Category: God leading

October 21, 2022

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

This is the Thirteenth Year Since my Dad has passed–I wrote this letter to friends and family the Christmas after he passed, and I would like to share it again with you all.

Dear Family and Friends, Christmas 2009
This year, my siblings and I lost our Dad. Our mother lost her husband of 52 years. Many of you lost a brother, brother-in-law, uncle, Grandpa, cousin– a friend.
I’ve lived long enough to know that not all Dads were like mine. I was one of the lucky ones. I had a Dad who was involved and committed to his family: he loved his wife, children and grandkids. My Dad wasn’t one of the lucky ones. He overcame a very painful childhood. He wanted things to be different for his own family, and it was— in large part because of his faithful helpmate and soul mate—my dearest mother.
So many of my childhood memories involve my Dad doing things with us, taking us skating, sledding, camping, and swimming. When I was in High School I decided to join the track team– my Dad ran with me every day to get me in shape for the track season. My Dad was a great runner himself, and in many ways I think my Dad was trying to get me ready to run the race of life. We would run, and he would tell me stories, trying to impart his own passion and drive into my approach to running, into my approach to life.
It was my Uncle Jimmy, not my Dad, who told us the story of my Dad running in the State finals. He was the only white runner in the race. The other racers turned to him, and said, “Hey white boy, what are you doing in this race.” My Dad replied with a grin, “You’re about to find out”, and he went on to win the race.”
My brother Patrick summed it up so well, he said Dad has taught us and trained us in so many ways to live life. My brothers got to be with my Dad when he died, and Patrick said that Dad had one more lesson to teach them, he taught them how to die– he wrote the last chapter for them on how a life should be lived.
The biggest lesson my Dad taught me was to never give up. Our sins and failings may bring us down, but they don’t have to keep us down. My Dad was a man of faith; he learned to receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others. This was not easy for him–sometimes the hardest person he had to forgive was himself.
The night that he died, I sensed my Dad’s presence, and he was so happy. My Dad came to say goodbye. He was finally going home—to his true home, he had finished his race, and he had finished it well.
Whenever I go to a funeral and see the body—I am struck with the fact that all of us are “living souls”. That is what the Bible calls us. It is so apparent to me that the soul of the person has passed on.
God is offering each of us “living souls” an eternal relationship with Him. He wants to give us the gift of His love and forgiveness. This is the true gift of Christmas— “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Romans 6:23 What we have earned is a spiritual death, because we have each sinned against God and each other. Instead of what we have earned, God desires to give us an eternal relationship with Him—Jesus’ death took away the penalty of that spiritual death and replaced it with life. But like any gift—it must be received for it to become truly ours.
In so many ways, my earthly father taught me this. I could never earn the love he freely gave me—but to experience that love, I had to receive it as the gift it was.

On another note–October 21st is my husband’s dad birthday!! I wrote about my husband’s dad in the blog titled September 23, 2013.

The biggest lesson, I have learned from both of these dads–is the lesson of forgiveness and perseverance. They both finished their races in life. They finished well. I think that is so encouraging, as it is a testimony of the faithfulness of God. We can be encouraged by those who have gone before us–for if God was faithful to them, He will be faithful to us!! (Philippians 1:6)

So Be Encouraged!!

My Blog Thoughts

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

I came across this blog–titled “My Blog Thoughts” in my files–I wrote this over 3 years ago before I started my “Blog”.   I really liked it–it was a look into my heart and mind, and showed what God was putting in my heart and mind to do.  It shows that there are seasons to a person’s life, and I was aware that I was entering into another season of my life.  Anyway—Here is this blog–written over 3 years ago–I hope you enjoy it, and it encourages you.

I have told myself for some time that I would start writing, and today is the day, even if no one ever sees my writing, even if no one else ever cares.  I have wanted to write professionally for a long time.  I think I may have a gift for writing.  Many times, I write, and I wonder where the words came from—it’s as if they spring from my fingers to the page, my heart, not my head bringing them forth.

And I feel the same kind of awe that I experience when I hear a lovely song, or see a poignant picture.  I think artistic gifts awe me because I don’t intellectually understand them.  I don’t know how someone can compose a song, or paint a picture, or write a book.   (I can play the piano, but I can not compose).  I can draw a picture, but there is a big difference between my drawings and Leonardo de Vinci.    🙂

When we see or hear or read a master’s creation, there is a sense that we are seeing or hearing, or reading the work of God.  That the divine has reached down and touched us through this master.

(Now I am not claiming at all that I am a Master, far from it, but I do think that there is something spiritual about writing for me.  Because it is so clearly a gift—it would be as foolish for me to take credit for my writing, as it would to take credit for my blue eyes.)  However, there is also an element of work about writing—about practice—and having a voice and opinions and expressing them through writing.

