Police Women of....

Tomorrow afternoon I get the chance to interview a police woman who is known and recognized for her involvement in the community, specifically victim's assistance. She is on Board of an organization that supports women and girls, and cares deeply about domestic violence and people who are victimized.

I've always wondered what it would be like to be a police woman... No, really... I have thought about it! The excitement, it would never get boring, but also the sorrows. It would be so hard to see trajedy and crime day after day. What I love about this woman is that it's her faith that keeps her strong and gets her through with a good attitude.

So pray for me tomorrow on my journey with this woman! I am so encouraged and inspired by people like her who are making a difference in their world, even if it's by doing things that often go un-noticed. The truth is, God see's everything. And we don't need fame, a big paycheck (though it would be nice) or any of the accolades to feel like we are making a MARK on the world.

I challenge and encourage you to MAKE YOUR MARK on the world - your world - today!

Beauty Defined

 As a part of this channel I want to promote what it means to be beautiful. I believe that is first and foremost what is on the inside - your heart and spirit. Spirituality and being connected to God makes a girl beautiful. Nothing can compare to that!  Next in line is eating right and staying fit, which are important. You've got to keep the temple beautiful! Lastly, fashion and make-up can be used to simply enhance the beauty that is already there. So this channel will include all of the above: spiritual life topics, health/fitness, fashion and make-up. I hope you enjoy!

Below is one truly talented fashion artist who I want to recommend. Her name is Evelina Barry. Check out her YouTube Channel:

Beauty from the Inside Out

Over the last several years I have been reading a lot about health, diet and nutrition.  This past summer I bought a book called “The Beauty Detox Solution” by Kimberly Snyder, C.N. and I’m noticing it is getting a lot of attention on many people’s blogs and on YouTube, so I thought I’d share my thoughts as well.

This book is truly a gem, very informative and all about “Eating your way to radiant skin, renewed energy and the body you’ve always wanted” – I love that! It’s not a diet, but a healthy way of eating that gives our bodies everything they need to function properly and look beautiful. By eating right we can all have a radiant glow that shines from the inside out.

As New Year’s is just around the corner, I know many of us have resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle. So do I. (As I type this I’m eating Lindt’s Chocolate Truffles, but there is always tomorrow right?)

But, I have started incorporating the Glowing Green Smoothie (recipe in the Beauty Detox Solution) into my diet (three days last week!) and I must say that I did notice a difference in my mood and energy level. I felt great and was in the same great mood, full of energy by the end of the day.  The smoothie is a blend of many fresh fruits and vegetables. Drinking this instead of a tall caramel mocha from Starbucks was definitely more fulfilling.

I believe that part of living a full, abundant life is living healthy.  We are only given one body, so we better take care of it! (I am speaking this to myself too).

Always remember 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body," …

Part of honoring God with our body is taking care of the “temple” or body that He has given us.

So how many of you want to join me on this “adventure” of truly living a healthy lifestyle?

If you are interested, check out AprilAthena7's YouTube video where she shows how to make the Glowing Green Smoothie!

Being Educated v.s. Being Led by the Spirit

Throughout my journey in life I’ve come to realize that there are some educated fools in this world! I don’t mean to insult anyone in any way by this post – but it is the truth and I believe it needs to be heard.

I attended two Christian colleges, and during my experience there I encountered what I would call “religion”, the type you read about in the Bible about the Pharisee’s. This religious attitude often tried to suffocate God’s spirit. Every so often I would get tangled up in long debates with guys who were studying to be pastors and preachers. We would go back and forth, back and forth backing ourselves with scripture, only to go in circles. How could two people reading the same Bible have such different views on things? I always left feeling defeated, yet encouraged in my spirit to keep fighting the good fight for what I believed. This is what kept me strong and “on my toes “spiritually. I wanted to have an answer for everyone as to why I believed what I believed – even though we were all attending a Christian college and you would think we’d believe the same way. Our major debates/clashes would come about when talking about the gifts of the spirit (which I believe are still alive and well today) and women in ministry.

There are some who keep working towards their degrees, or they have plenty of degrees and they love to debate the Bible and go back and forth, back and forth. They love to be RIGHT. They don’t love the truth, but they love being right. They want to have it all figured out and they think they do, and if you disagree with them – watch out. But instead of becoming great men of God, led by His spirit, it seems they get caught up too much in the rights and wrongs – the laws. They don’t seem led by the spirit, but their textbooks. I don’t mean to be harsh, but these types of people are dangerous. I would disagree with them and debate until every last person in the cafeteria had eaten and gone back to their dorm room – and still – we weren’t finished. We would never be finished. The truth is that God doesn’t want us to figure it all out. God is God. He knows all – we don’t. What He finds beautiful is someone with a childlike faith. Without the faith of a child, we will not see the kingdom of Heaven – and now I see why. I have come to a point in my life where I am okay with not being able to figure everything out. I have come to peace knowing that I will never figure God out completely. Who am I to think that I can figure the God of the universe out? And I’m glad I can’t, because that means He is much, much greater than me – greater than I could ever fathom.

