News update...

Please pardon the lack of posting!

Because…

It’s official! We’re moving back to SC!!!

I will be finishing the last half (Last half ?!? Whoe) of my rotations in SC, and so hubs and I will be staying with Mama and Daddy for a few months to save up for one of these: 

via

To eventually fill with a bunch of these…

via

And these…

via

Operative word being “eventually…”

Back to reality- Mama and Daddy got home safely from Honduras on Friday, February 24!! A special thanks to all that prayed over them and the team!

Mama sharing lunch w her new little buddie :)
I LOVE how he's watching her!

Mama and Daddy's translator- Gricelda

Daddy and Gricelda in the medical clinic

Daddy with Mama's brother, my Uncle Darrol
It was Uncle Darrol's first time going- so glad he could!! :D



Customizing your shirt with a Clemson Tiger Paw...
'Cause it's all about sharing the "truth" on a mission trip
LoL

That same day I also finished my fourth rotation at Cape Fear Orthopedics. The next Monday (February 27) I started Fam Med III- and officially commenced packing!

It’s so neat how the Lord works out all the details of our lives, especially when we approach Him about them in prayer. This Fam Med III rotation couldn’t be timelier: 2 hour lunch breaks, laid-back preceptor, half-days Wednesday, AND it is half-way between Fayetteville and Dillon!

So on Wednesdays I’ve been taking a load with me to work, unloading it that night in Dillon, and then driving back to work from Dillon the next day. Weekends have consisted of clearing out space in Dillon or packing, packing, packing in Fayetteville.

I am SO EXTREMELY GRATEFUL for my Mama! She came up this past weekend and, along with my hard-working hubby, we got a pile of stuff packed up, which she was able to take back to Dillon that day.

Mama checking for a pulse with my stethoscope…
Grayson cracking a golf club in half out of sheer exhaustion…

The poses were obviously staged, but each of us has felt something like this at one point or another during this process! Needless to say we covet your prayers!

This weekend was our last in Fayetteville, and this Sunday was our last at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church.  We are extremely excited to be moving back to the SC countryside (and slicing our bills down to a mere fraction of what they are now), but it’s the people and places like SMBC that are putting the ‘bitter’ in this ‘bittersweet’ move.

Wednesday was Grayson’s last night practicing with the worship band, as well as 2 days before his birthday.  We had to celebrate, so I made a quick stop by the Harris Teeter bakery
slaved all day over a homemade strawberry cake.

We’re gonna miss you guys!!!

Back to resting up w Hubs and Pup… Got to get ready for all the driving, packing, patients, and studying that await this week!

Please, please, please remember us in your prayers

these next few weeks!

“You have enclosed me behind and before,

and laid Your hand upon me.”

Psalm 139:5


Blessings- Katie

"Grace and peace be yours in abundance"

I miss blogging. I hate that I haven’t done it in a while- I can tell!

The Lord is so good and faithful right now.
Always teaching. Always leading. Always loving.

“…who through faith are SHIELDED by God’s power
…for you have been born again,
not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring Word of God.” 
I Peter 1:5,23

Mama and Daddy (as well as my Uncle this year!) arrived in Honduras today to share the gospel via a medical/dental mission trip. Praise God! Pray that they will be like the faithful believers mentioned in I Peter 1:24, and that they will share with the Hondurans "things that have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven."

But I also have a selfish request and confession right now- I need prayer. The Lord is currently UNDER CONSTRUCTION on some fears and attitudes I have right now:

It was about a month or two ago that I was just… slammed… with fear- Mama shared an article on her facebook reporting that Honduras was now the murder capital in the world,

with no other country in the world
having a higher rate of homicide.

The Lord called me into VERY intentional prayer all week for my family and the team. Without fail, spiritual warefare always seems to peak the week before a mission trip,
and it would be no different for this one.

