He was numbered with the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12

I read this devotional this morning. It's my Charles Spurgeon. It's really good!

Why did Jesus permit Himself to be included with sinners? This wonderful condescension was justified by many powerful reasons. In such a character he could better become their Advocate. In some trials there is an identification of the counselor with the client. They cannot be looked upon in the eyes of the law as separate from one another. Now, when the sinner is brought to the bar, Jesus appears there himself. He stands to answer the accusation. He points to His side, His hands, His feet, and He challenges Justice to bring anything against the sinners whom He represents. He pleased His blood, and pleads so triumphantly, being numbered with them and having a part with them, that the Judge proclaims, "Let them go their way. 'Deliver [them] from going down to the pit: [He has] found a ransom' (Job 33:24)." Our Lord Jesus was numbered with the transgressors in order that they might feel their hearts drawn toward Him. Who can be afraid of one who is written in the same list with us? Surely we may come boldly to Him and confess our guilt. He who is numbered with us cannot condemn us. Was He not put down in the transgressor's list that we might be written in the red roll of the saints? He was holy, and written among the holy; we were guilty, and numbered among the guilty. He transferred His name from the holy list to this black indictment, and our names were taken from the indictment and written in the roll of acceptance, for there is a complete transfer made between Jesus and His people. All our estate of misery and sin Jesus has taken, and all that Jesus has comes to us. His righteousness, His blood, and everything that He has He gives to us as our dowry. Rejoice, believer, in your union to Him who was numbered among the transgressors. Prove that you are truly saved by being manifestly numbered with those who are "new creature[s]" (2 Cor. 5:17) in Him.

Drum roll please!!!!

I'm leaving for Colorado in two weeks!!!!!

I leave April 8, 2005 for my new job in Aurora, CO serving at Kingdom Building Ministries!

I'm already packed.

Thanks for you prayers!:)

In awe and wonder.

You know, each time God answers prayer I am in awe and astounded and can't believe it. Every time. It's wonderful. My pastor has been talking about our circle of influence and has challenged each of us to share the gospel/invite to church 40 people. I was thinking, " I don't know 40 people that are lost or that are unchurched. I don't know 5 people for that matter. My circle of influence was a little off and God spoke to me and said, "You need to meet some new people.". So I prayed that He would grow my circle and bring people to me and allow me places where I could meet lost people and unchurched in order to do what I was supposed to.

So I prayed...and prayed...and prayed. God answered. I told Him that if He would just provide me the opportunity I would do what was needed. He provided the opportunity tonight with my women's league playing tennis. Usually everyone plays doubles, but tonight we were two short and me and this other girl had to play singles. Coincidence? I think not!

She and I played 8 games in which I only won one and then she taught me how to improve my serve. (That's where the problem really lies.) Anyway, we were talking and I was asking her questions about herself and then it hit me. Kathryn, this is the opportunity that you asked for, do something with it! So I did! I asked her if she went to church anywhere and she said she used to, but doesn't anymore basically because she didn't like the way the church handled something. I know you don't know people's hearts for sure, but I really do think she's lost. So I invited her to church with me on Sunday and she was excited. She was glad I asked and we exchanged numbers. I'm really excited about it. So if you think about it, keep her in your prayers that she would really come on Sunday and that she would accept the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Her name is Baylee. God is so good!

Where is your faith?

That is what God asked me this morning in my quiet time. I was reading Luke 8:22-25 where Jesus is calming the storm, the disciples are freaking out, and Jesus rebukes them by asking them where their faith is. That's when He also spoke to me and rebuked me.

All of you know I have been doing support raising and I talk about it often on my blog. It is the main thing in my life right, which is why it's written about so often. But that's what He was talking about. That is one of the areas in my life where my faith is sometimes not in Him, but in me, which ultimately fails.