We don’t need any more people with degree’s, intelligence and the ability to study the original Greek. All of that is great, but without the Spirit of the Lord it is nothing. Without His spirit we are nothing. Without seeking His heart and having that be the sole purpose of our lives and what we do – this life means nothing.  We are ignoring the very life of God when we just want to learn about Him but we do not truly know him and have a relationship with Him – a continual flow back and forth of prayer and listening to hear His voice.

I don’t know who this was for, but I hope it has spoken to you in some way. Try not to complicate things, and if someone wants to debate I encourage you to pray for them instead. You can tell them what you believe, but don’t spend hours trying to “convert” them to your belief only to leave feeling drained and discouraged. Pray that God will show them the truth and the life they are to live.

A Night Out with Project H.O.P.E. and the Homeless

This past Wednesday I went out with Project H.O.P.E.  - a group of High School students and two of their teachers  - who reach out to the homeless. The men who started this don’t view it as a once a week mission – but have made it a lifestyle. They’ve given the local homeless people that they’ve met in the woods, under bridges, and near train tracks, their phone numbers, and even invited some to one of their weddings. I got home around 10:00 p.m. that night… with my eyes opened a little bit more to the reality that many people across our nation, and in our world, are living every day. It has reminded me of how thankful I am for the life I’ve been given, and to continue counting my blessings, each and every day.

I will start with one of our last stops, which made one of the greatest impressions on me…It was to a small home with many different people, cats and dogs living in it. A large dog stood on top of the table, cats roamed around everyone’s ankles, Halloween decorations were scattered and people came out of the woodwork.

One man, I’ll call him “Charles”, approached me with a limp. He stood there with a cane, his big toe wrapped up in a cast, and shortly after introducing himself he began showing me different scars all over his body. His back, neck and forehead all had scars. When I asked what happened, I don’t think my heart was ready for the answer.  This man had tried to commit suicide by continuously crashing his car into a pole. I think he said he tried 4-6 times, but he did not die. All he was left with was scars. He broke all of the bones in his face, and this was all over a broken relationship. He was devastated when a girlfriend broke up with him – so devastated that he tried to end his own life. This was 20 something years ago and he is still dealing with the aftermath. The purplish grey circles under his eyes show the strain from all of the pain he has had in his life.

Also disturbing, and eye opening, were the men living in tents. They call them “tent cities” and most men are there due to addiction, mental illness and/or tragic circumstances. I couldn’t believe my eyes that night, knowing that I would be leaving to go home to a nice, warm bed and these men would be sleeping out in the cold. Even more horrific, I was thinking of how they are going to handle the winter. But most of them don’t seem to have a problem with it. They say they stay bundled up and light a fire.

Throughout all of this I was just amazed at how the students and staff at the high school befriended these men and women, fed them, talked with them and connected. It was truly inspiring to see.

Today, if you are feeling like you’re having a bad day, maybe this story will cheer you up. If you are not homeless, living under a bridge or in a tent in the woods – consider yourself blessed. And maybe this will spark a desire in you to reach out to the less fortunate in your area?  What I’ve learned is that it isn’t always the most helpful to give them a few bucks, but what they really need is to build relationships. Yes, they need food and clothing, but after all of that, at the end of the day what they need is love. This has inspired me to reach out more in my community, and I hope it does for you too. There are many ways you can help. Pick a day and volunteer at a local soup kitchen, donate clothing or items to a local shelter, give a blanket or some food to someone you see all alone on the street corner. There are a million ways to help and bring smiles to faces, showing them God’s love for them. I hope somehow, in some way this has inspired you to go out and be a blessing!  I’m working on it myself. I know its easy to get caught up in our every day lives, but I challenge you to look outside of yourself and do something for someone else today.

Thanks for reading and God bless!

My Book, Beauty from Brokeness

Hey guys! Some have asked what my book, "Beauty from Brokenness" , is about. I thought that I would share excerpts every now and then to give you more of an idea. This book was written for anyone who is struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts and/or wanting to give up on life. If your heart is broken and it needs healing, I wrote this for you. In this book I share the key lessons that God has taught me throughout my journey in life on forgiving enemies and finding healing and purpose in Him. My life has never been the same since God brought light where there was once darkness and freedom where there was once bondageI pray He will do the same for you. 


Here is an excerpt from the Chapter Four: You're in a Battle...

"*Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:11-12*

 Whether you realize it or not, you are in a battle every single day of your life. A battle not only for your life - but your soul. Though unseen, this is one of the most important battles you will ever fight. The good news is that with God on your side, you win. He will give you the strength that you need for each and every circumstance you go through. Second Samuel 22:40 says “You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet”.

