Our Newlywed Experience

Within the Body of Christ



Daily receiving life and grace from His constant hand:

"I said to the Lord, 'Thou art my Lord;

I have no good besides Thee.'" Ps 16:2



Friday, August 5, 2011

Sudan- Heavy on my heart tonight

Below is a prayer request,
one that I get weekly from The Voice of the Martyrs

Each Friday they send an email asking prayer over three situations.
They are sobering.
And there are followers of Christ around the world
in desperate need of prayer.

Just wanted to share this one tonight.


South Sudan--Christians Remain at Risk
VOM Canada, Middle East Concern
2 Timothy 1:7-12

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord
or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel
according to the power of God,
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace
which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
but now has been revealed by the appearing
of our Savior Christ Jesus,
who abolished death and brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel,
for which I was appointed a preacher
and an apostle and a teacher.
For this reason I also suffer these things,
but I am not ashamed;
for I know whom I have believed
and I am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day."


South Sudan officially gained independence from Sudan on July 9, becoming a new nation. The secession follows a long history of violent conflict, including two civil wars between the largely Islamic north and the Christian and animist majority in the south. Christians, in particular, have endured severe oppression. Although many have expressed hope for a more peaceful future, it is clear that Christians on both sides of the new border remain at risk.

Violence erupted in several areas in the months leading to South Sudan's independence. Government agents and Islamic militants looted churches and killed Christians in parts of South Kordofan state. Many are concerned that churches in Sudan may face further restrictions on freedom of worship if the government implements a strict form of Islamic law. As Christians continue to flee to South Sudan, it is also feared that believers who remain in the north may be especially vulnerable to violence, pressure and accusations of defaming Islam.

Pray that Christians in both Sudan and South Sudan will continue to entrust themselves to Christ, knowing that he is sovereign over kings of the earth.



"When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,  "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
- Revelation 6:9-10

"Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land and His people."
- Deuteronomy 32:43



"Noble death is a treasure which no one is too poor to buy."
- C. S. Lewis



Please pray.



Blessings- Katie

Monday, August 1, 2011

"Decorate with Laughter"

Hello Loves! :D Hope your weekend was restful and restorative!

I knew it was going to be a good weekend when Grayson asked me suddenly on Saturday if I wanted to have an impromptu Raleigh date...Triangle Town Center? Macaroni Grill? Umm, YES!!!

This moring at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church-the worship, the sermon, the fellowship- were all so wonderful.

A question I want to challenge you with as we have been studying the Prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4-

"Are there blessings the Lord would bestow on you
that you are missing out on because you simply wont ask Him
in acknowledgment of your faith in and dependence on Him?"

I was somewhat floored when I thought of all the things (with school, family, ministry, clinicals, duties at home...) that had passed this week and all the things that were to come in the next week that I hadn't asked and hadn't planned on or even considered asking Him.


Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested. 
1 Chronicles 4:10

God may not answer my requests in the way I want or think they would be answered- but they would be met in His own perfect way.

He loves for me to come to Him as Father, and I am going to make an effort through my faith in Him to seek His blessing in my life each day this week.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32

Here are some more Cayman Photos- taken on a rainy morning when we headed over to Camana Bay

Enjoy ;)

Mmm- First Stop: "Frosted Robin Cupcakes"
Oh-My-Wonderful

The "calorious culprits" behind the knock-you-down-divine
smell that teases your nose the instant you open the door

In case women aren't INDECISIVE enough as it is...
Try throwing this sugary scrumptiousness into the mix

Finally decided...and we like options...clockwise from top left:
Strawberry, Red Velved w Cream Cheese Frosting, Caramel Chocolate, Lemon, Blueberry, and Cookies and Cream

Me and Hubs :D
Aren't those glass tea infusers adorable behind us?
Almost got one...

Goodbye my delicious darling...
We shall see you again next year

Over to Books and Books!
Darling, darling, darling, darling bookstore
Fabulous books (that you don't find in the states)
Stacked 9, 10 shelves high on dark wooden bookcases
Complete with wooden ladders, that is (told you = darling)
The (yes, yes... darling...) book mobile in the foyer

The only thing more adorable
than these massive stuffed animals...
Would be my nephew Ollie ;)
I know Daphne, I wanted to take them home too...
Sigh... adore this darling store ;)
Hubster would cause trouble
Line drive, right in the Garrett gut

Caymanian lizards with curly tails waited outside

Why..Yes Ollie, they ARE wicked sweet

Someone remind me when my baby brother got so DANG massive???
(Seriously, his arm is bigger round than my HEAD!)
He'll always be in diapers and a passy to me...

Doesn't get more adorable than that folks!
And I can neither confirm nor deny
that I wanted to run through them with him...


Off to bed- because it's officially the wee hours
of Monday Morning as well as AUGUST!!!(?)