Guys, this is where my selfish confession comes in. I was in my Ortho clinic’s break room pouring coffee Thursday morning, nonchalantly browsing the paper when I just felt sucker punched by what I saw: Honduras prison fire kills over 350+ prisoners, deadliest prison fire this century.

My heart seemed to fall out of my chest, and I’m pretty sure I broke out in a cold sweat. My selfishly horrible first thought guys?  “Hundreds of murders are now loose in a village my parents will be traveling straight through. A village in the vicinity of the one my parents will be staying in.”
And, you got it, ‘what ifs’… enter stage right…

The heartbreaking REALITY of the situation (what I should have been thinking that moment) is that the prison fire sent most of those 380 human souls into an eternal fire,
one of unending torment.

The conviction of that reality hit me later that night, while talking with the Lord. That’s the best part about intense seasons of prayer with the Lord- you plunge into it, bringing all the world’s cares before His throne room, when He (without fail) seems to stop me and:


“Wait. We work on you first.”

He chisels my internal yick first.

He is teaching me His way is better.
He is teaching me He only is in control.
He is teaching me He is my only, and true, hope.

And He is doing this through His WORD.  I shared in an earlier post how the Lord had led me to a I Peter Bible study that some sweet, sweet sisters in Christ were leading. It is SO EXCITING to actually have an entire chapter of the Bible stored in my heart, and I am so close to having I Peter 2 as well! Can't wait to have the entire book tucked in there!

Guys His Word is living and changing me! To the point where I feel like a 3rd-party-spectator in awe sometimes: "WHOE. Is this actually happening in me?" The Lord had led me to Ephesians 6:10-18 earlier this week in prayer time, and verse 17 has just taken on a whole new meaning: "...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Do you realize it's the only piece of 'armor' mentioned that is used for offense?

That's what it's been like this entire time while memorizing I Peter. Time after time after time there has been this, that, and the other spiritual battle raging over me (ESPECIALLY this week!) And the next thing I know I'm reciting Scripture ALOUD. And before it even seems to reach my very level of awareness- that moment of burden or oppression has dissipated ENTIRELY.

As it says in Matthew 4 during Christ's temptation:

"And the tempter came and said to Him...
But [Jesus] answered and said,

'It is written...

It is written...

It is written..'

...Then the devil left Him."


If you haven't joined this study, are looking for an area to study His Word, or haven't even considered joining a Bible Study- I want to strongly encourage you to join. What's really exciting is that this Bible study is just that- we are looking at and studying nothing but His Word.

And, I want to thank you again for lifting my family and I in prayer. May He bless you richly in return.

"With all prayer and petition
pray at all times in the Spirit,
and with this in view,
be on the alert with all perseverance
and petition for all the saints,
and pray on my behalf,
that utterance may be given to me
in the opening of my mouth,
to make known  with boldness
the mystery of the gospel."

Ephesians 6:18-19


"Rejoicing in hope,
persevering in tribulation,
devoted to prayer"

Romans 12:12



"Grace and peace
be yours in abundance."

I Peter 1:3



Blessings- Katie

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love..."

First of all:

TODAY WAS MY LAST DAY

IN THE WOMACK EMERGENCY ROOM!!!

SO EXCITED

Second of all:

We were BLESSED to be able to give

our sweet Brother Jonas in Uganda

a new laptop for Christmas- Praise God!

We got the laptop for him (as a SURPRISE)

in early December and sent it to Mrs. Beth Heckel,

founder of Think Humanity

to take with her to Uganda Jan 5th.

I asked her to video Jonas opening it,

and received the video tonight :D

Perfect. Timing.

And I am Cloud-9-Out-of-My-Mind excited!

Here's video one:

***Pause the music below***

And here's video two:

Totally sobbing into Grayson's arms during this second one

when I saw how excited our sweet Brother was

This is more precious to me than I can explain.

BLESSED OUT OF MY MIND to be able to help Brother Jonas.

Love him so dearly:

Here is a link to an old blog post that explains how I met Jonas.