God is making you a fighter. He is making you strong. Try not to let hardships, depression, anxiety, grief, or anything else that you are facing right now crumble you; instead, determine in your mind that you will make it to the other side. View these battles as stepping stones, making you stronger and taking you closer to the person God is developing you to be. The devil wants you to quit, but I encourage you to set your heart on overcoming every obstacle course that he tries to set up to make you stumble and fall.

Psalm 18:1-20 displays a beautiful message that I found to be true in my life. If you feel surrounded by hopelessness, know that the moment you call on God He will come to your rescue. Read this verse carefully to see just how much He loves you and will rescue you from every enemy.
I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies.

The ropes of death surrounded me; the floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death itself stared me in the face. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears. 

Then the earth quaked and trembled; the foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mounted on a mighty angel, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds. The brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds, raining down hail and burning coals.

The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High gave a mighty shout. He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightening flashed, and they were greatly confused. Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He delivered me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
They attacked me at a moment when I was weakest, but the Lord upheld me. He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he compensated me because of my innocence.


Psalm 18:34 –
He prepares me for battle; he strengthens me to draw a bow of bronze.
You have given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand supports me; your gentleness has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping."

www.barnesandnoble.com, www.authorhouse.com and www.amazon.com. You can also find it in Barnes and Noble stores or at your local library. Get your copy today!

My YouTube Channel

Yay!! I am finally on YouTube...expect lots more videos to come!! God bless you all!

http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideOutKt7?feature=mhee#p/u/0/WENwSjstosI

When the World is Falling Apart...

I woke up this morning, a beautiful Sunday morning, only to see that the devastation and destruction across the United States, and world, continues. There are now terrible wildfires in Arizona (Let’s pray for these people). I find a pattern with all of these disasters…it’s always “The worst one ever” or in years…  What is going on in our world?

It’s almost as if an alarm is going off in my spirit, telling me to be ready and prepared…Jesus could be coming soon.

The news automatically pops up on my computer screen, so I can’t escape seeing these horrific events. But it is good because it continues to make me more and more thankful every day that I have been kept safe. It also reminds me that I am not immune to something like that happening to me. This is why I truly view each and every day as a gift – and constantly try to live and surround myself in a habit of thankfulness to God for how good He is. Even if, and when, the storms come – He is still God. He hasn’t left His throne. He is still in control.

I’m sure you are all aware of the man whose recent end-of-the-world prediction failed. People killed themselves because of that prediction. A mother slit her two children’s throats, along with her own. What a sad, sad shame.  God says “My people perish for lack of knowledge”…we need to know the Bible! Matthew 24:36 says that NO ONE knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return.  No one can predict the end of the world – only God knows – but, there are signs of the times that are the “birth pains” (warning signs) of his return. My advice is to be ready at all times!

Some of the signs of Christ’s return are:

“There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” (Luke 21:11)
So we are to:
"But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (ESV)

Despite the horrors happening in the world – we can have joy, peace and satisfaction in God. As children of God we don’t need to worry because we are only headed towards something greater. Even if our earthly lives are taken away from us, we have a heavenly Kingdom that is our home that will stand forever.

God bless you guys!  Stay alert and be ready!

I'm Back!

Hey guys, some of you are probably wondering where I disappeared off to :) A lot has been going on in my personal life and has been a major distraction - But - I'm back! If you didn't know, I have another blog as well: www.shineinsideout.blogspot.com ! So check it out! I know this post is short and sweet, but there's more to come. Watch for it! Love you all and have a good night/morning/afternoon... whatever it is when you read this message :)

Love, Katie

Breakups - Question of the Day

Ladies...how do you get over a breakup? I would love for you to share! I know that a lot of girls are dealing with broken hearts and wanting to move on but having trouble. This seems to get all of us stuck at one time or another, but some have a harder time moving on.

Please post your suggestions below!

Rise and SHINE!

Good morning ladies! Rise and SHINE!!! If you're like me, you're totally not a morning person, but I woke up early today, hearing the birds chirping outside and feeling the sun peering through my window and I'm excited for today. I pray that you all have a blessed day, and that no matter what happens, you will be able to handle it and rise above any difficult times with the help of GOD! He is there for you, and with you always - through everything.

I would really like for this to be an interactive blog where I can also ask you girls questions and get a bunch of feedback so that we can all help eachother. Can you do me a favor and tell your friends and fellow bloggers about this, so that we can form a network, support group, sisterhood - whatever you would like to call it - of girls trying to seek God and His best for their lives?! It is difficult enough in these times we're living in- we need eachother! Let's stick together instead of battling against eachother.

I pray each of you would have a magnificent day!!! Continue to trust Him - who created You and Loves You! He is there whether you feel like it or not. He is there, waiting to hear from you. Talk to him this morning!