Still trying to figure out where 2011 went...

Night loves :)


Blessings- Katie




Wednesday, July 27, 2011

"I'm a sunny soul, watch the day unfold"


Taking a study break to update more Cayman photos :D

This is Cayman Day Number... something...

That's the wonderful thing about Cayman:

Times. Days. Schedules. TSCH.

Enjoy ;)

Cayman To-Do List:
1. Wake Up
2. Get in Water
3. Repeat as necessary
4. It will be necessary
Reading Time/Swim Break w Papa
...if you didn't read this book as a child... you've never lived

Captivated

This is my niece Daphne.
Daphne is American.
Ergo, Daphne eats Fruit Loops.

This is my nephew Ollie.
Ollie is a Boy.
Ergo, his love affair w electronics has begun.
Particularly elecronics that block out females. They learn young...
The lo0ong (awesome) boat ride out to Sting Ray City
knocked this kid OUT.
Or maybe it was his internal toddler alarm that goes off at 6 AM.
Who knows...

Plunging barefoot into the water with D-O-Z-E-N-S
of 6-foot Sting Rays hovering everywhere
 = intimidating. No matter how many times you've done it.
And you always get a crazy bout of giggle-squealing.
Sting Ray Sandwich

How to Hold a Sting Ray for the First Time:
Step 1: Psyche Yourself Up
You're the junk.
Rocky theme song in back of head advised.

2. Meet your adversary.
You got this.
(and I bet you're humming the Rocky theme song)

3. Success
You ARE the junk
4. Because you didn't know there was a Step 5

5. Which is a big, fat Sting Ray Kiss
Followed by...

6. A complementary Sting Ray massage
... please look at that stinger 

7. And hopefully you packed your goofy brothers
for some anti-climactic comic relief
Captain Ollie holdin the fort down
Tsch... grown ups...

More soon lovies!! :D

Blessings - Katie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

"Oh, you can't climb when you can't dream"

 “There is no event so common place
but that God is present within it,
always hidden,
always leaving you room to recognize Him
or not to recognize Him.”

-Fredrick Buechner

Sigh... I wish every breakfast could be this yummy!!!
Homemade mango salsa, scrambled eggs, grits, bacon,
fried plaintain, butter toast with black currant jelly,
mango juice, and Earl Grey tea.

Can't ever start snorkling too early!!!
Conversely, and unfortunately, the men in my life would beg to differ that you can get started taking pictures too early... At least 2/3 are smiling!!! :D

The girls turn to snorkle
Sigh, so much fun

Want to be here. Right now.

Sheesh, wish I could be that dark right now

So much world to discover
Belly-laughing over something from the night before
That I can't talk about ;)

Ecstatic about my conch shell!!!

How to play beach volleyball: Step 1- Look hott. Check.
nice
dive for the save
teamwork

Good ol unnecessarily competitive family friendly beach volleyball

hottie
nice Holdie!
Hott? Who me? Absolutely.
Pick up Sister, Niece, and Nephew Take #2
That's them comming of the stairs

My niece Daphne, in the blue - first time out of the country
She immediately began wandering off discovering
And discovering...
We're not really sure why (exhaustion?) but as soon as my nephew Ollie saw us waving to him from the observation deck he started SCREAMING. It probably didn't help that we died laughing...
What's wrong with us
Garrett just doesn't understand the value of photography and likes to mock the massive amount of photos I take. Hence: pretending to be paparazzi as I exit the bathroom "Katie! Katie! It's Katie!"

suck up
They made it!!!

Ollie and Daphne happy to see Papa :D

Mmm, grocery stop by Hurley's on the way home
We thought the mini-wheeler thingies were cute

This kid is HILARIOUS!
Loved playing in the water, esp w Papa

A-dor-able

Daphne's first time out of the country- and in the Caribbean!
So much to discover!
Here, she's discovered sand.

The water fun continues

Uncle Garrett teaching a future Tiger fan

Nakie boy with TV remote- this doesn't change.
Mmmm, homemade salsa. And if the fresh tomatos are so-so, this brand is excellent (though pricey!) and so is San Maranzano. Save the yummy tomato sauce it comes in!

Lots of cilantro and black beans- we added some fresh mango too

Oh boy!!! The kids meet a crab!!!
Most. Hilarious. Thing. Ever.
Ollie man did NOT know what to think

Daphne was a lil more adventurous
People: please, please, please mute the music below and
WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!
I'm pretty sure we watched it 12 times in a row
till we cried from laughing...
Especially if you pause it @ around 18 sec

what on earth...


Again, you MUST watch!!!

Crab + Child = Overstimulation
I'm pretty sure he ran and screamed for a good 5 minutes.
It was adorable.






"All Thy works shall praise Thy Name

In earth and sky and sea."


- Blessings, Katie ;)