That work of writing is what I need to see if I can do.  The day to day, I am going to write, I am going to practice, I am going to take one more step to the goal of becoming a professional writer.

I have been busy in the season of raising children, I’m still busy in that season, but that season will be coming to end before I know it, and the same voice that speaks through my fingers is also telling me to start a new season for my life—the season of being a writer.

So the big question—what do I write about?  What does this voice want me to express?  That too is easy—my life has been wrapped up into my children, and my husband, and I want to tell of what I’ve learned.  I want to tell you the value of letting my life be wrapped up in my family.  Not because my children are perfect, or are navigating life as God would want them to, nor because my marriage is perfect and we are living a fairy tale ending.  

No—because in spite of the results, (thus far), my family has been worth my life.  That is the bottom line—my family has been worth my life.  Just as God has deemed that I was worth dying for, and that you were worth dying for, my family has been worth my daily, sometimes moment by moment death to myself, as I have placed them over myself on a day by day basis.  (Have I done this perfectly?  No  In fact, if you talked to each of my children and husband, they could tell you, (if they were being honest), of all the ways I have failed to love them the way they wanted to be loved.

However, Love is not giving in to my child’s every whim.  Love is not being a doormat.  Love is not doing all the work in the home.  Love is not any of those things—it is about doing what is best for the other person—for their future character and development, for their ability to be prepared for their future life.  Therefore, my child may perceive that my actual loving act of requiring them to help with the dishes—to be an unloving act.  That’s ok.  As my mother used to say, “Someday, I’m going to have to stand before God and give an accounting for how I raised you.”  (I used to hate it when she said that, but that is true—I have to answer to God, and my child is not my God   )

There ends the thoughts from this blog–I think it is interesting that I said, God was moving me into the season of being a writer—because I now realize that when one becomes a parent, that parenting role will continue as long as I and my child are both alive.  However, it will change, and there will be an ability to do other things that before–because we chose to homeschool, I was not able to do. 

I am also well aware, that people will be tempted to look at my decisions about staying home with my children and homeschooling and think I am advocating these decisions for them. I am not–I am advocating that we all listen to God, step out in faith, and obey Him. It will look differently for each of us, according to the gifts, and faith God has given each of us.

Our God knows we are but dust, here today and gone tomorrow–and He has compassion on all us poor souls who take one step at a time, one day at a time–fumbling and making mistakes. Our God holds our hands, and He will not let us be hurled headlong on our path, but will keep picking us up. We have a good, good God who loves us beyond what we can think or imagine. He will not leave us alone in this calling of parenting, or whatever calling He has for us. He will never leave us or forsake us. So Be Encouraged!!

Faith and Feelings

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Do you remember the story of the Centurion Soldier as written in Luke 7:1-10.?   That’s the one about the Soldier who was really generous to the Israelites—he helped build their synagogue—and he had a servant who was dying, so the Jewish leaders came to Jesus, and asked Him to come and heal this man’s servant.  When Jesus got close to the house, the Centurion sent others to Jesus to tell him, that he didn’t need to come to heal his servant, that he, (the Centurion), was not worthy of Jesus entering his home.  The Centurion said, “only say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

The Centurion said, “I also am a man placed under authority, and I have soldiers under me.  And I say to this one, “Go!” and he goes, and to another, “Come!” and he comes…..”

Jesus said, “Not even in all of Israel have I seen such great faith.”

This Centurion Soldier was under authority, and others were under his authority.  I imagine as a soldier there are very few feelings involved in obeying your commanding officer.  This ability to obey—to act out what someone over you tells you to do—this is what Jesus calls ‘faith’.   Faith is the ability to take God at His Word.

Our first step of faith—is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He died to save us and give us a relationship with God.   This step of faith brings us into a relationship with God, and then God reveals His will to us, as we read His word, spend time with Him in prayer and spend time with other believers.

My husband reminds me a great deal of the centurion soldier in the Bible.  He also is a “soldier” type of person.  He obeys God—not because he “feels” it is the right thing to do, but because he “thinks” it is the right thing to do.  There is a big difference.  

When we were young parents, (with one child), we were both working.  I had read a book about the importance of mothers- mothering.   I went to my husband and said, “I want to stay home with our children.  I think this is what God would have us do—and I shared with him why I thought that was the path for us.”

My husband thought and prayed about what I shared.   Then—we had a bump in the road—suddenly—my husband no longer had his job.   Now, he could have said, “well you’re the only one who has a job—you need to keep working.”   Instead, he said, “why don’t you quit your job.”

