Impossible is Nothing

In all honesty, my job is hard. 

Sometimes it seems impossible.

Sometimes kids’ lives appear too dark, sometimes I do not feel strong enough, sometimes I do not feel capable, sometimes I feel like Jonah.  

Jonah who wanted to be called to something else, somewhere else, but who eventually obeyed God & saw an entire city change.  

It wasn’t long ago at the bible study I have been attending through my church that a woman said “Sometimes God intentionally calls us to the impossible, to strengthen our faith in Him”.  

I do not believe that even though my situation can often feel impossible, it truly is.   I do believe that this is what Christ has asked of me.

I believe that these kids deserve the chance to experience what Christ’s love, real love, looks like. My  friends are worth it.  

While my life might never look as glamorous or be appear to be as fun as I once dreamed of it being, I know that for now, my place is here, with them. And even though sometimes it might seem like the most impossible task in the world, this is what I have been called to do.

If we allow ourselves to live recklessly for him, then we too will see his glory.  We will see him do the impossible! -Francis Chan

Care for God's flock with all the diligence of a shepard.  Not because you have to, but because you want to please God.  not calculating waht you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously.  Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way. 1 Peter 5:2-3

When we obey God, he can accomplish the impossible. We will get supernatural results! -Priscilla Shrier

IMPOSSIBLE is NOTHING

Bond Save the Queen!

The Olympics have started!!!!!
I am only slightly excited.
I think there is something just magical about them.
For two weeks, the world feels at peace.
We are all celebrating together! A worldwide party!

Not to mention these people are THE WORLDS GREATEST ATHLETES.
I was brought up in a home where sports mean absolutely everything, so I can begin to grasp the kind of dedication that these athletes possess.
I think they have all earned this time in the spotlight & I am more than happy to celebrate their talent!
I am usually moved to tears multiple times while watching the competitions & my heart is always swelling with American pride.

My friend Holly & I got to see some of the Olympic swimmers while they were training at UT in Knoxville.
It was fantastic! Kind of like being at the real thing, but not quite.
I hope that I really do get to go one day!
If Holly had put up her pictures from that morning I would share them with you, but no can do.

My friends & I are always looking for a good excuse to cook yummy food & throw a good party, so of course we had people over last night for the Opening Ceremonies!
Katie cooked up a delicious casserole of sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, & croissants & I made some dessert pizza.  People ate more of her dish. So much for me trying to provide a healthier option! Leson learned! We had some other snacks too, but everyone was too busy eating what we have now dubbed "Katie's Kasserole".


What an incredible opening ceremony it was! The children's choir sounded magnificent, Kenneth Branagh was a nice surprise, I absolutely died when the James Bond & the Queen 'parachuted' into the arena, Mary Poppins defeated Voldemort, they forged a ring, & Paul Mcartney showed up! It was just...like I said before, Magical!


Our little party was such a good time! We even had a mini "West King Olympics" when we got tired of watching all the teams walk out.
We played some cornhole & Zack taught us how to throw a Javelin. It was kind of embarrassing.
I'll end this post with some shots from last night & a patriotic U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A! 

Chantey & I copying a famous photo. (see below)

American Gothic...not as cute as me & Chantey =)

Zack in his sweet shirt, throwing the Javelin!

Serenity, Peace, & Power

We have to acknowledge that our hunger for God comes from him & will not be completely satisfied on earth.  The deepest pleasures of life don't satisfy us, they point us forward. -Larry Crab

Strained by the very mad race of our outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly deeper than all this hurried existence. A life of unhurried serenity & peace & power. -Thomas Kelly


This is not my home.
The darkness that dwells here was not put here by my Lord.
He can redeem any situation.
He is present in difficulty.
He loves.

I am reminding myself of these things in the face of senseless tragedy.
For what happened in Colorado makes me afraid.
It drives home the fear that I carry around.
Not a specific fear, but fear in general.
So I am trying to remember these things.
It's what is real & true.

There is a Mighty God.
There is a home for me with him where fear has no place, where sorrow cannot find us, where we will find rest from the burdens of this world.
There is hope for us all!

A Deaf Ear

So I am re-reading Hebrews. Again.
It's just one of those books that says something different to me every time I read it.
The words really penetrate my heart & soul.
Today, I am overwhelmed by chapters 4-6.

This morning, I opened up a journal of mine from a year ago & started reading.
It devastated me.
The prayers written in the first few pages sounded exactly like prayers that I wrote a week ago.
Time has past, circumstances have changed, but I remain the same.
What a let down.
A let down to God & to myself.
How is it that I am STILL struggling with the same sins?
How am I not wiser or better at choosing what is right?
I am so upset with myself.

I have made empty promises. I have tried to do what is right by others. I have given into the need for pleasing others.
I have claimed one lifestyle, but lived another.
And where has it gotten me?
Oh just the same place I was a year ago.
Awesome.

So I opened up the Word to look for some help.
This is what Hebrews told me:

Don't drag your feet! Be like those who stay the course with committed faith & then get everything promised to them. 6:12

We who have run our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands & never let go.  It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God. 6:18&19

But I have been dragging my feet. I have yet to truly grasp hope with both hands or put all my faith in His plan. I have taken things into my own hands.