Ok, back to endless patient logging and

pouring over study guides for my finals this Friday:

Cardiology and Emergency Medicine- Pray for me!!!

Just wanted to share these videos with you-

praying you're BLESSED as well by them :)

"Each one helps his neighbor

And says to his brother, 'Be strong!'"

Isaiah 41:6

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

that He Himself said,

'It is more blessed to give

than to receive.'"

Acts 20:35

Blessings- Katie

Glory Follows Suffering

What.

In the world.

Am I doing up.

It’s 2:40 AM.

I worked for 9 hours Saturday in the ER.

After sleeping 4 hours Friday night.

Then worked 12 hours today (Sunday) in the ER.

And I have to work 12 hours tomorrow (Monday).

I came home tonight at 11:30 to find the completed presentation
I had done for Wednesday

DISAPPEARED.

I had a

MELTDOWN.

Sobbing. Mess. Would NOT even let Grayson comfort me.

He snuck me hot tea and fresh strawberries anyway.

And he sent up prayer as I sat snibbling
and started again from ground zero.

Y’all. That 5-hours-to-complete-initially presentation was done in fourty minutes.

And I praise and fear the Lord for that.

And I knew in that moment He wanted me. With Him. NOW.

No collapsing into bed. Abandoning that moment to Him instead.

So I listened to sweet Jennie tonight. And those Living life Words.

And sobbed. And sobbed.

And took. His Life. In.

It’s such a peculiar thing. After a moment with God.

It can’t just stay with me.

I have to tell. I have to tell. You have to know.

“But Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, if these become silent,
the stones will cry out!’” Luke 19:40

So here I am telling you. You.

"Behold, the Lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:29

I cry. I SOB. Out of shear EXHAUSTION.

And I can say in the midst of it

“Though He slay me,

I will hope in Him.”

Job 13:15

There is LIFE as we study Scripture. So if you aren’t yet a part of, or haven’t heard of, the I Peter Bible study. I encourage you to follow this link, and listen, learn, and LIVE.

“A Christian’s hope is a LIVING hope
because it is grounded on the LIVING Word of God
and made possible by the LIVING Son of God
who rose from the dead.”
-Jennie Edwards

Tucked, and living, in my heart thus far- I Peter 1:1-7

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,

who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

“In the wasteland, a howling wilderness,

He encircled him, He instructed him,

He kept him as the apple of His eye.

As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young,

Spreading out its wings, taking them up,

Carrying them on its wings,



So the Lord alone led him.”


Deuteronomy 32:10-12

Blessings- Katie

Weary but WELL

Oh wow guys, I don’t. even. know. where or how

to begin sharing what life is like now.

Like trying to ‘fill in’ a friend that’s just walked in
on the most climactic scene of a long, intense movie.

Kind of impossible. But I’m just going to jump in.

To sum it all up, I’m “weary but well.”
Extremely weary, extremely well.


"It is good for me that i was afflicted,
that I may learn Thy statutes." Psalm 119:71


I’m smack in the middle of my Emergency Medicine rotation at Womack Medical Center on Fort Bragg. It is the largest, highest volume hospital within the entire US Department of Defense
(busiest US military hospital in the world).

BUT what’s absolutely about to BURST out of my heart right now is to share and INVITE you to join a Bible study on I Peter that three wonderful Christian woman are heading up.
It’s called “Good Soil Girls.”

And by Bible study I mean just that- we are going to take and memorize each verse of I Peter and tuck that precious bit of life away in our hearts.
Verse by verse, day by day.

The girls heading up the study are Stephanie Blackiston, Jennie Edwards, and Mellette Johnson. I want you to meet them SO MUCH- so I’ve included links to their blogs where they've shared/introduced the study, as well as a link to the "Good Soil Girls" fb page.