We went back to his parents’ home.  We went to a career counselor—which is where he realized he really wanted to have his own construction company.  (This dream would not be realized for quite a few years after this—but it was realized.)

He was offered another job—which he took—and for the past 30 years he has been the main provider of our family—because this is what we both believed God had called him to do.  It has been a walk of faith—not sight—as there were many, many times– circumstances “looked” very, very bad—times we faced bankruptcy.    You can read more about this story in,  “The Gift of Hindsight.”

Faith Is Not a Feeling.  That actually is a name of a book written by Ney Bailey.  You can listen to it for free on Open Library—you have to sign up for an account to do so.  Here is the link for that:  https://openlibrary.org/books/OL4744882M/Faith_is_not_a_feeling.

The concepts of faith not being a feeling have helped me tremendously in my relationship with God. 

When you read through the 11th chapter of Hebrews—it is helpful to have this concept in mind—many of these people, “believed” God and obeyed Him, despite their feelings.

In other words—feelings are not necessary for obedience—but obedience is necessary to live a life of faith.

May we be encouraged!!

The Gift of Hind Sight

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Do you ever look back, and see the hand of God in your life, taking care of you, providing opportunities, guiding you and directing your path?   I call this the gift of hindsight.

 When I look back it is so clear to me, how God took care of us, but when I was living that moment, it wasn’t clear at all.  I think one of the reasons for this, is that I have my plan, and when that plan gets derailed, I feel frustration, disappointment and sometimes despair.

I’d like to share with you some of the ways God provided for us, to encourage you.  God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow– (Hebrews 13:8).  He can be counted on.  We, however, are all different from one another.  The Bible calls us the Body of Christ. (Romans 12:4,5:  Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body, we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to one another.)  In other words –We have different purposes because we make up different parts of the “Body of Christ.”  So, when I share my story, please look at what God is doing and what is true about Him.  I hope you don’t compare yourself to me or judge me—as we were made differently, for different purposes.  We are both needed, we are both necessary, we are both loved, but I may be the mouth of the body, and you may be the eye.  Would you really want to live without either one?

So, here goes—When my husband and I were young parents, God was leading us to do something we thought rather drastic.  He was leading us to trust Him for our finances, and for me to stay home with our children.  We had both graduated from college.  We had careers, yet we were going to live off one income and I was going to be the one to stay home.

 My husband really wanted to start his own Construction Company, but he didn’t think he had enough experience, so, he took a job as a Resident Hall Director at a University, (which included housing and food–making it easy for me to stay at home with our child), so that he could get another degree, making him more marketable in the professional world.  Then a year into the job, the University closed two of its dorms and my husband lost his job.  At the time, we were devastated.  We had our plan– and that plan was changed.

My husband was offered a job by a local construction company.  He was offered $6 an hour, which was a little more than minimum wage at the time.  When we prayed and asked God about what we should do, it seemed clear that this was the way God wanted us to pursue my husband’s dream of having a construction company.

We didn’t know how we were going to live on the wages, my husband would be making.  Yet God was clearly asking us to trust Him and depend on Him.  He was asking us to walk by faith.   So—we did.  It felt a bit like free falling, but as we walked with God, it became clear why He was the rock– the foundation, we could stand on.  (Matthew 7:24-27)

 Our first concern was housing—where could we afford to live?  Well, the people my husband worked for had several rentals, and they were willing to rent to us.  The apartment was a bit expensive for our current salary, but for apartments in the area, it was very reasonable, I think we paid $440 dollars a month.

Our second concern was food—we had a very small budget—I think it was $30 a week for groceries, (this was 26 years ago—but that was still low at the time.)  I learned to use 1 chicken to make three different meals—roast chicken, chicken pot pie, and chicken soup.  I made everything from scratch, because it was less expensive.  I would make up a menu for the week, write down my grocery list, and estimate how much everything was going to cost.  I would go to the store, and time and time again, the things on my list were on sale that week.  Coincidence—I don’t think so—I think that was God’s graciousness to us.

 Our third concern was clothing.  We didn’t really buy new clothes at this time, we used what we had, later however, when money wasn’t quite so tight, we would shop at discount stores, second-hand stores, and garage sales.  Our family would give us gifts of clothes and family and friends would give us hand-me-downs.   We weren’t and aren’t too proud to accept hand me downs, and we gave and give away a lot of hand-me-downs too.  God has used these support systems to help meet our needs many times, and hopefully has used us to meet others’ needs as well. 