Lonely? I turn to boys to fill the void.

Seeking fulfillment? I do whatever it takes to please others & earn their affection.

Bored? I panic & frantically search for something, ANYTHING, to pass the time. 

Pressured? I give in so that I am not left out.

And, since I am exactly where I was this time last year, it is obviously getting me nowhere.

But He understands.
He has been here.
He has been tested & tried & tempted.
Hebrews reminds me that "We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness & testing, experienced it all, all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him & get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." 4:15&16  It also says, "Though he was God's son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do." 5:8
So  I can be comforted.
I can be sure that he relates to me & because he relates to me, he is compassionate & merciful.
He is not waiting on me to mess up so that I can be punished for my mistakes.

The Lord is asking me to change.
To REALLY change.
To be able to look at my life in a year & be so different than the screw-up I am right now.
He begs, "Today, please listen, don't turn a deaf ear" (4:7)
And I am ready to listen.
I am ready to give up what I now see I have been clinging to instead of him.

My mom told me a few weeks ago that sometimes we fill our lives up with stuff, whether good or bad or neutral & that stuff gets in the way of our relationship with him.
Well, all the stuff I have accumulated is beyond smothering me. So it has to go.
I am tired of dragging it around.
I am ready to make good on the promise in 4:2 "If we believe though, we'll experience that state of resting".

I am ready to listen.
Ready to trust, to grasp hope with both hands, & to rest in your promise, O Lord.
I am no longer a girl with deaf ears. 

"We have two alternatives: We can base our self-worth on our success & ability to please others or we can base our self-worth on the love, forgiveness, & acceptance of Christ." -Search for Significance

The Valley-Ellie Holcomb

I don’t want to face this valley
I don’t want to walk alone
You say that you’ll leave to find me
Well I am begging you now to come

Don’t think I can face the morning
The heaviness is on my chest
You say that you’ll lift this burden
Well I am begging you to bring me rest

So come and find me
In the darkest night of my soul
In the shadow of the valley
I am dying for you to make me whole
For you to make me whole

I can’t keep myself from sinkin’
From drowning down in all this shame
My throat is worn out from calling for help
And I am praying you’ll remember my name

I know I can’t fight this battle
Been surrounded on every side
You say that you will deliver me
Well I am praying that you’ll restore my life

Answer me out of the goodness of your love
In your mercy turn to me
I know it’s you that I’ve been running from
But I’m seeing it’s you I need, need
You’re all I need

The Outsiders

{Hebrews 13:10-15}

So I am going to talk about Young Life again (it's my passion ok?!)

I have been reading straight through the New Testament.
One morning a few weeks ago I just picked up my Bible (The Message version) opened it to Thessalonians, & started reading!
It's been really great. I have been making a list everyday of 5 reasons I love Jesus. Sometimes it's more than 5.
I just find 5 things in the scriptures I read that remind me of how awesome my Lord is.
It's an idea I got from Tom Job, whom I love! Check him out here

Anyway, I have made it to Hebrews this week.
I love Hebrews. Especially chapter 11.  I usually dwell in chapter 11, but I moved on to chapter 13 & WOWSERS....some of this stuff hit me like a ton of bricks!
Verses 10-15 is talking about being outsiders. Not being part of the religious restrictions that followers were facing as a new church in those days, but instead embracing Christ's resurrection, preparing for his return, & living differently than everyone else.
Here is what it meant to me:

As Young Life leaders, we are NOT insiders.

What we do is so very foreign to most everyone else.

It just doesn't make much sense.

"You 'hangout' with high school kids? What do you mean?" or "What do you do all day?"

I get asked those questions a lot.

The most annoying one is, "Why do you do Young Life? Those kids just party all the time. They don't go to church!" (a question that pretty much answers itself).

But as Young Life leaders, we are definitely on the outside.

We are not affiliated with any church, we don't have a beautiful establishment, & we don't hang out with the clean-cut kids.

We hang out with the outsiders!

It confuses most people.

We are outside, in the muck & grime of life, we are usually outside of our comfort zone, we are outside the norm of youth ministry, we stand outside the school waiting to talk to kids for even a second, we hangout outside at sporting events, & most people believe we are out of our minds! 

To them I say, "Yes! And i wouldn't want it any other way!"

Hebrews says "So let's go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is -- not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This 'insider world' is not our home. Lets take our place outside, with Jesus."

Jesus is on the outside! All the action is on the outside! There is nothing worth having as a privileged insider & the inside world is not our true home.

I guess you can decide for yourself what it looks like in your life to be on the outside.

I think for me it mostly means sticking with Young Life & not worrying about being popular, or giving in to the temptations that make me just like everyone else.

It's something I definitely struggle with.

But Hebrews makes being an outside look so inviting! (so does the picture below)

If Jesus is on the outside, that's where I want to be too.

This band NEEDTOBREATH has a song that talks about embracing the lifestyle of an outsider. It's a great song. Listen to it!

Also, because I read books & watch movies a lot....I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite stories, The Outsiders.  Too bad I don't look as cool as they do!