Then this morning in church our pastor was talking about humility in God and that song, Blessed Be the Name of the Lord. Everytime that song is mentioned I am overwhelmed with what-ifs and uh-huhs. Because when God doesn't do things my way or the timely manner that I would like (i.e. providing all of the support wanted and needed sooner than now) can I still say "Blessed be the name of the Lord"? Sadly, no I don't. I wish I could and would, but don't. And still this morning I got upset and questioned God with timing for my support and have felt sorry for myself. Why? I don't know. But God asked me this morning, "Where is your faith Kathryn?" So I was forced to evaluate yet again, where is was and put myself in check. It was in myself. Big surprise, right? It's true.

This evening one of the couples I talked to about two weeks ago brought over their commitment form to me. They bumped my support percentage up by 6% and now I have 60.48% of my support raised!!! You can try to imagine how thrilled and completely humbled I was by this, but you'll never truly know the complete joy that was spilling out of me. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Thank you for your prayers, keep going!

Freedom

Driving in my car the other day I felt unexplainable freedom. I was on my way home and I was praising God through song. I was singing at the top of my lungs, like I always do. I can't explain it, but I just felt immense freedom from everything. I'm frustrated that I cannot explain these feelings except that it was pure joy coming from God Himself. At that moment I felt like nothing else mattered, no one else was there, it was me and God and I was worshipping. Forgive me for my lack of ability to be able to really articulate what I'm thinking and feeling, I struggle there and pray it will change. But I imagine this is what I am meant to feel when worshipping the Lord, when I am truly in the presence of God. It was an incredible moment. I am constantly in awe of my God that is with me in those moments as well as being with others in theirs. Alleluia! It makes me want to stand outside with my arms stretched out and just stand there.

I am contantly in struggle with my desires of serving the Lord and not being able to do it. I want to do so much, I want to grow so much, I want to be so much. But there is time and there is God's plan. It's wonderful to think of the future and what it holds. I look at my spiritual life and my relationship with Christ and can only think of what it will be tomorrow, or next month or next year or 50 years from now! How amazing is that going to be.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

Philippians 3:12-14

This is my life verse that brings me so much encouragement for the past, present and future. May we always be working toward that goal and running as hard as we possibly can!!

Where have you been????

That was my mom's question when I finally walked in the front door at 6:00 from my "stroll" that I said I was going on when I walked out the door at 4:00. Whoops. It was such an amazingly beautiful day outside. I put on a tanktop and shorts and tennis shoes and went running around the neighborhood and then I talked and walked. I called people I hadn't talked to in a while and I mean a long while. I talked to good ol' Kristen in CO and my dear friend, Heather May in Arizona. Heather and I have been playing phonetag for oh maybe two months. It was actually getting quite humerous, but really sad. So we finally talked and caught up and boy does she have a story on her. I can't tell, don't ask. A really great day!

Church was awesome. Brittany and Chad led worship and it was so great. The Lord was most definitely there in that place and it was beautiful. I have more appointments set up which is very encouraging. And I got to see one of the little girls in my small group that I teach. I am having one girl each week bring in a bag with all sorts of things in it that tell more about her. It has things that they love and tell about themselves so we can get to know each person better. She told me she already has her little bag ready. Adorable!!!

And tomorrow I'm subbing for my mom's class and we have a bastketball game to finish at recess. It's on boys!!:)

Sports!

Oh my gosh, it is a beautiful day outside. I had some students in my class open the windows in class today. It was amazing. I tried my best to convice them that TV was worthless and they should go outside and not stay inside, we'll see how that goes:)

I have such an itching to be outside. I want so badly to play organized sports. I really miss it. A teacher at school today told me about a tennis league that plays on Monday nights for a couple of hours. You just keep switching partners. So I think I'm going to go up there and try my best to play tennis. Wish me luck. That is one sport that I'm not very good at. I do need to find a tennis racket to borrow before that though. Anyone?

