7

 
7 || an experimental against access by Jen HatMaker is another good one to add to the book club! Jen realizes that her life is marked around material items, stress & an unthankful heart and so she goes on a 7 month journey fasting certain areas of her life. From;

1. Food
2. Clothes
3. Processions
4. Waste
5. Shopping 
6. Media
7. Stress 

For example month one was fasting her love for food and only ate 7 items; Chicken, avocado, apples, wheat bread, eggs, sweet potatoes and oil&vinegar . She takes you on adventure with all the challenges and self discoveries she uncovers. I was captured by her obedience and motivation to do this honestly and to have her family, friends and community jump in. Living here in Afghanistan I was able to relate to only having seven food options and to only wear only seven articles of clothing from the resources are so low here but I took myself to America and all the excess I have had in my life. It took my heart for a challenge and I soon realized when I get back into the USA there are certain things I won't ever take for granted and things illl delimited from my daily life.  I encourage anyone to read this if you feel any short of conviction about how 'much stuff' you have! 

bread & wine

Being in a closed nation where the schedule is not busy and we spend a chuck of our time in at home hanging out, playing games, studying the language, listening to podcasts, journaling, watching HEROS, and but the last 48 hours I have found myself lost in this book; Bread & Wine. Note, I am not much of a reader. I desire to be but the reality is 95% of the time would be found doing one of the things listed above. When I got my hands on this book there was no putting it down. Shauna Niequist dives into writing about the key of Hospitality, community, food, and creating memories around the table.

"We throw open the Front door and invite people into our home. Despite the size and its imperfections. We practice hospitality creating soft and safe places for people to connect and rest."

My heart longs for that, growing up in America you don't see the depth of hospitality written in these words or even what i am discovering about hospitality here in the Middle East. When I was in Oman last year I did get awaken to this aspect of life but i had no vision or direction to apply to my own life. Living in a dorm room with seven other girls where you can't cook/host people it kinda closes the door of opening up the your home per-say. This year tho, I am taking notes left and right to apply when i go home this fall for a season of 'rest'. A season to explore cooking, hosting, and building relationships. Shauna dives into being transparent to her family, friends and community. Not being a fake host trying to have it all together but a host who is real with her guests. I am inspired to explore opening up my doors of my future home and just inviting people into vulnerability and creating a space of love. Our lives are short, kids grow up fast, gray hairs come sooner then expected so we can't waste relationship and creating memories. We need to value the dinner table, the table isn't to walk away with nutrition but more so walk away with deeper revelations and connections to people/your family. Lets promise our families to commit to the table and let time stand still to just embrace fellowship. Here are two aspects, opening your door to neighbors for a dinner party&drinks also the other aspect is to your nightly family dinner. Both can't be overlooked or put off for next week we will all get together or tomorrow we will sit together. Time is now. 

Here is the middle east our team gets invited into homes after meeting them one time on the street. Its a genuine invitation and a raw sight to see. The majority of people here have broken environments in one way or another and the only true thing they can count on is each other. War could break out at any second but as long as they come together drinking tea on the floor and laugh about the simple things it was a good day.  

"When you offer peace instead of division, When you offer faith instead of fear, when you offer someone a place at your table instead of keeping them away all represent the heart of christ. "

Dream is to break bread and drink wine with family and not have time keep a hold of us but staying late into the night telling stories. Communion is remembrance, being in fellowship is captivating and lets engage with the people in your community.  Shauna is a foodie, and a friend gatherer, and it's crystal clear to me that she should have married all of these things in her writing ages ago. Because this book feels effortless, it feels like she was writing in all the ways that she was meant to write. I just ate it up.

Bread & Wine is a unique book because it's personal essays with recipes. It's most definitely not a cookbook, even though I wanted to make every recipe in it. It's more than personal memoir, because it seemed I could relate to every chapter, even the ones that I shouldn't have been able to relate to.

Grab a cup of wine and open read this book & have your heart inspired. 

your my lovely

dearest daughter, 

I see your makeup, i see your brand-name clothing, i see the hair dye, i see the scars on your skin, i see the battle that is occurring in your heart, i see the earthly men wooing you and i see you searching for something greater. I notice your longing for truth, happiness and fulfillment beyond touchable things. I count every tear dropped from your gazing eyes and store them in a special bottle. It wrecks Me to see you sprint away from me and to watch you fight each day alone. No matter how far you travel I'll continue to pursue you. 

In the mist of busy life my voice will gently ring in your head, its your worse fear but I am asking you to place trust and worth into me. if you hold very still you can feel my arms encircling you and my grace drizzle over you. Sweet child, drop your disappoint of man to me, drop your fear of rejection on me and cuddle between my arm and chest on a park bench, I reassure you I wont ever leave you. 

I cherish you. Don't you know I long for your beauty to light up the world? Haven't you heard my boasting about you? I shed my blood so you could be clean and blameless. I want you for my companion, my bride, to love and care for now and throughout eternity and I plan to dress you in the most beautiful of white garments.  As you live out the joy and experience the wonder of being my bride, I will be your gentle tutor and conforming you to my image. 

Come closer then ever as i start by teaching you a servants heart and the act of submittening to me. Let me remind you of your value and passion i have over you. Your soul is a rare jewel that i want to keep spotless.  I want to show you unstoppable love so when the time comes i can choose a husband to give you. Then and only then you will love aearthly male and be a wife of Proverbs 30. Until then give yourself completely to me, I want you to trust me an d be faithful with a pure heart. I will never hurt or disappoint you. Daughter, in me your complete and lack nothing. Stop dwelling on the past mistakes I have washed you clean and am ready for your hand to walk with me. Sweetheart, start believing in healing's and miracles. I want to use your voice of song and words to spread my kingdom globally. 