One of the biggest gifts from God at this time of our lives was a house we could afford to own ourselves.  We had been renting since we were married, and we really wanted to have our own home.  My husband had been taking side jobs outside of his regular construction job, and we saved this money to make a down payment on a house.  However, we knew it would take an act of God to bring us a house that we could afford to live in.

Then a friend of mine told me about a house that had been given to our church.  It was over a hundred years old, and it needed everything—roof, furnace, electrical and plumbing.  It had layers and layers of wallpaper on the walls.  It had great bones: beautiful hard wood floors, 11-foot ceilings, deep base boards—truly a diamond in the rough. 

This house became our first home.  We could afford this house; we bought it for $27,000!!  It was less expensive to live in this home than it was to rent.  We had enough for the down payment and enough to reroof the house!   My husband traded labor with a plumber and electrician, so we paid nothing out of pocket for our house to be replumbed and for a new electrical service.

Then we bought a furnace for $50!!  My husband was putting a new addition on a house, and the house needed a new furnace for the extra square footage, so the owner sold us their older furnace for $50.

These are just a few ways that God graciously provided for us and blessed us!!   Within three years of my husband taking the job in construction, we started our own construction company.  We have been in business for 24 years!!

 I am glad that when I look at the past, I see God leading us, and I see us following God.  Sometimes I see us following grumbling and complaining.  Sometimes I see us following, in great pain, but still following. Sometimes, I see our disobedience and rebellion—when we thought we knew better than God did and went our own way.   Many times, I see God carrying us, because we had no strength.

I am grateful for the gift of Hindsight, that allows me to see God’s will being played out in our lives.  God tells us to look back and remember His works and His acts, (1 Chronicles 6:12),  so when we are faced with faith hurdles in the present, we remember how He helped us jump those hurdles in the past and trust Him in the present as well.

 I hope that in sharing our stories, it will encourage you in your own walk of faith, to look back at how God was faithful to lead you and provide for you, so that you can continue to follow Him in your life today.

So Be Encouraged!!

The Safest Place To Be

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

I started my “Encouragement from Katie” blogsite a little over 2 years ago.  I have written some stories detailing  the times when I have relied on God’s strength and guidance in my parenting, and that is the purpose of this blog—to encourage young moms to look to God for the answers and strength in their mothering role.   However, there were times when I did not do this.  There were times I was angry, frustrated, fearful, or anxious and I acted out those emotions.  I remember a time when I expressed fear, and then anger, in the space of a heartbeat.

At the time, I was a mom with just 4 children (I would have a fifth- 7 years later); their ages were: 8 years, 4 years, 3 years and 11 months old.  It was time for our church’s VBS and I was helping with it.  I dropped off my 11-month-old with a friend, who also had an 11-month old baby.  She watched our babies while I took the 3 older children to VBS.  At the end of VBS, I loaded up the children in our mini van and ran back in the church to grab something I had forgotten.  Then— I came back out to the van, got in and drove off.  I parked at my friend’s home and went in to get my baby.  I came back out and noticed that my four-year-old was not in the van.  I thought he had gotten out and was wandering around the neighborhood.  I started calling for him, yelling his name one minute, and crying his name in the next.

My friend’s husband looked at me in amazement—I seemed like a woman gone berserk—yelling, then crying, then yelling, then crying.    I was demanding that we call the police and the fire department.  He said, “Why don’t we call the church first, maybe he’s at the church?”   “No”, I snapped back, “I put him in the van, he must have gotten out at your house, and he’s wandering around the neighborhood.”  

“Well”, he said, “let’s just call the church first.”  Eventually, I agreed, and we called the church.  Yes, my child was at the church.  He had gotten out to use the bathroom, and I had not noticed when I got into the van.  Even now, when I remember that story, my heart starts pounding and the adrenaline starts rushing through my body at the terror I experienced when I thought my child was lost.

Why do I recount this story?  Because—this is what life is like isn’t it?  Life is going along, and then something that we don’t expect happens—and how do we react?  I don’t and haven’t always reacted well.  The first thing I thought of, in the situation I just recounted, wasn’t God; I did not call out to Him to save my child.  I tried to deal with the situation myself—and in relying on my own resources—I vacillated between terror and anger. 

Perhaps, you can relate.  Perhaps you too, try to deal with your life situations with your own resources, not turning to the Lord.

I have just recounted one story, yet, over the past 29 years of being a mother—my life is filled with many stories, many moments.  

I have seen that being a mother has taken everything I have and more.  It has brought out my worst self, and my best self.  Like most mothers—I would willingly lay down my life for my children—-yet get annoyed with them for the smallest of offenses. 

