimes crazy girl.  I say stupid things, hold stupid grudges, sing at the top of my lungs and don't pick up my clothes.  I hit the snooze button a minimum of 5 times every morning, and struggle within myself to do the right thing and choose God over convenience and/or laziness.  In fact, I'm still struggling to open my Bible.  Right now.  Pray for me?  We are called "The children of God" for a reason.  When we choose to be a part of this family we have to relearn everything.  Walking isn't just one foot in front of the other anymore.  Now it includes our spiritual feet.   Talking isn't just about voicing our opinion, and communicating that we need to eat or sleep.  We now have to learn to use our voice to pray, worship, and lift each other up.  Learning now encompasses places that we cannot see, and events that have not taken place yet.  Interesting how you don't hear "The teenagers of God" or "The adults of God"..... Nobody wants to grow up, right?  This is the perfect time to really embrace our childhood and relearn everything from the ground up.  Literally.  

Moving Forward

Tonight my momma and I got to pray together about some extended family issues.  It's so good to be reminded through prayer of the strength of the Lord.  He can accomplish anything.

I've been struggling with anger towards my sister.  The past year has actually been very hard.  She's made decisions that I don't agree with, and that I feel have disrespected our family and everything we stand for.  But I'm reminded that her choices are her own.  The only thing I can do is love her.

Momma and I have been watching One Tree Hill, and this quote is from season 9.

 "Love means giving chances when there are no more chances left to give."

When I heard that I realized that at the end of the day, we will always be sisters.  I can waste time being upset at the choices she's made, be mad at how she's treated me, but in the end it doesn't matter.  All that matters is that I love her for who she is and pray that she finds the Lord.  We always said that we wouldn't be like our parent's siblings.  They hate each other and fight all the time, and it's painful.  I refuse to get to that point.  I don't know what my relationship with my sister is supposed to look like, but I know that I'm supposed to love her and pray for her.  The rest I leave for the Lord.

The Rift

Hello all,

It's been almost 6 months since I've posted here.  Almost 6 months since I've entered this community of believers to find encouragement and strength.  I can't believe it's been that long.  I've drifted away from the Lord these past 6 months, and one of the only things that I've found encouragement in every day is the KLove Encouraging Word.  Every time I hear the "tweet" on my phone and look to see what it is, there's been a sense of dread and guilt, but also one of longing.  Every day the Lord has tried to reach me, and every day I've turned away.  This summer has been a drifting one.  One of traveling and almost non-stop working.  Literally.  My heart and my soul can't take this rift I've somehow created.  Today, I'm reposting my last post.  Because honestly, I don't remember writing it... and beyond that, it was written for me.  So here is Faith, and praying that my journey will continue one step at a time. 

Life... Lately
Faith [in God] must be whole hearted, unwavering, and stronger than death.  You must have no reservations, and there's no turning back.  Faith is how you honor the Lord every day.  It's easy to trust the Lord in the good times, when everything is great and life seems easy.  But where will you run, to whose arms will you go when the going gets tough?

I hope the answer is straight to the arms of the Loving Father.  None of us are perfect.  We all stumble and fall.  We must get back up again.  We must continue to fight for the Lord.  I just finished the book The Warrior by Francine Rivers.  The book is about Caleb.  I don't think that I really understood his story before now.  But then again, I don't think I was supposed to.  God's timing is perfect in everything.  In everything there is a purpose.  For those of us who need a refresher, here's the rundown on Caleb.

Caleb was a distant relative of the tribe of Judah.  He traveled from Egypt into the wilderness with the children of Israel when Moses led them out of captivity.  When they finally reached the Promised Land, Caleb was chosen from the tribe of Judah to enter the land and scout it out.  He and Joshua were the only two who came back and gave truthful reports of their 40 day journey.  Because they were 2 out of 12 who spoke the truth, the Lord judged Israel and led them to wander in the desert for 40 years.  Joshua and Caleb were the only two men from their generation to enter the Promised Land.  It was because of their faith in the Lord to give to them what was already theirs.

There it is: faith.  Caleb had to believe with every fiber of his being that the Lord was going to provide for them and hold true to His word and promises.  He faced giants and perversion and nearly 1 million of his brothers and sisters who didn't believe.  Yet, his faith was strongly secured in the Lord.

Life is so much harder than people make it out to be.  Our youth have no idea what is waiting for them when they leave the halls of their high schools.  Why?  Is it because we don't want to burden them with the weight of the world when they are young?  It is only a burden the Lord was supposed to carry.  We've all heard the saying that ignorance is bliss.  Yes, the not knowing is generally preferred.  To the point that our society looks away from the abuse and mistreatment that so many peoples of our world face.  They turn away from the fact that these people need Jesus just as much as you and me.

Looking at the big picture can be overwhelming.  What are your gifts?  Are you passionate about music?  Then share Jesus and the joy of music with those around you!  Are you an advocate for education of all peoples?  Then share it.  Find an avenue to help educate people.  Homeside or abroad!  Maybe you're interested in agriculture.  There are so many people who just need us to come alongside them and assure them that, yes they can do it.  The hardest step is the one that takes you out your front door.  It's the step that leads you to friends and family to share with them that you are going to do something.  It's the one that scares me too.  But faith is what we're called to, and faith is what the Lord will give us when He calls.

Life, as always, has ups and downs.  I'm just trying to find the Lord in everything.  It's hard.  Really hard.  But then again, we were never promised an easy life.  Being Kingdom minded really puts a spin on things.  It makes some things that didn't seem so important before shine, and the things that used to shine dull to a dark gray.  I find that I don't get so overwhelmed when I live one moment at a time.  What helps you keep your eyes on the Father?

Until next time,
Kaitlynn