Daughter, I know that you long to give yourself to someone, to have a deep relationship with him, and to be loved thoroughly and exclusively by him.  But I must say no.  Not until my love is enough.  Not until you can see yourself truly complete in me.  I love you, my child.  Until you discover that your joy and satisfaction are found in me alone, you will not be capable of handling the problems and disappointments that are part of every relationship.  You can never be truly united with another in the way your heart desires; only I can fill that emptiness, only I can supply that need, only I can love you enough.

Now let me be enough, lay down everything. I want to tell you secrets. I want to share dreams that i have for you. Lets have dates, let me romance you and let me be the leader. You choices define your where we will walk next. 

After an Absence

The last few weeks I have taken sometime away from being so caught up in the media world. 

It was almost like a mini media fast. No blogging, facebook, (excpet the noticed that would pop up on my phone) and no tv or movies. It has been a pure week of being outside and and enjoy time with my honey and friends. I took on a house sitting job for 10 days and that played a major roll in the distance from blogging. They have a pool and a beautiful backyard that i spent time in the pool or reading in the relaxing hammock. Also my work switched the hours to stay open one hour later so everything seems so mixed up. Its funny how our minds get so into a swing of things and then once something is flipped or change our bodies have a hard time adapting.  

A few photos from the past week

Cafe Rio Salad!

Favorite Favorite food.

What bestfriends do.

Hike with Ian, always an adventure

Christa and I at Church, I love her!

Crazy run i went on down by the river.

It was buring hott but so worth it

Zestos Icecream date with the family. 

Romper from H&M

The happiness of laying out.

trying to turn my white skin to a gold brown :) 

Life is simple, but moving to fast. Im down to 13 days till I jump on a plane of 6 months, Im now thinking about packing and the little details of this next chapter. If your a pray warrior out there, I am asking for prayers about this. My excitement is not turing into nervous. In the back of my mind i know i am up ahead a beautiful and fruitful adventure but with everything back here in colorado life going so well its scary to leave it behind. I am comfortable here, and maybe that is the best part of leaving is breaking that and relaying 100% on the Lord.

With all my love,
Katie

Cowboy Boots

Greetings from South Dakota! 

I am spending the weekend up in my home state for my beautiful cousins wedding! The Cabin we are staying at is amazing and the view breath taking.

The front view of the house on the left and the back is on the right. The windows are so beautiful. I spend this morning reading on that deck...it was so peaceful!

I took this picture from the deck, 

The wedding is taking place on that grass feild! It will be very beautiful. When you only get to see your family every once in awhile it so nice to have everyone under one roof. This cabin has 16 bedrooms! And it is out in the middle of no where which makes it nice as tho your on your own privet vacation.

From today being a Friday I thought i would do a Fashion Friday! 

I was trying to be a taste of western... :)

Boots-Boot Barn//Pants-Hollister//

Navy Tank-Aerie// Cream Tank-American Eagle//

Necklace-H&M

I going to go enjoy the family and the nice summer south dakota weather.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Love, Katie

sweet tea & lemonade

And another weeks begins! I have a feeling that this week might be a bit stressful but great at the same time. It is finals week for me, which means after today i only have 3 more class days! amen to that. Many papers, quizzes, actives and little things all need to be done in order for my first semester of college to be done. I love the challenge of a to-do-list. The feeling of crossing off things once they are done makes me feel accomplished. In one of my classes i wrote out a list of things that i need to do over the next few days and im excited to work hard and be able to kick back and relax next week.  The month of April flew by, as it is the last day I'm thinking about the course of this month and everything that ties in with April 2012. I must say it was a great month~ 5 little reasons.
1. got promoted at work!
2. turned 19
3. beautiful weather all month, which meant great hikes and bike rides
4. two awesome road trips
5. finalized the fact that i'll definitely be traveling to Kona, Hawaii to do a DTS. (i leave July 5th)
Within number 5~i have said a few times that I'll be doing a DTS with YWAM(youth with a mission) but now all the details are in order and its surly happening! I would appreciate & love your prayers in this time of preparation for this adventure i'll be partaking on.

As for Today, I'm wearing red pants, flower tank and messy hair while i sit outside listening to the The Glorious Unseen--(amazing band, highly recommend btw) and drinking a tasty drink of sweet tea and Lemonade while i write a quick blog. I want to leave you with this little re-miner...Your in the place of your life for a reason. This morning i was questioning what May would bring and how I'm just so excited for the future. I'm ready to move, meet new people and start my new life but a sense of peace come over me and reminded me how I'm placed so perfectly in this small town in Colorado. God is preparing my heart for something so special and radical for what is going to come but right now i have a divine purpose And i believe someone out there in the world needs to hear how importation this time is, how today and tomorrow you will be inspiring to the people around you. Stay positive and encouraging, you will never get today back so live it with happiness.

Love, Katie Jo

holding out for a hero

'Where have all the good men gone
And where are the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?

Isn't there a white knight
Upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn
And dream of what I need

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,
and he's got to be fresh from the fight,
I need a hero, 
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light, 
hes got to be sure, and it gotta be soon, and he's to to be larger than life

Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasies
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me

Racing on the thunder
And rising with the heat
Isn't there a Superman
To sweep me off my feet?

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,
and he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero 
Im holding out for a hero til the morning light
hes gotta be sure, and its gotta be soon
and hes got to be larger than life

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the raging flood
Oh, his approach is like a fire in my blood

I'll meet a hero
And then we'll dance til the morning light
Dreaming, he will lead me
Held tight, tonight's the night

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light
He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life

Oooooh
Larger than life
Larger than life
Oh maybe, maybe'


Holding out for a Hero-By Ella Mea Browen

Dear my ladies/blog sisters/friends...Listen to this song :) 

Do you have a hero?