Fortunately, I have a Father who is the most patient of teachers, and He continues to give me lessons on how to love, until I learn.  He is the most consistent, faithful, love-motivated teacher there is.  His goal—to make me Holy, (whole), like Him.   I came to Him broken, and He—He is fixing me.  He is teaching me to love, like He loves.

It does not happen overnight, or in a month or in years—it takes a lifetime—it takes believing God and acting out what He shows me to do.   

Just recently, I had another incident where I reacted from emotion.  I thought I was beyond doing such things, but I am never beyond those things, because I will always need God.  Whenever I think, “I’ve got this.”  Life will throw me a curve-ball, and I will realize once again, “No I don’t have this, and God, please—HELP!! 

Being a mom, has taught me how amazing God’s grace truly is, as I am continually leaning into Him to just take the next step, when my strength has given out.  If that’s what you are learning as well—you are in a good place—you are in your Father’s hands—the safest place to be.

So Be Encouraged!!

What do I write about?

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

What do I write about?  Who do I write to?  These are questions that writers ask themselves. 

For years, God had been telling me to write, and I would start writing but lacked the conviction to continue to write.

Finally, I said to God, “If You really want me to write, please tell me what to write, and tell me what to write about.”

God said, “I want you to write a blog.  Write it to younger moms.  Tell your stories, so that they may have the encouragement to love their husbands and love their children.”

When God said that, He was restating one of an older woman’s purposes in Titus 2:4  to encourage the younger women to love their husbands and their children.

Finally, I had direction.  Finally, I had conviction.  I could do this.  I was still fearful, but I knew what I was doing, was in direct obedience to God, and that has helped me write this blog.

I have been writing this blog for just over 2 years.

I don’t have very many followers.  14 people liking my blog on WordPress—is a lot of likes for me.  My blog has been read in many countries—which is really exciting to me—and I am becoming friends with other bloggers across the globe-which is also exciting to me.

But why do I write this blog?  It’s pretty simple really.  I write to encourage.  I write to help.  I write to obey.

Most of my blogs, I ask God—what do you want me to write about?  And He tells me.

Almost always, my blogs are to show through my life stories—God’s faithfulness, God’s love, and God’s filling.

Here’s what happens after I write.  I am almost always tested in the area I write about.  My last blog was about, “Repairing the damage of your words.”  Guess what happened?

My husband and I argued. There was a point, where I could have ended the argument — but no, I did not control my tongue, and instead poured more fuel onto the flame.

After our disagreement, I turned to the Lord and said, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”   I’m not sure what I meant by that—but that was how I felt.

God was very specific with me:  “I will not fail you, however, whatever or whoever, you are putting your worth, your belonging, your significance in –will fail you, and you will fail whoever is putting their worth, belonging and significance in you.”

” I will not fail you.    You belong in Me.     You have worth in Me.    You have significance in Me. ” 

After God spoke those words of encouragement to me, something tight and hurt inside me, was lightened. I realized that the needs I had to be loved, to belong, to have worth, to have significance–were already mine in the Lord, and nothing could take them away from me.

My husband and I were able to speak honestly with each other, and it was a healing talk—the kind that feels as if something pivotal has happened, and some old sore wounds were starting to heal.

Today, when I was going to share someone else’s blog for your encouragement, God said—“Don’t do that today.  Share this instead.”

So, I’m sharing this—because God does not just love me—He loves you, and He wants you to know—

“You belong, you have worth, you have significance!”  You belong in Him!  You have worth in Him!  You have significance in Him!!”

Praying that you are encouraged and have the courage to obey the One who loves you as no one else does and as no one else can!

Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes Lord–Yes!!

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou3 Comments

“For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2: 8,9

When I have talked to people about the meaning of this verse, I have asked them, “What is a definition for faith?”   I have heard all kinds of answers: “Faith is trust”, “believing”, “acknowledging”,” hoping, not knowing, but hoping”.  

I usually follow up with the question, “What are we putting our faith in—in order to be saved?”  People respond: “God”, or “Jesus”, “Jesus’ work on the cross” or “I don’t know?”

I think the follow up question is really important—because people can have faith in so many things.  We have faith that when we sit down in a chair, it will hold us up.  If the object of our faith—the chair– is well made and we’ve sat down in it before and it has held us up—then that chair is a worthy object of our faith.

In fact—I would venture to say that the object of our faith is more important than our faith itself.

That is why in scripture, (Matthew 17:20) when it says—if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains, — it is really saying, it doesn’t matter, how big your faith is—it matters what you have put your faith into—if you have put it into God—the true God who made Heaven and Earth—and then came to earth to live and die for you and give you eternal life—then even if your faith is tiny—your God is not—He is the One Who will move the mountain.