Love you all!

Katie

God's Kingdom or Your Kingdom?

When I was fourteen years old I remember thinking I had my entire life mapped out. I knew who I was going to marry, what my career was going to be, where I would live, how many kids I would have…and their names. But as time went on I realized that my “perfect” plan was falling apart. The guy that I wanted to marry fell in love with someone else, I lost my interest in singing, and Oklahoma didn’t look as promising as it had before. It’s amazing how when God steps in, everything changes.

I think its normal for any girl to want to plan out her life. We think that we know what’s best for us, and no one can tell us anything different. I remember telling my mom one day that I was going to marry a famous rockstar. She gave me a motherly look that told me I was crazy, but I was dead serious, and insulted that she would even question whether it could happen or not. At that time this particular star had millions of fans all over the world, yet I thought somehow we would meet and fall in love. Not that it couldn’t happen, but the chances of it happening were very slim, and she knew that, so she was trying to protect my heart. In the same way, sometimes we think we know what is best for us, or we think we know what an outcome will be, but in reality it is our Heavenly Father who knows what’s best. He says that He has the perfect plan for our lives. I don’t know about you, but I would rather take the perfect plan, over my plan any day!

The older I get, the more I realize that God really does know what He’s doing. You hear it all the time, but there is a huge difference between hearing, and actually seeing and believing. When I look back at all of the things God has protected me from I am so thankful. I used to get angry, and not understand what was going on in my life when certain things wouldn’t work out as I wished, but now, years later I can see more clearly. God was saving me, rescuing me from things that were too deep for my little mind to even grasp.

While I was busy spinning up my own plans, attempting to make things happen my own way, God still had his hand upon my life. When I didn’t know any better, He put blocks along my path. I was busy focusing on the Kingdom of Katie, rather than the Kingdom of God, without even realizing it. I made many attempts to try to plan my own destiny, although I believed in and loved God, I thought things were in my hands, for me to decide. I didn’t really consult Him in any decisions, although I would pray that He would bless my decisions and make happen what I wanted to happen.

            I know that many girls pray for a certain guy to like them. I know I used to wish, hope and pray, and when it didn’t work out I was crushed. Many girls ask, “God why haven’t you sent the right guy to me?” Or “Why don’t any of the guys that I like seem to like me, but the ones that I don’t like, like me?” Well, I can tell you – it’s because God is blinding their eyes to you because either none of them are the right one, or it isn’t the right timing. Right now you are in a stage of your life where you are supposed to be discovering who you are, and building a firm foundation in your relationship with God. He might not necessarily want to bring someone in to cloud that all up. When you fall in love your whole world gets turned upside down, and sometimes you lose sight of who you are if it happens to soon. God wants you to have time to discover your purpose, who you are, the gifts He has given you, and to build a foundation with Him. So don’t be sad, and don’t beat yourself up thinking that something must be wrong with you!

            The Bible says that if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern, then all of the things will be added unto you. It isn’t until you realize this and began putting God first, that everything starts to fall into place. Some of us have it backwards. We go after what we want, assuming it is what God wants, which brings frustration. Once we put God first, and focus on His Kingdom and pray for His leading and direction in our lives that is when He will give us the true desires of our hearts.

            So will you surrender it all? It may seem difficult at first to give up your plan, but you will be so glad that you did. If you don’t, life will be a struggle. If you do, things will run much smoother. God knows what we want and the true desires of our hearts even more than we do.  Will you trust Him with the details of your life? If you do you will be amazed at how He orchestrates every detail so beautifully - more beautiful than you could ever imagine. This doesn’t mean life is always roses, but He always brings a rainbow after the storms of our lives and offers us eternal, everlasting promises that will never fail.

Proverbs 21:30~ Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:21~ You can make many plans, but the Lords purpose will prevail.

Revelation 3:7b~ He opens doors and no one can shut them; He shuts doors, and no one can open them.

You can roll the dice, but God determines how they fall ~

Speak Up!

Girls, what is on your minds?!  Whatever it is....I want you to speak up about it! God cares and I care! He knows your thoughts and the questions, doubts and feelings you may have. In this blog I want to answer difficult questions and touch on any topics that you want. I will do my best to give you advice from a Biblical standpoint and as God leads me. 

If you have questions - don't be afraid to ask! Send them in to me and I will try my best to answer each and every one. I will post the questions (with a fake name). I will never give out anyone's identity.

I believe in you, God believes in you - and He wants the best for you! The Bible, His Word, is your "How To" manual for life. With it, you cannot fail! That is why I will be giving you answers based on God's word - the Truth and Life. There is LIFE and Joy in his word!!

I love you girls! Please write me at dreamkt07@gmail.com.

Whatever is on your heart and mind... it matters!