Him first

I think that in my last I talked about how I didn't feel as though I had anyone to share with here and anyone to talk to and blah, blah, blah. Well...after much time spent with God yesterday afternoon, I feel as though either He planned this or He's using this time to draw me closer to Himself. When there's no one else I'm forced to rely on God. You know when you need advice or have to make a decision or don't know what to do? Who do you turn to? Do you turn to God first? I don't. Honestly, I turn to my friends. And they are wonderful friends, but they aren't who I should be turning to for answers, at least first. So with no one here to share with or lean on or ask advice I have been forced to pray and seek God. And after much prayer I then feel as though I can ask others. Besides we are to seek wise and godly counsel from each other. And my close friends are some of the godliest women I know. I wouldn't trust anyone else. But it's been good to realize this and have God open my eyes to see this. Him first, always.

I talked to Sara today (wonderful time!!!) and I was trying my best to put into words what I'm feeling about leaving for CO and Kingdom Building Ministries. The past few months people have been asking me when I'm leaving and I just say whenever I raise all of the money. But within the past few weeks I've really been feeling like I should be preparing myself for leaving like it's going to be soon. So am making the preparations to leave. I feel as though it's going to be soon and God is paving the way. He has answered the prayer for a safe and inexpensive way to get out to CO. I have a new car that will get me and my stuff there! Praise God!

Oh, I think I'm going to play softball with the church. I'm so thrilled. I really miss playing organized sports and having practice and the such. How wonderful is this going to be?

I am so itching to be outside and go hiking and play outside. I mean I really want to play. I want to go hiking or kayaking or white-water rafting or ride my bike or swim or play volleyball or something. I'm tired of winter and being cold. I want to wear flip-flops and capris and sleevesless shirts and wear my sunglasses and have a tan and wear no makeup and open my sunroof and drive with the windows down and get slushies from Sonic. Doesn't all of that sound wonderful? I can't wait.

Psalm 18:30

"As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true." Psalm 18:30

Lately, I have been discouraged that I have run out of contacts and people to share with about Kingdom Building Ministries and people to join on this ministry team. I cried out to God and He heard me and answered.

I substitute taught in middle school again today. The kids were horrible, but everything else was wonderful. Every single person I talked to today asked me about my ministry at Kingdom Building Ministries. EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!! It was amazing. I know this was God showing me people that want to hear and people that I need to talk to about this great ministry. There was even a lady who asked to join as a ministry partner and wanted the forms and information and everything. It was a total God-thing. He is so faithful and so good. I am completely overwhelmed at what God has done today. All praise be His.

Busy, really I have been!

I know I haven't been on this thing in a while. I've been sooo busy. I substitute teach almost every day and I workout and I've been cleaning and getting appointments lined up for support-raising and trying to organize my stuff of what is most important to take with me to Colorado and I've been reading and really just haven't felt like taking the time out to write on here. Or maybe I didn't really have much to write about.

My life is pretty boring right now. I know I say it's busy and it is, but it's not exciting busy. It's boring. And I don't like it. This is not what I was meant to be doing and I'm tired of it.

I am excited about a new opportunity though. Tonight is my first night teaching the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls at my church. I've been praying for an opportunity to do this, specifically meaning, tell them all the wonderful things about Christ! So tonight is my first night and I'm the teacher, the real one and the only one. I'm really nervous about it because I've never been a teacher before, of anything. Tonight we are talking about how they see themselves vs. how God sees them. I hope and pray they really hear it and understand it.

OK, so after much substituting I have decided I much enjoy elementary and do not like middle school. Those middle schoolers are no fun because you are constantly a disciplinarian to them and when you're not doing that you're doing nothing because they have busy work. Elementary kids are funny and playful and you're busy all day. I really enjoy them:)

Just a little honesty coming out at the moment (like I'm ever not honest). I'm really missing friends here. I have been totally fine with not having big plans for the weekend or having a bunch of friends to do things with, but the thing that's the worst is that I don't really have anyone to talk about spiritual things with. To share my heart with and talk things over with. I know I still have very close friends and I love you all. But you're not here. It's just different when it's face to face. You know? Oh my gosh I can't wait to get to Colorado. I'm definitely ready to go now. Keep praying:)