Here’s the thing—This God loves you, this God wants to bless you, this God wants you to approach Him for impossible things—but this God will not always say “yes” to what you want or to what I want.  This God has a plan.  This God wants us to say “yes” to Him and His plan.

When I read through the 11th chapter of Hebrews—which lists many people who lived by faith here on this earth—I see a whole bunch of people who said “yes” to God’s plan, and acted out that “yes”.  Noah built the ark.  Abraham and Sarah left their home and traveled to the promised land.  They had a baby past the time they thought they could have one.  (I know what that feels like 🙂 ) 

If you look down that list—it is person after person, who said “yes” to God.  That is what faith is—that is all faith is—it is believing God exists, seeking God and saying “Yes” to God.

“Yes God, I accept what You did on the cross to pay for my sins, I accept the gift of salvation.”

“Yes God, I accept Your plan for my life, for this minute, this day—to love You first and foremost, and to love others.

“Yes God, I accept the power You give me by the Holy Spirit to live today in Your will.”

Yes God, I accept that I once again need Your forgiveness– I have blown it, and hurt others and hurt myself, and grieved You.”

Yes, Yes, Yes  — that is what faith is.  Taking God at His Word—knowing His Word.  “I have hidden Your Word in my heart so that I might not sin against thee.”   If you think of  faith as saying “yes” to God, sin is saying “no” to God, it is doing what we want –either because we do not know what God wants, or because we decide what we want is more important than what God wants.

This is why it is so important to spend time reading and studying God’s word.  It helps us to know what to say “yes” to, and what to say, “no” to.  God can speak to us through His Word.  2 Tim 3: 16 :  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Hebrews 4:12: For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Maybe you are thinking—”I am a young mom, and I can’t even go to the bathroom without an audience—how am I going to spend time reading God’s word.”

Great, great question!!  I will give some thoughts of how to do this, in the comment section of this blog. 

I would like other moms to do the same.  How do you spend time with God in His Word, in the midst of a busy day?

In Hebrews 11:16, it says, …..Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God.”   I love that idea of God not being ashamed to be called my God.

Yesterday—I had one of those days –    it was not a “Yes” day for me.  I was angry, and upset, and had had it, and thought I was entitled to my anger.   I knew the “right” thing to do, but did not do it.  Needless to say, I had a lot of apologizing to do later that evening. 

When I went to the Lord to apologize—He was loving and gracious and kind, but I “felt” unworthy.  

Verses kept popping into my mind, “You are a new creature in Christ, the Old has passed away, New things have come.”

“As far as the East is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us.”

I knew that Faith was agreeing with God about what His word said, “Yes Lord—I do believe that—I am a New Creature!!! I have the power in Your Holy Spirit to live out My New Life!!”   

“Yes, Lord, you have removed my sins from me.   Yes Lord—I take you at Your Word.”

It is not the absence of sin that causes God not to be ashamed to be called our God, it is agreeing with Him about that sin and relying on Him to overcome it.  It is the ability to keep saying, “Yes”—to not give up on saying ,”Yes. This ability to say “yes” comes from Him!!”

If you are “feeling” discouraged or “unworthy”,  I am praying you will know—you are not alone, but I am also praying that you know the object of our faith is not in our changeable, unreliable feelings, the object of our faith is in our unchanging, always reliable God!!

So Be Encouraged!!

PS If you need reasons to believe God exists, or that He came to earth to live and die for us–I refer you to my blog, Peace, Baby, Peace!!

The Safest Place To Be

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou4 Comments

I started my “Encouragement from Katie” blogsite a little over 4 months ago.  I have written some stories detailing  the times when I have relied on God’s strength and guidance in my parenting, and that is the purpose of this blog—to encourage young moms to look to God for the answers and strength in their mothering role.   However, there were times when I did not do this.  There were times I was angry, frustrated, fearful, or anxious and I acted out those emotions.  I remember a time when I expressed fear, and then anger, in the space of a heartbeat.

At the time, I was a mom with just 4 children (I would have a fifth- 7 years later); their ages were: 8 years, 4 years, 3 years and 11 months old.  It was time for our church’s VBS and I was helping with it.  I dropped off my 11-month-old with a friend, who also had an 11-month old baby.  She watched our babies while I took the 3 older children to VBS.  At the end of VBS, I loaded up the children in our mini van and ran back in the church to grab something I had forgotten.  Then— I came back out to the van, got in and drove off.  I parked at my friend’s home and went in to get my baby.  I came back out and noticed that my four-year-old was not in the van.  I thought he had gotten out and was wandering around the neighborhood.  I started calling for him, yelling his name one minute, and crying his name in the next.