In short, it’s a group ‘conference call’ study that meets for an hour at 8 o’clock Sunday evening. We’ve claimed/reserved a party line that you call, then enter the password, and everyone listens in and learns. It's all explained much better below on the links to the girls blogs and the facebook group “Good Soil Girls” :)

What’s particularly awesome is that if you are unable to call in at that time, the audio from that call will be ‘posted’ on the "Good Soil Girls" group on facebook, and you can listen when you can.

This is their 3^rd time leading one and my first time participating. And I am excited out of my mind about learning this much Scripture.

But anyway here’s the girls, please go meet them and learn about this Scripture study!!! Couldn't get any of the videos these girls did ab the study to load- LOOK FOR THEM on the FB Page and on Steph's blog! :D

Here is Stephanie Blackiston's Blog

Steph has videos of herself and Mellette talking ab the study-

Be sure to watch them!

Here is Jennie Edward's Blog

And here is the Good Soil Girls FB Page

On the Facebook page, as well as on Steph and Jennie’s blogs, is an audio link to Sunday Jan 8^th’s first “Intro” session. This audio link they posted is how I had to join in- apparently after my 12-hr ER shift last Friday I got a NASTY stomach bug and was extremely sick on that first Sunday.

I’m hoping and PRAYING that you all join. It’s not too late as it’s literally just begun!

Life has literally never been busier or more demanding for me than it is at this moment- and the life that’s in these verses is what is keeping me ALIVE!

"May Thy compassion come to me that I may live,

for Thy Law is my delight." Psalm 119:77

"Abide in Me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself

unless it abides in the vine,

so neither can you unless you abide in Me."

John 15:4

"This is my comfort in my affliction,

that Thy Word has revived me."

Psalm 119:50

Blessings- Katie

Pardon the interruption...

I love when the Lord just INTERRUPTS my shallow life.
He’s so gracious to do that.

 I blunder ahead in books and business, people and patients.

Busy misery.

 And He just kind of… takes my face. And turns me to Him.

 I wrestle with that sometimes.  How faithful and constant He is with me.  How longsuffering and loving He is with me when I am unlovable.

 I came to the conclusion a week or two ago that there is something (everything?) in our relationship, He and I, that has nothing to do with me.   Nothing.   He Is, Who He Is.   My role in our relationship is unable to change that.   I wrapped my brain around that for a while.

It completely terrifies and completely assures me.

Praise God.

This morning while I procrastinated reading my 100 pg study guide took a teeny facebook study break, I stumbled upon a video that BLESSED ME OUT OF MY MIND by this video a lot of friends were posting,

“Sexual Healing”:

***Pause the Music below so you can watch!***

From the author, Jefferson Bethke- “A poem I originally wrote for open mic at Pacific University. The poem highlights our culture's blind obedience to sexual norms, when it only seems to reap destruction. Pleasure is more at our fingertips in America than ever before, and yet depression steadily rises every year. It only shows that sex as recreation, or just for fun, is unable to satisfy us the way we were meant to be satisfied. Sex is good, in it's proper context. This poem mainly focuses though on anyone who has been deeply affected, hurt, and damaged by sexual sin. Forgiveness and mercy are given freely by Jesus. He cleans, restores, and heals us beyond measure and asks nothing in return. He saw all our sin and filth before he went to the cross and it was still his joy to go get us.”

Watch. This. Video. Now.

“Take a rape victim for example, and once it’s revealed.
When her bruises go away, is she totally healed?
Nah, the damage is lasting- you can see it in her eyes.
But if it was just abused ‘recreation’- why did it ruin her life?
I mean, if sex is just for fun, why did it take such a toll?
Maybe it’s cause you don’t just have sex with a body,

You have sex with a soul.”

Praise God.

He continues:

"This last story, though, is for those who think they’re too dirty.

This last story is for those who think they’re unworthy.

Read John Ch 8- the woman caught in adultery.

The religious leaders throw her naked in the temple

While she yells, ‘Don’t murder me!’

They say, ‘Jesus, the law commands us to stone this woman.’