My friend’s husband looked at me in amazement—I seemed like a woman gone berserk—yelling, then crying, then yelling, then crying.    I was demanding that we call the police and the fire department.  He said, “Why don’t we call the church first, maybe he’s at the church?”   “No”, I snapped back, “I put him in the van, he must have gotten out at your house, and he’s wandering around the neighborhood.”  

“Well”, he said, “let’s just call the church first.”  Eventually, I agreed, and we called the church.  Yes, my child was at the church.  He had gotten out to use the bathroom, and I had not noticed when I got into the van.  Even now, when I remember that story, my heart starts pounding and the adrenaline starts rushing through my body at the terror I experienced when I thought my child was lost.

Why do I recount this story?  Because—this is what life is like isn’t it?  Life is going along, and then something that we don’t expect happens—and how do we react?  I don’t and haven’t always reacted well.  The first thing I thought of, in the situation I just recounted, wasn’t God; I did not call out to Him to save my child.  I tried to deal with the situation myself—and in relying on my own resources—I vacillated between terror and anger. 

Perhaps, you can relate.  Perhaps you too, try to deal with your life situations with your own resources, not turning to the Lord.

I have just recounted one story, yet, over the past 27 years of being a mother—my life is filled with many stories, many moments.  

I have seen that being a mother has taken everything I have and more.  It has brought out my worst self, and my best self.  Like most mothers—I would willingly lay down my life for my children—-yet get annoyed with them for the smallest of offenses. 

Fortunately, I have a Father who is the most patient of teachers, and He continues to give me lessons on how to love, until I learn.  He is the most consistent, faithful, love-motivated teacher there is.  His goal—to make me Holy, (whole), like Him.   I came to Him broken, and He—He is fixing me.  He is teaching me to love, like He loves.

It does not happen overnight, or in a month or in years—it takes a lifetime—it takes believing God and acting out what He shows me to do.   

Just recently, I had another incident where I reacted from emotion.  I thought I was beyond doing such things, but I am never beyond those things, because I will always need God.  Whenever I think, “I’ve got this.”  Life will throw me a curve-ball, and I will realize once again, “No I don’t have this, and God, please—HELP!! 

Being a mom, has taught me how amazing God’s grace truly is, as I am continually leaning into Him to just take the next step, when my strength has given out.  If that’s what you are learning as well—you are in a good place—you are in your Father’s hands—the safest place to be.

So Be Encouraged!!

Tapestry

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou3 Comments

In my last blog, Life is Hard and Unfair—not a very encouraging blog by the way—I was very sad about my niece suffering from cancer.  Sometimes when I read the Psalms, the author will start out extremely distressed about the circumstances of life, and then, at the end of the Psalm, the author is praising God, remembering who God is, remembering all the ways God has protected and provided and been a refuge in stormy times.

I kind of did that in “Life is Hard and Unfair“— I reminded us that Jesus has a new home free of pain and suffering for us, apart from this earthly home—but I did not encourage us in this earthly life. I think that kind of encouragement is so needed. In Psalms 27:13 it says, “I would have despaired, unless I had believed, that I would see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living.” In other words–if I did not have hope in this life on earth, that I would see God’s goodness, I would despair.

So—I’d like to tell a story—a story that I hope will help encourage.

In the year of our Lord, in 2000, I lost my dear, dear friend to breast cancer.  She found out she had cancer when she was pregnant with her 5th child.  She died 5 months after her 5th child was born. 

I was devastated, as were many other people.  My friend was funny and full of faith, and she was greatly missed.  She still is greatly missed, and she died over 19 years ago.  She knew God and when she died, she left this home for her heavenly home.  I know I will see her again in the next life, and that comforts me. But what about the family she left behind?

Her husband was and is full of faith.  He decided that he would stay home with their five children, one of whom was an infant.  God graciously provided for him to stay home with them, and then God also gave him another wife, four years after his first wife—my friend– died.   Then God gave him another job, to help provide for his family.

His second wife was and is an absolute treasure, kind, compassionate, giving, a hard worker, a friend to all who meet her.  She is a great wife and a fabulous mother and she has blessed her family and their church and community over and over again.

Here is one example of the Hand of God working: God brought together the daughter of my deceased friend and the daughter’s husband, (who grew up and lived in Alaska), through this connection with the daughter’s stepmother..as the daughter’s husband is her stepmother’s first cousin.   (I know–I’m trying not to use names, and hope I’m not confusing you too much with my pronouns and descriptions. 🙂 ) Would the two have ever met without this connection? – We will never know.  We know they did meet, and they now have 3 beautiful children.