And you hear the hate in their tone.

Jesus pauses though and says,

‘Whoever is without sin, you can cast the first stone.’

I mean can you imagine the sound? Silence all around.

You hear footsteps walk away. You hear stones hit the ground.

And then Jesus kneels down-

the woman thought it was her demise.

He lifts up her face- you see the grace in His eyes. He says,

‘I don’t condemn you. Go and sin no more.

I love you. I accept you.

Mercy is yours.’"

Praise God.

The video was such a blessing- but it got better!

I checked out the links following the video to Jefferson's website and was COMPLETELY blessed all over again!

"Chisel Season"

The first article blew me away, "Is your life gospel centered?"

9 simple statements that examine your trust in the gospel.

Here's one for example: "If the gospel is ruling I will see others above myself, if self-righteousness is ruling I will see myself above others. Disciples fought over the throne, but we should fight over the towel (what Jesus washed their feet with). 

Philippians 2:3-11, John 13:1-17

Wow.

Don't know about y'all, but I can't wait to plunge into the rest of the articles and the Scriptures he's referencing.

And did I mention Jefferson is a baseball player?

'Cause there ain't NOTHIN

like a baseball player that LOVES Jesus! :D

(Can I get an A-MEN, Lauren?!?)

My handsome, hunky, baseball-playin, Jesus-lovin hubby :)

Well, it's back to the books for me...

Two finals next week!!!

Praying the Lord BLESSES you

this Christmas season.

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness,

and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.

I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.

I am ashamed of my lack of desire.

O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee;

I long to be filled with longing;

I thirst to be made more thirsty still.

Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed.

Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul,

'RISE UP, MY LOVE, MY FAIR ONE, AND COME AWAY.'

Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up

from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.

In Jesus' name, Amen."

-A.W. Tozer

Blessings- Katie

Capturing the moment...

I'm uber sleepy right now,

so this post will be brief and mostly photos.

Not quite the most "profound" confession...

This being my first official post after beginning clinicals.

Speaking of beginning clinicals...

Here I am on the first morning!

It's such a beautiful moment

of such a beautiful season,

and I don't ever want to forget this

(and I'm not just speaking of a "weather" season)

That being said, this IS a beautiful weather season:

crisp, autumny, and cozy...

The season where you make yummy goodies like those above:

"Chai Cookies with Pumpkin Spice Kisses"

The girls and I are totally making these ASAP.

Speaking of creations...

The DAY before clinicals began,

I decided to be artsy-fartsy and finished up

this drawing I'd been working on for a bit.

Would like lessons soon to learn how to use

different mediums, like acrylic and watercolor..

(which I ADORE)

Speaking of ADORE- this picture I took a few weeks ago

is one of my FAVE'S.

Mama's Tahoe has a rear camera that turns on in reverse...

Which we did, only to find Daddy doing this...

I laughed for half an hour, no exaggeration.

Nothing quite says "Autumn" like deer season

And nothing says "Hottie" quite like my hubster

We LOVE any chance we get to see my in-law's Mike and Susan

And Dodgie Podgie sure does LOVE him some "Nanny"!!!

Oh, look- my Hottie Hubster again!

Outside enjoying the fall weather with the fam

This. This here.

Is probably my FAVE pic of my in-laws.

Taken during our recent trip to an ASU game in Boone!

(Coldest football game I've ever been to!!!)

Speaking of chilly and speaking of sleepy...

'tis FINALLY the season now to bundle up by cozy fires

like this one in our home,

with the ones you love.

So I'm about to

go face plant my pillow and lapse into a small coma

tell y'all one sweet goodnight.

"For we do not preach ourselves

but Christ Jesus as Lord,

and ourselves as your bond-servants

for Jesus' sake.

For God, who said,

"Light shall shine out of darkness,"

is the One who has shone in our hearts

to give the Light of the knowledge

of the glory of God

in the face of Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:5,6

Blessings- Katie