This wonderful second wife was also the gifted, amazingly talented violin teacher to my daughter Julia—(read “Julia’s Gift” to find out more about this story)—who helped my daughter learn to play the violin and helped Julia’s heart to heal as well.  She also teaches many others on the violin and has been the conductor for a youth orchestra that she started.

When I look at this story, I am reminded that God has a plan, and God’s plan is so, so, so good.  God’s plan unfolds like a great tapestry.  From the topside, the tapestry is beautiful and majestic.  From the bottom side, it is a bit messy, threads may be hanging—it is not at all as beautiful as the topside.

Sometimes, we people are looking at life from the bottom side and it looks messy, we can’t see the pattern, and things look like they are happening without a reason.

However, sometimes, God gives us a glimpse of the topside, and it is an amazing sight.

I want to encourage you, that if you are in one of those times where things seem happenstance, and messy, and you are discouraged, to remember this story.  It is just one.  If you ask an older person of faith—they can give you so many more stories where God’s plan is so evident.   I promise you will find yourself looking up and praising God and remembering just Who He really is.   This story reminds me of the truth of God’s word—Romans 8:28:  For God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  And also:   Psalm 27:13-14:  I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage, wait on the Lord!!”

He knows what He is doing.  He has a plan.  We have the privilege of seeing it unfold!!

So Be Encouraged!!

P.S. Just tonight, my niece told us that the tests came back, and she is cancer free!! We are so, so happy!! Thank you God!! (See–just like a Psalm–I’m ending this writing in Praise!!)

October 21, 2019

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

This is the Ten Year Anniversary of my Dad’s Passing. I would like to share a Christmas Letter, I wrote almost 10 years ago in honor of my Dad.

Dear Family and Friends, Christmas 2009
This year, my siblings and I lost our Dad. Our mother lost her husband of 52 years. Many of you lost a brother, brother-in-law, uncle, Grandpa, cousin– a friend.
I’ve lived long enough to know that not all Dads were like mine. I was one of the lucky ones. I had a Dad who was involved and committed to his family: he loved his wife, children and grandkids. My Dad wasn’t one of the lucky ones. He overcame a very painful childhood. He wanted things to be different for his own family, and it was— in large part because of his faithful helpmate and soul mate—my dearest mother.
So many of my childhood memories involve my Dad doing things with us, taking us skating, sledding, camping, and swimming. When I was in High School I decided to join the track team– my Dad ran with me every day to get me in shape for the track season. My Dad was a great runner himself, and in many ways I think my Dad was trying to get me ready to run the race of life. We would run, and he would tell me stories, trying to impart his own passion and drive into my approach to running, into my approach to life.
It was my Uncle Jimmy, not my Dad, who told us the story of my Dad running in the State finals. He was the only white runner in the race. The other racers turned to him, and said, “Hey white boy, what are you doing in this race.” My Dad replied with a grin, “You’re about to find out”, and he went on to win the race.”
My brother Patrick summed it up so well, he said Dad has taught us and trained us in so many ways to live life. My brothers got to be with my Dad when he died, and Patrick said that Dad had one more lesson to teach them, he taught them how to die– he wrote the last chapter for them on how a life should be lived.
The biggest lesson my Dad taught me was to never give up. Our sins and failings may bring us down, but they don’t have to keep us down. My Dad was a man of faith; he learned to receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others. This was not easy for him–sometimes the hardest person he had to forgive was himself.
The night that he died, I sensed my Dad’s presence, and he was so happy. My Dad came to say goodbye. He was finally going home—to his true home, he had finished his race, and he had finished it well.
Whenever I go to a funeral and see the body—I am struck with the fact that all of us are “living souls”. That is what the Bible calls us. It is so apparent to me that the soul of the person has passed on.
God is offering each of us “living souls” an eternal relationship with Him. He wants to give us the gift of His love and forgiveness. This is the true gift of Christmas— “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Romans 6:23 What we have earned is a spiritual death, because we have each sinned against God and each other. Instead of what we have earned, God desires to give us an eternal relationship with Him—Jesus’ death took away the penalty of that spiritual death and replaced it with life. But like any gift—it must be received for it to become truly ours.
In so many ways, my earthly father taught me this. I could never earn the love he freely gave me—but to experience that love, I had to receive it as the gift it was.

On another note–October 21st is my husband’s dad birthday!! I wrote about my husband’s dad in the blog titled September 23, 2013.

The biggest lesson, I have learned from both of these dads–is the lesson of forgiveness and perseverance. They both finished their races in life. They finished well. I think that is so encouraging, as it is a testimony of the faithfulness of God. We can be encouraged by those who have gone before us–for if God was faithful to them, He will be faithful to us!! (Philippians 1:6)

So Be Encouraged!!